Google has quietly introduced a change that is causing major disruption for SEO professionals, website owners, and digital marketers worldwide. If you’ve noticed unusual ranking reports or strange movements in your keyword data recently, you’re not imagining it.
Let’s break down what happened, why it matters, and how it could affect your SEO strategy moving forward.
What Changed in Google Search
Last week, Google removed the option to view 100 search results per page. Previously, adding the &num=100 parameter to a Google search URL would return the top 100 results in one go. This feature is now gone.
On the surface, this might not sound like a big deal. But for SEO tools and ranking trackers, it’s huge.
- Before: Tools could pull the top 100 results in a single request.
- Now: Tools must make ten separate requests to get the same amount of data.
This makes tracking keyword rankings more complex, slower, and significantly more expensive for software providers.
Impact on Third-Party SEO Tools
The removal of 100 results per page has caused widespread issues across rank-tracking platforms. Many tools are reporting incomplete or inaccurate data, particularly for rankings beyond the first page of Google results.
- Ahrefs confirmed inconsistencies beyond the top 10 results and warned users that deeper ranking data may remain unreliable for some time.
- ProRankTracker described the change as “the most disruptive update to SEO tools in the past decade”.
- Other platforms have yet to recover fully, with users noticing missing keywords, false ranking drops, or unusual ranking shifts.
In fact, one industry analysis found that 77% of websites lost keyword visibility when Google removed the num=100 option.
Issues in Google Search Console
Even Google’s own reporting tools are feeling the effects. Marketers have reported unusual drops in desktop impressions within Search Console.
Here’s the problem:
- When fewer low-ranking impressions are recorded, your site’s average position looks better than it really is.
- This can give a false sense of improvement in visibility, even though nothing has changed in actual search performance.
In short, the numbers might look good, but don’t be fooled because they aren’t necessarily reflecting the reality.
Why This Matters for SEO
Rankings beyond the first page have always been valuable for SEO professionals. They help to:
- Spot early signs of keyword progress.
- Catch keyword cannibalisation issues.
- Identify new opportunities before they reach the first page.
With reporting tools disrupted, these insights are harder to capture, at least until platforms fully adapt to Google’s new rules.
What You Should Do Next
If you rely on keyword tracking tools or Search Console data, here are a few practical steps:
- Be cautious with ranking data: expect inconsistencies for now, particularly for positions beyond the top 10.
- Cross-check with multiple tools: where possible, compare reports to identify obvious anomalies.
- Focus on real-world results: look beyond rankings. Track organic traffic, conversions, and user behaviour for a truer picture of performance.
- Stay informed: SEO tool providers are actively working on fixes, and many will update users as their systems stabilise.
Tailored SEO Strategies for Organic Growth
Staying on top of Google’s updates can feel overwhelming, especially when reporting tools and search data are unreliable. That’s where topclick comes in. Our SEO experts keep ahead of every algorithm shift, ranking change, and reporting challenge to ensure your website maintains visibility where it matters most.
- Clear, accurate performance insights.
- Proven strategies to grow organic traffic.
- Guidance tailored to your business goals.
Get in touch with our team today, and let’s strengthen your search visibility.