Google Search Console has just introduced a new custom annotation feature that fundamentally upgrades how SEOs and site owners manage context within their performance data. With this tool, users can add specific notes directly to the performance charts inside Search Console, tying site changes, optimization efforts, or external events to measurable fluctuations in traffic or rankings.
What the Annotation Feature Does
With the new annotation feature, SEOs and webmasters can right-click (or tap-and-hold) any date within their GSC performance charts and select “Add annotation.” From there, a note—up to 120 characters—can be attached to that date. This annotation then appears as a small marker at the bottom of the chart. Clicking on a marker reveals its content, giving ongoing teams a timeline of optimizations (like website launches, technical updates, content overhauls, or even algorithmic shifts) aligned alongside organic traffic or query data.
Why Annotations Matter
This is a major shift for workflow and transparency. Until now, logging work required spreadsheets, external dashboards, or third-party bulk annotation tools. Now, GSC brings this natively into performance reporting, letting teams attribute increases or drops to specific actions, campaigns, or even market events. It’s especially powerful for agencies and bigger sites with multiple hands in the workflow—everyone with access can see team notes, but Google advises against logging confidential information, as the notes are shared.
Limits and Functionality
Each property can have up to 200 annotations; entries older than 500 days are deleted automatically. While you can delete existing annotations, you cannot currently edit them. This “write-once” approach keeps a clear historical record, but means mistakes require removing and re-adding the annotation. Also, annotations are visible in virtually all chart views except comparison mode and certain daily data visualizations.
Strategic Impact
This long-awaited feature helps close the loop between performance data and actual optimization actions, making it much easier to correlate traffic swings with site changes. Whether tracking rollout dates for new sections, monitoring for the outcome of Core Updates, or keeping a public log for the team during a redesign, annotations are poised to become a routine aspect of SEO management and reporting within Google Search Console.
Getting Started
To use custom annotations in Search Console:
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Navigate to any performance report (on property, page, query, etc.).
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Right-click or tap and hold on a specific date in the chart.
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Select “Add annotation,” enter your note, and save it.
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The annotation appears as a marker; click it to view details or delete if needed.
This update marks another leap toward making Google Search Console a more actionable, workflow-oriented SEO platform—moving beyond raw data and into integrated performance and project management.
