September 15, 2025
On September 12, marketers noticed that Google seemed to be testing a significant change in the search results pages - removing the &num=100 parameter.
At first, no one knew if this was a test or if Google really would be removing this feature. But recently, Barry Schwartz posted on X to share that Google has released a statement:
Unfortunately this does have several ramifications for SEOs and business owners. So let’s take a look at what the &num=100 parameter is, why this change matters, and how it could affect you.
The &num=100 is a parameter that allows users and software to view up to 100 results for a query on a single page. The standard search results page shows 10 results per page. But, by adding this modifier to the search URL, users can view more results without the need to navigate multiple pages.
After many people in the SEO community noticed a reduction in the ability to pull 100 results and in some cases had limited access to data that was previously available through the &num=100 parameter, Google confirmed that they don't formally support the use of this URL parameter.
The reasons behind this are unknown but unfortunately this specific change has had significant implications for search tracking tools and SEO professionals who rely on detailed SERP data.
Google removing the &num=100 parameter has wreaked havoc on rank tracking tools. We’ve already seen the impact this has had on our own Google Search Console data:
Impressions and unique ranking terms are down significantly with short and mid-tail keywords appearing most affected. This means reports may look unimpressive, even if rankings are steady.
Rank tracking tools like Ahrefs and Semrush depend on large sets of data to track rankings over time. The removal of the &num=100 parameter means ranking tools will now have to use alternative methods to gather data.
This includes:
Tracking competitors who rank just beyond the top 10 results could become difficult. As a result, an SEO's ability to spot new competitors or track shifts in their ranking performance for specific keywords could be hindered.
For those who still need to collect data for the full top 100 results, it’s likely that rank trackers and data providers will hike up the costs, as they will need to spend ten times more collecting 100 results.
Many companies are starting to comment on the situation and how this is affecting the functionality of their rank tracking tools. Ahrefs, who provide one of the most popular rank tracking tools, have said this has had an ‘industry-wide impact’.
Speaking on how it will affect their popular service, they stated:
‘These changes don’t impact the frequency of our updates, but will reduce the number of results we can check for each term beyond Google’s first page.'
AccuRanker also issued a statement explaining that rankings beyond position 20 are unavailable for the time being, as pulling additional pages significantly increases costs. However, they are working on a viable and cost-effective solution to extend beyond 20 results without having to drastically increase fees.
Meanwhile Semrush has noted that their reporting is unaffected and the top 10 and 20 results remain fully intact.
Ultimately, Google's removal of the &num=100 parameter means SEOs may need to adapt their strategies and adjust the frequency in which they check rankings, analyse trends and competitors, and refine keyword game plan. And with less raw data publicly available, creating effective strategies could prove more difficult.
The reasons for this are unknown. However, many are speculating that this could be to tighten data access and increase privacy measures by reducing access to large-scale data or to push SEOs to focus more on user experience, content quality and engagement metrics, rather than relying on raw ranking data, so they can better serve user intent.
The removal of the &num=100 parameter has sparked widespread concern in the SEO community, particularly regarding how search ranking tools will adapt and how it will affect rank tracking, competitive analysis, and SEO strategies. If you are worried about how this could affect you, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.
