Let’s talk about a recent Google update that didn’t come with a shiny press release or a cool name like “Helpful Content Update.” Instead, it came in the form of a quiet, brutal, and unceremonious deletion that has left SEOs everywhere scrambling.

If you’ve been staring at a Google Search Console report that looks like it got hit by a bus—massive drops in desktop impressions and a sudden, baffling jump in average position—don’t panic. It’s not you. It’s Google. And they didn’t even have the decency to text us back.

What is &num=100?

For years, we had a little secret handshake with Google. By adding &num=100 to the end of a search URL, we could force the results page to show a full 100 listings instead of the standard 10. It was a beautiful, efficient little trick that made data scraping and keyword tracking a breeze for SEO tools like Semrush and Ahrefs. It was our secret garden of data.

Well, Google has now locked the gate and changed the password. Without so much as a goodbye, they removed this magical parameter, forcing our tools to go page by painstaking page to collect the data we used to get in one go.

The Fallout: Your “Ugly” Data is Actually Just the Truth

So, what does this digital heartbreak mean for your reporting? A lot of weird stuff.

• Your Impressions Fell Off a Cliff. Because our SEO tools and scrapers are no longer counting those 100-page views, Google Search Console data for impressions has plummeted. But here’s the truth: that data was probably inflated in the first place. You’re not seeing a real drop in performance; you’re seeing the ugly, unvarnished truth.
• Your Average Position Skyrocketed. As impressions from pages 2-10 disappear, the average position is calculated on a much smaller, higher-ranking dataset. So, while your keyword might have ranked 25th before, it now looks like it’s ranking 15th. It’s a vanity metric that now looks better, but it’s built on missing data.
• The Keyword Count Went Down. We’re now tracking fewer keywords, which makes reports look weaker. This is because many long-tail keywords only appeared on pages 3-10, and now they are simply no longer being counted.

This Girl’s Theory: Google vs. the Robots

So why did Google do this? It’s not just to make our lives harder (though it feels that way). The leading theory is simple: Google is trying to protect its golden child—AI Overviews.

By making it incredibly difficult for bots to scrape entire pages of results, Google is putting up a wall. They’re saying, “This data is ours, and we’re not going to let you train your AI models on our hard-earned information for free.” It’s a power move, pure and simple.

And in a twisted, cynical way, some SEOs are saying this is a good thing. The data we’re getting now might be a more accurate reflection of how real humans actually use the search engine. After all, who on Earth goes to page 8?

How to Tell Your Clients Not to Freak Out

This is a key moment to show your value. Don’t sound like you’re making excuses. Own it.

1. Acknowledge the numbers. “Yes, the GSC report looks funky. No, it’s not because we’re doing a bad job.”
2. Explain the “Why.” Detail Google’s change and your own lil theory. Explain that the data is now more accurate.
3. Focus on the metrics that matter. Remind them that traffic and conversions are what really count. A drop in impressions from page 7 of Google doesn’t affect the bottom line. It’s a good time to refocus on real results.

In the end, this is just Google reminding us who’s in charge. So, let’s stop staring at the ghosted messages and start focusing on what we can control: creating content so good, it doesn’t need to be tracked on page 100.

Having a Pro SEO Team On Your Side 

The best way to navigate this kind of Google chaos isn’t with a panicked face and a half-baked theory. It’s with a pro SEO team on your side. While the bots are busy getting tripped up and your competitors are trying to figure out if their data is lying, a professional team is already two steps ahead. We don’t just react to Google’s shenanigans; we understand the “why” behind the noise. We can look at the messy numbers, adjust the strategy, and keep your focus where it should be—on real, tangible results. Because while Google might be playing games with its URL parameters, we’re focused on the only metric that truly matters: growing your business. Contact us today!