The SEO Shakeup: How Google’s num=100 Parameter Removal is Reshaping Digital Marketing
The SEO world was caught off guard in mid-September 2025 when Google quietly disabled a seemingly technical feature that had profound implications across the industry. The removal of the &num=100 search parameter—which allowed users and tools to view 100 search results per page instead of the standard 10—has triggered what many are calling one of the most significant disruptions to SEO measurement and tracking in recent years.
The Numbers Tell a Stark Story
Recent analysis of 319 websites by Tyler Gargula, Director of Technical SEO at LOCOMOTIVE Agency, reveals the widespread impact of this change. The data is striking:
- 87.7% of sites experienced declining impressions in Google Search Console
- 77.6% of sites lost unique ranking terms in their keyword portfolios
- Short-tail and mid-tail keywords took the biggest hit, fundamentally altering keyword visibility reports
- Ranking distributions shifted dramatically, with fewer queries appearing on page 3+ while more surfaced in top 3 positions and page 1
These aren’t minor fluctuations—they represent a fundamental reshaping of how SEO performance is measured and understood.
Beyond the Surface: What Really Happened
The num=100 parameter had been a cornerstone of SEO tooling for years. It allowed rank tracking services, SEO platforms, and automated systems to efficiently gather comprehensive ranking data by loading 100 search results in a single request rather than making multiple page requests. When Google removed this functionality around September 10, 2025, it created immediate operational challenges.
The Cost Impact on SEO Tools
For rank tracking providers, the impact was immediate and severe. What previously required one API call now demands up to 10 separate requests to gather the same ranking data. This 10x increase in API costs has forced major platforms including Semrush, Ahrefs, and Accuranker to scramble for alternative solutions while managing dramatically increased operational expenses.
The Data Accuracy Question
Perhaps most intriguingly, the removal may have inadvertently revealed how inflated some SEO metrics had become. Many industry experts, including prominent SEO consultant Brodie Clark, suggest that the historically high impression counts may have been artificially boosted by automated tools and scrapers that routinely loaded 100-result pages. If true, this means the current “lower” numbers might actually represent more accurate, real-world user behavior.
The Ripple Effects Across the Industry
Search Console Data Disruption
Website owners logging into Google Search Console have been greeted by alarming drops in desktop impressions and concerning spikes in average position metrics. What appeared to be sudden ranking losses may actually reflect the removal of bot-generated impressions that were never representative of actual user behavior.
Tool Reliability Concerns
The incident has highlighted the SEO industry’s heavy dependence on Google’s technical infrastructure. Major platforms that thousands of businesses rely on for critical decision-making found themselves unable to provide accurate data overnight. This has sparked conversations about diversification and the risks of building business models entirely dependent on Google’s systems.
Measurement Methodology Shifts
SEO professionals are now questioning fundamental assumptions about how search performance should be measured. If a significant portion of previously reported impressions came from automated systems rather than real users, what does this mean for ROI calculations, client reporting, and strategic decision-making?
What This Means for Different Stakeholders
For SEO Agencies and Consultants
The immediate challenge is client communication. Explaining why impression counts and keyword visibility have apparently plummeted requires careful context about data accuracy versus actual performance. Agencies may need to reset baseline expectations and adjust reporting methodologies.
For Enterprise SEO Teams
Internal reporting systems built around historical Search Console data may need recalibration. Teams should focus on relative performance changes rather than absolute numbers, and consider implementing additional measurement tools to reduce dependence on any single data source.
For SEO Tool Providers
The incident represents both a crisis and an opportunity. While operational costs have spiked, companies that can develop more efficient data collection methods or alternative ranking measurement approaches may gain competitive advantages.
The Broader Context: Google’s Evolving Ecosystem
This change doesn’t exist in isolation. Google has been systematically reducing third-party access to search data throughout 2025, as part of what appears to be a broader strategy to control information flow and possibly prepare for more AI-driven search experiences.
The removal aligns with Google’s rollout of AI Overviews and increasingly dynamic search result formats. As search results become more personalized and context-dependent, traditional ranking measurement may become less relevant anyway.
Preparing for the New Reality
Immediate Actions for SEO Professionals
- Communicate proactively with stakeholders about data changes and what they mean
- Establish new baselines using post-change data rather than trying to compare to historical metrics
- Diversify measurement approaches to reduce dependence on any single data source
- Focus on business outcomes rather than vanity metrics that may have been inflated
Long-term Strategic Adjustments
The incident underscores the importance of building SEO strategies that aren’t entirely dependent on Google’s technical infrastructure. This might mean:
- Investing more in direct traffic and brand building
- Developing alternative traffic sources
- Creating measurement frameworks based on business outcomes rather than search metrics alone
- Building closer relationships with customers to understand their actual search behavior
Looking Ahead: What’s Next?
Google has remained characteristically silent about whether the num=100 removal is permanent or accidental. However, the scale of the impact suggests this is likely a deliberate change rather than a temporary glitch.
The SEO industry is at an inflection point. Tools and methodologies that worked for years may no longer be viable. Companies that can adapt quickly to new measurement realities and reduced data availability may find themselves with significant competitive advantages.
The Silver Lining: More Accurate Data
While disruptive, the removal of the num=100 parameter may ultimately lead to more accurate understanding of search performance. If previous impression counts were indeed inflated by automated systems, then current data—while lower—may better reflect actual user behavior and search patterns.
This could lead to better decision-making, more realistic client expectations, and SEO strategies that focus on actual user value rather than gaming metrics that may have been artificially inflated.
Google’s removal of the num=100 parameter represents more than a technical change—it’s a reminder of how quickly the digital marketing landscape can shift. The 77% of sites that lost keyword visibility and 87.7% that saw impression drops aren’t necessarily performing worse; they’re just seeing more accurate data for the first time in years.
For SEO professionals, the path forward requires adaptability, clear communication, and a renewed focus on creating genuine value for users rather than optimizing for metrics that may not reflect real-world impact. Those who can navigate this transition successfully may find themselves better positioned for whatever changes Google introduces next.
The SEO industry has weathered major algorithm updates, privacy changes, and platform shifts before. This latest disruption, while significant, is ultimately another evolution in the ongoing relationship between marketers and the world’s dominant search platform. The winners will be those who embrace the change, adapt their methodologies, and continue focusing on what matters most: connecting businesses with the customers who need them.