Google Search Ranking & Position Tracking: The Current Chaos Explained
▼ Summary
– Google Search Console and third-party tools are currently reporting inaccurate or confusing organic ranking data since late last week.
– Google removed the ability to display 100 search results per page, which has significantly increased the cost for third-party tools to gather ranking data.
– Many third-party tracking tools are experiencing issues and are working on adjustments to track beyond the first page of search results.
– Google Search Console’s performance reports show anomalies, including a sharp decline in desktop impressions and a rise in average position.
– The cause of these changes is unclear, and further details are being sought from Google to determine if it was intentional or a bug.
If you’ve recently checked your website’s performance in Google search, you may have noticed some unusual or inconsistent data. Both Google Search Console and numerous third-party tracking platforms appear to be experiencing reporting issues with organic ranking metrics since late last week, creating confusion among marketers and SEO professionals.
The root of the problem traces back to a significant change Google made to its search results display. The company removed the option to show one hundred search results on a single page. This adjustment has created major complications for external rank tracking tools, many of which relied on scraping one hundred results per query. Now, obtaining the same volume of data requires ten times the effort, dramatically increasing operational costs.
Adding the &num=100 parameter to a Google search URL no longer generates the expected hundred results. This shift forces most third-party tracking services to overhaul how they monitor rankings beyond the first page of search results. Several providers have publicly acknowledged the problem and are actively developing solutions, while others have yet to comment, though a glance at their reports reveals missing or clearly inaccurate data.
Further adding to the confusion, Google Search Console’s performance reports also seem to be delivering flawed information. Multiple sources, including Brodie Clark, have reported a noticeable drop in desktop impressions accompanied by a sharp rise in average position. Clark noted that many users are observing a significant decline in overall impressions over the past few days, confirming that the issue is widespread.
The reasons behind Google’s decision to eliminate the hundred-result parameter remain unclear. It is uncertain whether this was an intentional update, an accidental bug, or part of a broader change in how search data is handled. Similarly, the irregularities in Search Console data are puzzling, especially since the parameter change shouldn’t directly impact impression reporting, unless, as some have theorized, the alteration disrupted long-standing data collection methods used by various tools.
As the situation develops, it’s important to approach organic search data from this period with caution. Rankings and performance metrics may be temporarily unreliable across multiple platforms until adjustments are made both by Google and third-party tool providers.
(Source: Search Engine Land)
