Google Drops Search Results Parameter: What Marketers Need to Know
In mid-September, Google quietly removed the option to view 100 results per page in its search results. For years, this feature allowed SEOs, marketers and tool providers to analyse the full breadth of rankings for a given query. Its removal has caused noticeable ripples across the industry, especially when it comes to reporting impressions in Google Search Console (GSC) and in how third-party SEO tools operate.
Initially, some believed this was simply a test. However, it now appears to be a permanent change, with several SEO experts and tool providers confirming that the feature is no longer available.
What Was the 100 Results Parameter?
The &num=100 parameter was a simple setting that told Google to display 100 search results on a single page rather than the default 10. For users, it offered a way to scroll through more results at once. For SEOs and third-party tools, however, it was much more significant.
Scrapers and SEO platforms often relied on the full 100 results to track keyword rankings and visibility across a wide set of queries. This data was then used to generate client reports, estimate market share and better understand the competitive landscape.
Now, with the parameter removed, many tools can only accurately report on the top 20 results for a query. This considerably limits the level of detail SEOs have been used to.
The Impact on Search Console Reports
The biggest area where marketers will notice a change is in their GSC impression data. Since September 12, 2025, many have seen sudden and sharp drops in impressions. Understandably, this has raised concerns among brands and agencies, who feared they were losing visibility.
The reality, however, is quite different. The drop in impressions does not indicate a fall in search demand or in the number of users searching for a given query. Instead, it reflects the fact that fewer scrapers are able to view and record your results now that the 100 results option has been disabled.
In other words, your audience is still there and your visibility with real searchers has not changed. What has shifted is the ability of third-party tools to detect and record those impressions.
What This Means for Marketers
For marketers and SEOs, the key takeaway is that this change does not negatively affect your actual search performance. If your clicks remain steady, then your audience is still finding you just as before.
The impression drops you see in GSC reflect the way third-party data is collected, not a reflection of your real users’ behaviour. The best course of action is to add a clear note in monthly reports to explain the drop from mid-September onwards. This way, clients and stakeholders understand that it is a change in reporting on Google’s side, rather than a genuine loss in visibility.
From an agency perspective, it also presents an opportunity to reassure clients. Their performance has not suffered. What has changed is how the industry tracks and interprets that performance.
It is also important to check in with your third-party tool provider to ensure that any data that you use from their platform is accurate and up to date following these changes. Some tools like SEOClarity are reporting as normal, but for the likes of Accuranker and SEMRush they have reported that their tools were affected.
Final Thoughts
Google’s decision to remove the 100 results parameter may feel disruptive, particularly for those who relied heavily on detailed ranking data. But it is important to separate the reporting challenges from actual user behaviour.
Your customers are still searching, still seeing your results and still clicking. The only difference is that SEO tools and scrapers can no longer surface the same volume of ranking data as before.
For marketers, the focus should remain on long-term strategy, building organic visibility and monitoring the metrics that really matter, such as clicks, conversions and traffic quality.
This is not a setback, but rather a reminder to look beyond the data quirks and keep attention on what ultimately drives results.