New restrictions significantly change the SEO landscape
In just a few days, Google has set a new agenda for the SEO industry. With the removal of the 100-result display, changes to Search Console data and the hiring of an anti-scraping specialist, the tech giant is now seriously tightening its grip on access to search data. This has consequences for everything from rank tracking to data reporting – and for the way we understand performance in Google.
Goodbye to 100-result display and new anti-scraping efforts
Google has quietly made a move that could have far-reaching consequences for the SEO industry. Without prior notice, last week they removed the option to add &num=100 to search URLs – a feature that for years has made it possible to retrieve up to 100 organic search results at once.
Although the change may seem technical and harmless, the consequences are already clear – and they extend far beyond the SERP itself.
Disruptions in both SEO-tools and data
Rank trackers are directly affected
Tools such as Semrush and Ahrefs are now forced to make up to 10 separate queries to retrieve the same dataset – a solution that is both more resource-intensive and less stable.
Google Search Console data shows unusual fluctuations
Several SEO specialists report sudden drops in impressions and simultaneous unnatural increases in average ranking – without any visible change in content or strategy. This has raised doubts about the data quality in GSC and led many to ask: What is going on?
No official explanation – but clear signals
Google has not yet commented on the change. However, many in the industry believe that it is part of a strategic effort against scraping and data manipulation.
And that theory was quickly reinforced when…
Google hires anti-scraping specialist
A few days after the change, Google announced a new key position: Anti-Scraping Engineering Analyst. The task? To identify and block misuse of search data – especially from automated scraping tools, which are often used by SEO platforms to monitor rankings and SERP feature data.
A clear signal of increased control
Why is Google doing this?
Protection of AI-driven results (SGE)
With the upcoming rollout of Google SGE (Search Generative Experience), search has changed in nature. AI responses and real-time content are more vulnerable to scraping – and Google wants to maintain the integrity of this experience.
Inflation of impressions data in GSC
Automated scraping may have inflated data in Google Search Console, which could explain the sudden changes in reports. Stopping scraping may result in more accurate – but also lower – figures.
Business strategy control over search data
Google wants to decide for itself who has access to search results – and how. This is a break with the free access to SERP data on which many SEO tools have based their business.
What does this mean for you?
This change marks a paradigm shift in how we as SEO specialists work with data.
You can no longer blindly trust impressions and average positions in GSC.
Rank tracking is becoming more unstable and dependent on the ability of tools to adapt to the new rules of the game.
And most importantly, Google is making it clear that access to search data will be conditional, controlled and limited in the future.
Get an SEO strategy geared for the future
Google’s latest moves are far more than technical adjustments – they mark the beginning of a new era in which control over search results and access to data will be significantly tightened. For SEO specialists and marketing teams, this means that familiar methods are being challenged and that the basis for analysis and optimisation is changing.
As Google protects its AI-driven search experience and restricts scraping and external data collection, it is becoming crucial to:
- Understand and interpret data in the right context
- Create quality content that matches both user and AI needs
- Work strategically and holistically with SEO
At IIH Nordic, we stay at the forefront of developments and help companies adapt to a changing search world. We advise on everything from robust data reporting and technical SEO to AI-friendly content strategy and preparation for Google SGE.
Do you need advice on how to navigate the new SEO landscape?
Contact us – and let us ensure that your strategy is future-proofed.
