Now that we are starting to see Generative AI search reports in GSC, it's time to anticipate and answer the questions clients will have. Since the only metric is impressions, it would be nice to know what counts.

A Bluesky user named Nicola Agius tagged John Mueller asking:

> 1. Does total impressions include AI impressions?

> 2. If your article isn't shown, but your icon is on the main feed combined card, is that an impression?

> 3. If your article has been grouped in a cluster, but your icon doesn't show in the main feed, is that an impression?

> 4. Does total impressions include X posts?

JM's reply:

> The impressions are based on links to your site being shown in AI Overviews / AI Mode. I don't know if just a favicon would be linked, but if it's linked to a page on your site, that would count. If something needs to be "activated" to see the link, it would only count when users do that.

Is it just me, or is that answer confusing? Does it mean that when you see +1 or +4 in an AI Mode citation, that only the first link in that "citation pack" gets an impression recorded in their GSC report? Does it mean that of the 19 total sites cited in the sidebar citation container, only the first 3 get an impression recorded because the other 16 need to be "activated" to see the link? That seems to be what he is saying.

It would be nice if Google updated the documentation for this new report with some crystal clear visual examples of what does and doesn't count as an impression. There's a link to submit feedback on this report if you feel inspired.