# Annotations

Annotations let you mark important events directly on your Google Search Console performance charts. Use them to track algorithm updates, content changes, technical fixes, or any event that might impact your search performance.

<figure><img src="https://1176579443-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2DwV6sJBiKjUHMDggb4d%2Fuploads%2FKtff0oA3eDtd6EHn8OA8%2FXnapper-2026-01-31-11.44.00.png?alt=media&#x26;token=0e06fbe8-d577-4a62-955d-0e357917611d" alt=""><figcaption><p>Annotations appear as triangle markers on the chart timeline</p></figcaption></figure>

## Why Use Annotations?

When analyzing search performance changes, it's crucial to understand what happened and when. Annotations help you:

* **Correlate changes**: See how content updates or technical fixes affected your traffic
* **Track algorithm updates**: Google algorithm updates are automatically added as annotations
* **Document your work**: Keep a record of SEO changes for future reference
* **Share context**: When reviewing data with others, annotations explain what happened

## Viewing Annotations

Annotations appear as small triangle markers at the bottom of your GSC performance chart.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
**Enable Annotations**

Click the **notebook icon** in the chart toolbar to open the annotations menu. Annotations are shown by default.

<figure><img src="https://1176579443-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2DwV6sJBiKjUHMDggb4d%2Fuploads%2FLjPNRxizfN6rYTyYAe9d%2FXnapper-2026-01-31-11.44.59.png?alt=media&#x26;token=135530de-9c07-48a9-9998-6cab052d8832" alt="" width="563"><figcaption><p>Annotations dropdown menu</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Filter by Type**

Use the checkboxes to show or hide specific annotation types:

| Type          | Description                                    |
| ------------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| Custom        | Annotations you create manually                |
| Google Update | Automatically tracked Google algorithm updates |
| System        | System-generated annotations                   |
| {% endstep %} |                                                |

{% step %}
**View Annotation Details**

Hover over any triangle marker to see a tooltip with the annotation details. Click the marker to open the full annotations panel for that date.

<figure><img src="https://1176579443-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2DwV6sJBiKjUHMDggb4d%2Fuploads%2Ft3UTmFG5hUGPomcCqzKJ%2FXnapper-2026-01-31-11.45.48.png?alt=media&#x26;token=c187d462-db2d-4ae2-8db2-bfa7beed90f4" alt=""><figcaption><p>Click an annotation marker to see details</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## Adding Annotations

{% stepper %}
{% step %}
**Open the Annotations Menu**

Click the **notebook icon** in the chart toolbar.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Click Add Annotation**

Select **"Add annotation"** from the dropdown menu.

<figure><img src="https://1176579443-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2DwV6sJBiKjUHMDggb4d%2Fuploads%2FDFJStvZYJf3EohT5SRYT%2FXnapper-2026-01-31-11.46.27.png?alt=media&#x26;token=f5c8793b-276f-472a-bbb0-7af9d19b5208" alt="" width="563"><figcaption><p>Add annotation option in the menu</p></figcaption></figure>
{% endstep %}

{% step %}
**Fill in the Details**

* **Title**: A short description of the event
* **Date**: When the event occurred
* **Description** (optional): Additional context or notes

Click **"Save"** to add the annotation.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

{% hint style="info" %}
Annotations are linked to the GSC property, so they'll appear whenever you view that property's performance chart.
{% endhint %}

## Managing Annotations

### View All Annotations

Click **"View all annotations"** in the annotations menu to open a panel showing all annotations for the current property.

<figure><img src="https://1176579443-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2DwV6sJBiKjUHMDggb4d%2Fuploads%2FuKtNDO0QpMrp1Mqm1yyB%2FXnapper-2026-01-31-11.47.45.png?alt=media&#x26;token=e3a7fe21-96e4-4cb7-a06f-e1fe4356b105" alt=""><figcaption><p>Annotations panel with filtering options</p></figcaption></figure>

### Available Actions

| Action | Description                        |
| ------ | ---------------------------------- |
| View   | See full annotation details        |
| Edit   | Modify title, date, or description |
| Delete | Remove the annotation              |

{% hint style="warning" %}
Google Update and System annotations cannot be edited or deleted—they are automatically maintained by SEO Utils.
{% endhint %}

### Filtering Annotations

Use the filters in the annotations panel to find specific annotations:

* **Date Range**: Filter by when annotations occurred
* **Type**: Show only custom, Google updates, or system annotations
* **Search**: Find annotations by title or description

## Google Algorithm Updates

SEO Utils automatically tracks confirmed Google algorithm updates and adds them as annotations. This helps you understand if traffic changes correlate with known algorithm updates.

{% hint style="success" %}
Google Update annotations are added automatically—you don't need to track them manually.
{% endhint %}

## Best Practices

* **Be specific**: Use clear titles like "Published new pricing page" instead of "Content update"
* **Add context**: Use the description field to include links or additional details
* **Annotate promptly**: Add annotations when you make changes, not weeks later when you've forgotten the details
* **Review regularly**: When analyzing performance drops or gains, check annotations first to understand what changed


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