77% of sites lost keyword visibility after Google removed num=100: Data

/dans

Google’s removal of the num=100 parameter is massively reshaping SEO data: 87.7% of sites lost impressions in Google Search Console, according to a new analysis of 319 properties by SEO Tyler Gargula, director of technical SEO at LOCOMOTIVE Agency.

By the numbers.

  • Impressions: 87.7% of sites declined.
  • Query count: 77.6% of sites lost unique ranking terms.
  • Keyword length: Short-tail and mid-tail keywords took the biggest hit.
  • Rank positions: Fewer queries now show on page 3+, while more surface in the top 3 and on page 1 – suggesting rankings now reflect actual positions, without distortion from num=100.

Why we care. For years, SEOs and rank trackers leaned on &num=100 to pull full SERPs in one shot. Killing the parameter forces 10x more queries to collect the same data, raising costs and disrupting reporting.

The ripple effect

  • Tools: Platforms including Semrush and Accuranker have acknowledged disruptions and are working on fixes.
  • Search Console: Many SEOs, including Brodie Clark, have flagged sharp impression drops and inflated average positions. Clark suggested scrapers tied to num=100 may have distorted Google Search Console metrics for years.
  • Industry impact: Less keyword visibility means fewer opportunities for sites to capture impressions – particularly for competitive, shorter terms.

What’s next? Google hasn’t said whether the change is permanent or accidental. But Gargula’s dataset shows the fallout is widespread – and more significant than some anticipated.

The post. Tyler Gargula shared the data on LinkedIn.