Google’s Discover feed is officially making its way to desktop—but it turns out the feature has been quietly in testing for more than 16 months, and data related to it was being tracked behind the scenes in Google Search Console (GSC).
Discover Desktop Data Was Hidden in Plain Sight
The surprising discovery came after John Shehata, CEO of NewzDash, revealed a simple URL trick that exposed desktop Discover metrics in Search Console. By modifying the URL with specific parameters, Shehata unlocked historical desktop Discover performance data going back to early 2024.
In a LinkedIn post, Shehata shared:
“Google Discover on desktop is finally here—and it’s already been quietly tracked in Google Search Console!”
The method involved adding:
objectivecCopyEdit&metrics=CLICKS&compare_device=MOBILE&device=DESKTOP
to the GSC Discover URL, enabling a side-by-side comparison of mobile vs. desktop Discover engagement.
This URL tweak was verified by industry experts, including SEJ, and worked for a short period—until it was recently disabled by Google.
What the Data Showed
Shehata analyzed 9.6 billion impressions and uncovered several key insights:
- Google has likely been testing desktop Discover since early 2024
- Notable traffic spikes were observed around July 30 and October 2024
- Mobile click-through rates were generally twice as high as desktop rates
- New Zealand emerged as a possible test region, with desktop traffic at 18% of mobile
- Desktop Discover data was missing for many countries
How This Impacts SEO and Publishers
While mobile Discover has been around for years, its desktop counterpart opens up a new traffic channel with different behavior patterns.
Content optimization strategies should now include:
- Device-based segmentation: Use GA4 and referrer filters (e.g.,
pubsub2
) to track Discover traffic by device - High-quality visuals: Desktop users see content differently, so images must be at least 1200px wide
- Compelling headlines: Headlines that spark curiosity without giving everything away perform best
Shehata emphasized:
“This data opens up a new layer of Discover strategy. Desktop Discover is still in early stages, but now’s the time to start analyzing.”
Final Thoughts
Google has yet to officially roll out desktop Discover globally, but this accidental glimpse gave SEO pros an early look at how it might perform. While the workaround is now disabled, the findings serve as a sneak peek into a future channel of organic visibility—and an opportunity to adapt content strategies ahead of the curve.