Skip to content
Tech Stream Today's Cloud Computing Guide — Revolutionize Your Tech Journey Today!

Google's URL Change Reshapes SEO Landscape, Cuts Impressions

Google's quiet change is shaking up SEO. Impressions drop as average positions rise, forcing professionals to reassess strategies.

,   and  Administrator
1 min read
In this image I see the art which is made of sand and I see number of people and in the background...
In this image I see the art which is made of sand and I see number of people and in the background I see few more arts which are made of sand and I see the sky, mountains, trees and I see few more people over here and I see that there are few words and numbers over here.

Google's URL Change Reshapes SEO Landscape, Cuts Impressions

Google's recent removal of a long-standing URL parameter has significantly reshaped how SEO performance is measured. The change, which occurred in mid-September 2025, has led to a widespread decline in impressions and a sharp increase in average positions across many websites. The impact is so substantial that 87.7% of sites have seen a loss in impressions in Google Search Console.

The shift can be attributed to Google itself, which quietly deactivated the '&num=100' parameter. This move has limited image search results to only 10 items per query, preventing bulk scraping. As a result, SEO tools now gather data more accurately, excluding bot activity and phantom impressions. The change has been noted by platforms like Semrush and Accuranker, which are currently working on fixes.

The removal of the parameter has most affected short-tail and mid-tail keywords. Consequently, 77.6% of sites have lost unique ranking terms in Google Search Console. The rankings now appear to reflect actual positions more accurately, with fewer queries showing on page 3 and more appearing in the top 3 and on page 1.

While Google has not confirmed whether this change is permanent or accidental, the fallout appears widespread and significant. SEOs have flagged sharp image search drops and inflated average positions, suggesting that scrapers tied to the parameter may have distorted Google Search Console metrics for years. As the industry adapts to this new reality, SEO professionals are encouraged to reassess their strategies to align with these changes.

Read also:

Related

Latest