Massive Search Ranking Drop in Sept 2025 After Google Removed num=100
Google recently removed the num=100 parameter, and it caused major changes in SEO data. Many websites are now seeing big drops in impressions, rankings, and keyword visibility inside Google Search Console.
According to an analysis of 319 websites by SEO expert Tyler Gargula (LOCOMOTIVE Agency):
Table of Contents
What the data shows
- Impressions dropped for 87.7% of sites.
- 77.6% of sites lost unique ranking keywords.
- Short and mid-tail keywords saw the biggest declines.
- Ranking positions shifted: fewer keywords are showing on page 3 and beyond, and more keywords now appear in the top 3 or on page 1.
- This suggests rankings are now more accurate because the num=100 parameter is no longer affecting results.
Why this matters
Removing the num=100 parameter changed how Google measures performance.
So even if a website’s real rankings didn’t get worse, reports now look weaker because fewer impressions and fewer keyword appearances are being counted.
Some experts believe that rank trackers and scrapers using “num=100” were artificially inflating impressions for years. So this change may actually make Google Search Console data more accurate.
Bigger picture
- Many websites have seen fewer desktop impressions in the past week.
- Average positions look worse because of these data changes.
- SEO tools like Semrush and Accuranker admitted they are seeing disruptions and are working on fixes.
- SEO experts like Brodie Clark say this drop might be linked to scrapers that depended on num=100.
What happens now?
Google hasn’t confirmed whether removing num=100 is permanent or a mistake.
But based on Gargula’s research, the impact is large and affecting most websites.
Source: Tyler Gargula
