TL;DR Summary of Google Search Console Impression Drops After Removal of num Parameter
Optimixed’s Overview: Understanding the Impact of Google’s num Parameter Removal on Search Console Metrics
Significant Decline in Impressions and Keyword Visibility
Following Google’s decision to discontinue support for the num parameter, which previously allowed viewing more search results per page, many website owners and SEO professionals have observed notable shifts in Google Search Console data. Analysis of hundreds of profiles reveals that the vast majority of sites experienced a substantial drop in impressions and a reduction in the number of unique ranking keywords.
Key Findings from Data Analyses
- Impression Drops: Approximately 87.7% of sites showed declines in impressions, indicating widespread impact.
- Unique Keywords: 77.6% of sites reported fewer unique ranking keywords, reducing opportunities to attract new search traffic.
- Keyword Length Impact: Short-tail and mid-tail keywords saw the largest decreases, especially single-word keywords, which are commonly tracked in SEO tools.
- Ranking Position Adjustments: There was a notable reduction in keywords ranking beyond page 3, with a corresponding increase in keywords ranking in the top 3 and page 1, suggesting improved accuracy in ranking data.
Possible Reasons and Industry Reactions
Many speculate that the removal of the num parameter has curtailed the ability of third-party scraper tools to generate artificial impressions and manipulate keyword data within Google Search Console. This has resulted in a more authentic representation of search performance metrics, particularly on desktop. While some sites experienced sharp declines, this may ultimately lead to improved data quality for SEO analysis.
Ongoing discussions in SEO forums and social media platforms continue to explore the nuances of this change and its long-term effects on search visibility and reporting.
