77% of sites lost keyword visibility after Google removed num=100: Data.
A New Reality: 77% of Sites Lost Keyword Visibility After Google’s num=100 Removal
The digital landscape has been shaken by Google’s quiet removal of the num=100 parameter, which has led to a significant seo ranking impact for countless websites. A recent analysis has revealed a stark reality: 77% of sites experienced a loss in keyword visibility, showing sharp drops in key performance metrics. This widespread change has left many SEO professionals re-evaluating their strategies and questioning the true state of their site’s ranking and impression data.
The Fallout: A Shift in How We Measure Success
While the initial data may look grim, with a majority of sites losing unique ranking terms, the a more nuanced perspective suggests that this change is actually bringing more accuracy to SEO reporting. The num=100 parameter, which allowed up to 100 search results to be displayed on a single page, was frequently used by automated scrapers. This activity is believed to have artificially inflated impressions and keyword data, as it counted as a view even if no human user ever saw the result.
The current data, post-parameter removal, is likely a more authentic reflection of what actual users are seeing. It suggests that the ranking and impression numbers are no longer being skewed by non-human traffic. While this correction has resulted in dramatic-looking drops in performance charts, it provides a more truthful foundation for SEO efforts. The change has also been noted to bring more focus to the top search results, with fewer queries appearing on pages three and beyond.
A recent analysis reveals that Google’s quiet removal of the num=100 search parameter has had a significant seo ranking impact, leading to sharp drops in key performance metrics for a large number of websites. While this might seem alarming, the data suggests that these drops may actually be a correction, bringing SEO reporting closer to true performance.
The Data: Impressions, Ranking, and Keyword Visibility
According to an analysis of hundreds of properties, a majority of sites experienced a decline in impressions within Google Search Console. Furthermore, a significant portion also lost unique ranking terms. This change has particularly affected the keyword visibility of shorter-tail and mid-tail keywords. The most notable findings include:
Impression and Ranking Decline: The analysis found that nearly 88% of sites saw a drop in impressions, while over 77% experienced a loss of unique ranking keywords.
Keyword Visibility Shift: The change has impacted how many queries appear beyond the first few pages of search results, with more visibility now focused on the top three results and the first page overall.
This shift has created a discrepancy between past and present data, making it seem like a dramatic loss in performance. However, some experts theorize that the previous data may have been inflated. The num=100 parameter was often used by scrapers to retrieve up to 100 results on a single page, which could have artificially boosted impressions for keywords that were not truly being seen by human users.
The new data, while showing a decline, is likely more accurate and reflective of actual user behavior. For SEOs, this means the ranking and impression figures they are now seeing are a better representation of their site’s true search performance. While the change has been widely noted by SEO platforms and professionals, Google has not yet confirmed whether this change is permanent.
Impression: 87.7% of sites declined.
Querry Count: 77.6% of sites lost unique ranking words.
Keyword Length: Short-tail and mid-tail keyword took the biggest hit.
Rank status: The low querry now shows on page 3, while on top 3 more surface and on page 1 – the suggestion of the ranking now now reflects the actual position, without distortion from NUM = 100.
By the numbers
Impression: 87.7% of sites declined.
Query Count: 77.6% of sites lost unique ranking words.
Keyword Length: Short-tail and mid-tail keyword took the biggest hit.
Rank status: The low query now shows on page 3, while on top 3 more surface and on page 1 – the suggestion of the ranking now now reflects the actual position, without distortion from NUM = 100.
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