Google expands Search console to track Instagram, TikTok, X & YouTube performance

Google is giving creators and brands a clearer picture of how their content performs beyond traditional websites. The company has introduced "Platform Properties" in Search Console, a new feature that allows users to track how content published on Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube is discovered through Google Search and Discover.

The move reflects a broader shift in online discovery. Increasingly, users are turning to social media posts, creator-led content and short-form videos for information, recommendations and entertainment. As a result, social profiles and videos are appearing more prominently in Google Search results, making it important for creators and marketers to understand how audiences are finding their content.

With the new Platform Properties feature, creators and brands can view key performance metrics such as clicks, impressions and search queries that drive traffic to their social content. The tool also offers insights into top-performing posts, audience discovery trends and milestone-based achievement tracking.

For years, Search Console has largely been associated with websites and SEO teams. The latest expansion signals Google's acknowledgement that a growing share of searchable content now lives on third-party platforms rather than owned websites.

Why it matters for creators

For content creators, the update provides visibility into a discovery channel that has often remained a black box. While platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube offer their own analytics, they reveal how content performs within those ecosystems. Google's new reporting shows how users are finding creator content through search intent.

This could help creators identify which topics, keywords and formats generate visibility on Google, allowing them to optimize future content accordingly. For creators who rely on search-driven traffic for long-term discoverability, the data may offer a competitive advantage over platform-only analytics.

The feature also reinforces the growing importance of "searchable content" among creators. Tutorials, reviews, explainers, product recommendations and educational videos often continue attracting traffic long after publication because they align with search demand.

What brands should watch

For brands investing heavily in influencer marketing, the update offers a new layer of measurement.

Traditionally, campaign success has been assessed through engagement metrics such as views, likes, comments and shares. Search Console's platform insights could help brands understand whether creator collaborations are also generating search visibility and long-tail discovery on Google.

Marketers may be able to identify:

• Which creator posts rank or appear most frequently in Google Search.
• What search queries users associate with branded collaborations.
• Whether campaign content continues attracting traffic weeks or months after publication.
• Which platforms generate the strongest search-driven discovery.

The development could encourage brands to evaluate creators not only on engagement rates but also on their ability to produce content that remains discoverable through search.

A sign of Google's changing search landscape

The launch comes as Google increasingly incorporates creator content, social posts and videos into search results. Consumers are also changing their search habits, with many younger users seeking recommendations, reviews and firsthand experiences from creators rather than traditional websites.

By bringing social and video platform analytics into Search Console, Google is effectively positioning creator content as an important part of the modern search ecosystem.

As creator-led commerce and influencer marketing continue to grow, the ability to measure how social content performs on Google Search could become a valuable tool for both creators and the brands that partner with them.