GOOGLE SEARCH RANKINGS ARE ACTING UP – HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
At 21Digital, we’re always keeping an eye on the latest developments in the digital landscape – especially when it comes to SEO and tracking data. Right now, one change in particular is causing a bit of a stir across the industry: Google’s recent removal of the ability to see 100 search results per page.
If you’re monitoring your ranking positions or using tools like Google Search Console (GSC), you may have noticed some confusing or inconsistent data lately. Don’t worry – it’s not just you. Here’s what’s going on, why it matters, and how we’re making sure we can still give you accurate insights.
So… what’s changed?
Late last week, Google removed the option to display 100 results on a single search page. Previously, adding &num=100 to a URL would give you a full page of results, which many third-party tracking tools relied on to gather data efficiently. Now, that same query doesn’t work, meaning these tools can only see 10 results at a time, which means they have to work much harder (and spend more on queries) to get the same information.
How this affects third-party tracking tools
Most ranking tools aren’t built for this sudden change, so many are reporting missing or inaccurate data. Some are already working on fixes, while others are still figuring things out. The result of all this is, unfortunately, that month-on-month comparisons and detailed tracking reports might look a little off for now.
Search Console data is impacted, too
Google Search Console isn’t immune. Users are noticing unusual drops in desktop impressions and spikes in average positions. Essentially, the reported numbers don’t always reflect actual performance – the system is in flux. But while some of the data is clearly affected, there’s still valuable insight to be gained. It just needs a careful, informed eye to interpret correctly – which we will be doing for our clients!
Why does it matter?
For anyone monitoring SEO performance, it’s important to keep in mind that this isn’t just a temporary quirk for one tool or one agency – the change affects the entire industry. Month-on-month comparisons may be skewed, but that doesn’t mean all insights are gone. The data coming out of Search Console and third-party tools can still tell us useful things; we just need to be mindful of these anomalies when analysing trends.
Here’s what we’re doing about it
At 21Digital, we’re actively monitoring the situation and exploring ways to make sure we can continue to report on organic search performance as accurately as possible. This is yet another shift in the digital landscape – but change is nothing new to us, and we’re sure there’ll be many more to come! We’ve adapted to similar industry-wide updates before, and we’ll do it again.
For our clients, the key takeaway is simple: don’t panic. The numbers you’re seeing may be affected for the time being, but the underlying trends and insights are still there. We’re keeping a close eye on developments and will continue to provide the actionable, reliable reporting you rely on.
Need help navigating this change?
If you’re not one of our clients, and you’re worried about how this might affect your SEO reports or digital marketing strategy, get in touch. Our expert team at 21Digital specialises in interpreting search data, spotting trends, and making sense of changes like this – so you can focus on growing your business without getting caught up in the technical details. We can help you with everything from web design, web development, SEO, Google Ads, digital consultancy, social media marketing, and email marketing and more! Give our studio a call on 01254 660 560 or fill out our contact form, and we’ll be in touch!
