> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.rankability.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.rankability.com/track/using-gsc-annotations.md).

# Using GSC annotations

Mark important events like algorithm updates, content changes, or campaigns on the GSC Performance chart timeline to correlate actions with traffic changes.

Annotations let you mark specific dates on the GSC Performance chart with notes about events that may have affected your search traffic. This makes it easy to correlate traffic changes with actions you’ve taken or external events like Google algorithm updates.

## Adding an annotation

1. Click the **Annotate** button in the GSC Performance card header.
2. Enter a **title** (required) – a short label for the event.
3. Add a **description** (optional) – more detail about what happened.
4. Select the **date** when the event occurred.
5. Choose a **category**:
   * **Algorithm update** – Google search algorithm changes.
   * **Content change** – Major edits to your content.
   * **Technical change** – Site migrations, redesigns, or infrastructure updates.
   * **Campaign** – Marketing campaigns or promotions.
   * **Other** – Anything else worth noting.
6. Click **Save**.

## How annotations appear on the chart

Each annotation appears as a vertical reference line on the chart at the corresponding date. The line color and icon vary by category so you can quickly distinguish between different types of events. Hover over an annotation line to see its title and description in a tooltip.

## Pre-populated algorithm updates

Rankability automatically includes major Google algorithm updates as system annotations (shown with a distinct icon). These cannot be edited or deleted but give you valuable context when reviewing traffic changes. If a traffic drop aligns with an algorithm update line, it’s a strong signal that the update may have affected your rankings.

## Editing and deleting annotations

Click on an annotation in the chart tooltip to open the edit dialog. From there you can update the title, description, date, or category. To delete an annotation, use the delete option in the same dialog. System annotations (algorithm updates) cannot be modified.

## Annotations and granularity

When you switch between daily, weekly, and monthly chart views, annotations are automatically mapped to the nearest time bucket. An annotation on January 15 will appear at the start of the week (in weekly view) or the start of the month (in monthly view) that contains that date.

## Best practices

* Add annotations whenever you make significant content updates, site changes, or launch campaigns.
* Review the pre-populated algorithm update lines when investigating traffic drops.
* Use the description field to include links to related documents or tickets for future reference.
* Annotations are shared across your team – they’re visible to everyone with access to the client.

## Related articles

* [Connecting and using Google Search Console](/track/connecting-google-search-console.md) — Overview of the GSC Performance card and its features.


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