Source: Search Engine Roundtable by barry@rustybrick.com (Barry Schwartz). Read the original article
TL;DR Summary of Google Search Console’s Average Position Increase Explained by num=100 Parameter Removal
The recent increase in average position reported in Google Search Console is due to Google removing the num=100 query parameter. This change led to more accurate impression data by eliminating ghost impressions from deeper search result pages. As a result, impressions decreased while average position appeared to improve, reflecting cleaner, more reliable ranking metrics. Many SEO experts confirm this adjustment affected data across multiple sites and tools.
Optimixed’s Overview: Understanding the Impact of Google’s num=100 Removal on Search Console Metrics
What Changed in Google Search Console Reporting?
Google recently removed the num=100 parameter which previously allowed up to 100 search results per page. This change means that search results are now paginated more strictly, and impressions are counted only when a URL appears on pages users actually visit. This adjustment has produced significant shifts in Search Console data:
- Average Position Improvement: The reported average position for many websites increased noticeably, giving the illusion of ranking improvement.
- Decrease in Impressions: Total impressions dropped because spammy or “ghost” impressions from page 2+ results, often caused by scrapers or SEO tools, were removed.
Expert Insights and Industry Reactions
SEO professionals and analysts have widely discussed this phenomenon:
- Elie Berreby explained that impressions now better reflect actual user visibility because URLs only count when truly seen.
- Dan Lauer and others noted that impression data fluctuates, sometimes influenced by seasonal factors like Black Friday or Cyber Monday.
- Alexander Rodionov and Cyrus Maxx pointed out that SEO tools that scraped beyond page 1 stopped working effectively, leading to fewer bot-generated impressions.
- Eric Smith described the average position increase and impression drop as a “mathematical illusion,” emphasizing that actual rankings and clicks remain stable.
What This Means for Your SEO Strategy
Website owners and SEO practitioners should:
- Understand that the data shift is reporting-based: No actual ranking improvements have occurred; metrics are simply cleaner.
- Recalibrate expectations and reporting: Avoid overreacting to the apparent average position gains or impression drops.
- Monitor seasonal trends: Some fluctuations may still occur due to external factors, not just the num=100 change.
In summary, the removal of Google’s num=100 parameter has led to more reliable Search Console data by filtering out non-human or bot-generated impressions, thereby refining how average position and impressions are reported.
