Google’s Removal of num=100: What It Means for Your SEO

At Innermedia, we keep a close eye on changes to Google’s behaviour, because even the smallest updates can affect how businesses perform online. One recent development is the removal of the num=100 parameter. If you’ve noticed unexpected shifts in your Search Console data, this could be the reason. Here’s what has changed, why it matters, and how we recommend adapting.

What Was the num=100 Parameter?

Previously, users could add &num=100 to a Google search URL to force the search engine to show 100 results on a single page instead of the standard 10. This was a common trick used by SEO tools, rank trackers, and analysts to quickly collect ranking data. With the feature removed, the way data is gathered and reported has changed.

What Has Changed and Why It Matters

The removal of num=100 has several consequences:

• Data distortion reduced: Tools that scraped 100 results at once often inflated “impression” counts, recording visibility in positions that real users rarely scrolled to.
• Search Console metrics shifted: Many websites are seeing fewer impressions reported, while average positions appear to improve, since irrelevant impressions from very low positions are no longer included.
• Impact on SEO tools: Rank tracking software now requires multiple requests to collect the same data, which can increase costs and slow reporting.

What Metrics Really Matter

This change reinforces something we often tell clients: focus on meaningful metrics, not just vanity numbers. Clicks, conversions, and revenue are far better indicators of success than inflated impressions. Pay attention to visibility on page one, click-through rate (CTR), and user engagement metrics such as time on page.

Although Google’s removal of the num=100 parameter might look alarming at first, the reality is that it has simply cleaned up inflated data. At Innermedia, we view this as an opportunity to sharpen your strategy, concentrating on the metrics that truly matter and ensuring your SEO investment is tied directly to business results.