Google’s Latest Update: What the Removal of the 100-Result Parameter Means for SEO Rank Tracking

In the ever-evolving world of SEO, staying on top of industry changes is crucial — and we’re here to make sure you’re always in the loop. Recently, Google rolled out an update that’s making waves across the SEO community, and it’s something every website owner and digital marketer needs to know about. Here’s everything you need to understand about the changes Google has made to its search results and how they impact rank tracking tools like the one we use to report on your site’s SEO performance.

The Big Change: Google Removes the 100-Result Parameter

For years, SEO rank tracking tools have been able to pull up to 100 results per search page (using the &num=100 setting). This allowed us to track not just the rankings on Page 1 but also those buried deeper within the search results — all the way to Page 10.

But Google recently dropped this feature, meaning that rank trackers can no longer use this method. This change impacts all rank tracking tools globally, not just the one we use. So, if you’ve noticed some discrepancies in your keyword tracking or search visibility, here’s why.

The Impact on Your Reports

What does this update mean for your SEO reports?

• Page 1 Rankings Remain Unchanged: Keywords that are ranking on Page 1 will continue to be visible and tracked as normal.
• Page 1 and 2 Rankings Will Be Tracked from 17th September: Keywords on both Page 1 and Page 2 will be visible in your Artemis reports. This update ensures that you’ll be able to track keywords ranking on both pages, offering a more complete view of your website’s search visibility.
• Keywords on Page 3 or Beyond May Be Affected: If your keywords are ranking on Page 3 or lower, they may no longer show up accurately. Some may even appear as “not found” in reports, making it harder to track their exact position.
• Google Search Console Data May Look Different: You might notice a drop in impressions in Google Search Console, even if your website hasn’t experienced any decline in traffic. This is a result of tracker bots no longer being able to pull data from deeper pages in the search results.

Why Is Google Doing This?

You may be wondering: Why would Google make this change?

While it’s not entirely clear, many in the SEO industry believe that this is part of Google’s larger initiative to prevent large-scale data scraping by third-party tools and AI platforms. By limiting the number of results accessible per page, Google is likely trying to make it more challenging for automated tools to gather extensive data about search rankings.

What We’re Doing About It

So, what’s next? While this change may present some challenges in tracking rankings across multiple pages, we want to assure you that this update doesn’t affect your website’s performance or rankings. It simply means that tracking results beyond Page 1 is no longer possible using the current methodology.

We’re actively working with our technology partners and keeping a close eye on developments in the industry. Our focus, as always, remains on helping your key terms rank on Page 1 and stay there, where visibility is highest and accurate tracking is most meaningful.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns about your current reports, we’re here to help. Our team is always available to clarify any confusion or discuss how these changes might impact your SEO strategy moving forward.

Stay Ahead of the Curve

SEO is an ever-changing landscape, and staying informed is key to maintaining your website’s success. We’ll continue to monitor these changes and update you with any new developments that could affect your rankings or reporting.

As always, we appreciate your trust in Artemis and are here to ensure that your SEO efforts continue to thrive in this changing digital landscape.