Written by Ruby, our Senior SEO Executive
Google’s new &num=100 update, rolled out in mid-September 2025, is having a substantial impact on SEO tracking tools, data accuracy, and reporting metrics. In short, Google has disabled the function that previously allowed users and crawlers to view up to 100 organic results on a single search page.
With this change, both marketers and SEO platforms are now limited to viewing only the top 10 results per query. As a result, tracking tools can no longer record rankings beyond the first page of search results, ultimately reshaping how keyword performance and visibility are reported.
SEO professionals are already noticing significant data fluctuations across major platforms:
- Ahrefs – Keywords ranking beyond position 10 will no longer be tracked accurately. These terms will now appear as “100+” or “Lost,” leading to sudden drops in reported keyword counts.
- Google Search Console (GSC) – Many users are seeing sharp decreases in impressions, not because of an actual performance drop, but because data from deeper results can no longer be collected or displayed.
What This Means Moving Forward:
While the update is inconvenient, it’s crucial to understand that the drop in reported data doesn’t reflect a real decline in traffic or rankings. Your pages still exist in those positions; it’s just that the tracking visibility has simply been restricted.
This update will require a shift in how we analyse and communicate SEO performance. Reports and dashboards may appear to show declines post-September 2025, so it’s vital to set clear expectations with clients and stakeholders.
Moving forward, greater emphasis will be placed on the top 1-10 keyword positions, traffic, and conversions. SEOs should review the tools and metrics they rely on, refine reporting structures, and focus on what truly drives value, measurable visibility and meaningful performance.