Google Just Cleaned Up Its Data - What That Means for Your Website

Understanding Google’s Latest Reporting Update

Before you panic and call your SEO team… breathe. This is one time Google breaking something is actually a good thing.

In September 2025, Google made a change to how it measures and reports certain website activity. The short version? They’ve cleaned up the data, so your reports now reflect real people, not bots.

We promise, it’s not you - it’s Google.

What Is Google Search Console?

Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool from Google that helps website owners see how their site performs in search results.

It tracks things like:

• Impressions: how many times your site appears in Google search results.
• Clicks: how many people actually clicked to visit your site.
• Average position: roughly where your site ranks in search results.
  
  

Think of it like your website’s report card for visibility on Google.

What Changed in September 2025

Up until now, Google counted every single appearance of your site in search, including those triggered by automated systems such as bots, scrapers or bulk data requests.

Turns out, some of those ‘impressions’ weren’t people at all - just bots doing laps around the internet.

In September, Google decided to tidy things up. These automated impressions are no longer counted in reports.

That means:

• You’ll likely see a dip in impressions starting around 10 September.
• Clicks, traffic and rankings should remain steady.
• It’s not a penalty or a performance drop - it’s simply cleaner data.

Why This Is a Good Thing

This update means your reports now focus on real customers, not computer programs.
For some websites, up to 40% of impressions came from automated activity… people were never actually seeing those results.

So while your numbers might look smaller, they’re now far more accurate. Fewer fake clicks, more real people - just how we like it. It’s a clearer reflection of your true visibility with genuine searchers.

What You’ll See in Your Reports



Here’s what’s normal to notice this month:

So don’t stress if your line graph suddenly drops — the people finding your business haven’t gone anywhere.

How This Affects You

If you receive regular reports or check your dashboard, you might notice lower impression counts.

This doesn’t mean fewer people are discovering your business. it just means your reporting is finally showing real search activity.

What You Can Do

Focus on quality traffic. The most important metrics are clicks, conversions, and enquiries.

Keep an eye on trends. If you see drops in clicks or traffic — not just impressions — let your Localsearch team know.

Relax! This update helps everyone get more accurate insights moving forward.

In Summary

If you see a dip in impressions this month:

• It’s expected.
• It’s not an SEO issue.
• It’s a positive update that gives you clearer, more trustworthy data.
  
  

Google just Marie Kondo’d your data, and we’re here for it.

Need Help Understanding Your Results?



If you’d like help interpreting your reports or re-establishing your performance baseline, our team is here to help.

We’ll walk you through what’s changed and show you what numbers truly matter for your business growth.

Get in touch today. No bots here! Just real people ready to help.