Search news
Search Console annotations: put the story beside the graph.
Google's chart notes make it easier to record website changes. Here is how we would use them to make SEO reviews more useful.
The useful bit
Record what changed and when. A note makes a graph easier to interpret, but a change followed by a rise in traffic does not prove that change caused the rise.
What Google announced
On 17 November 2025, Google introduced custom annotations in Search Console performance reports. The feature lets site owners put dated notes alongside performance charts, for example when a website or content changes. Google also notes that other people with access to the property can see those annotations, so sensitive personal information should not be included.
Why we think this is useful
A traffic graph without context can encourage confident guesses. A new service page, a site migration, a seasonal event and a change in business focus can all be relevant to a review. Recording the event when it happens gives everyone a better starting point later. Our recommendation is to describe the actual change briefly instead of writing an optimistic prediction into the note.
What a useful record looks like
For a service business, examples might include publishing a dedicated installation page, correcting a contact route or updating the area covered. Keep more detailed implementation notes separately where needed. A short chart annotation should help someone identify the event and find the fuller context, without containing customer names, enquiry details or private account information.
Use context without claiming causation
If enquiries rise after a page update, look at the service mix, traffic sources, demand and follow-up as well. Several things may have changed at once. Owt's view is that a dated record supports a more honest conversation about progress. It can help decide what to investigate or repeat, while the underlying business evidence still determines whether the work was worthwhile.
Sources & further reading
Checked 29 October 2026. The announcement is summarised above. The recommendations are owt's interpretation for service businesses. Platform features can change.
Put it to work
A useful next step for your business.
Show up for the right jobs, in the right places, with a website that turns interest into enquiries.