Google’s num Parameter Removal: SERP Data & Moz Pro Impact

The article details Google’s significant decision to remove the long-standing `&num=` parameter, which previously allowed users and tools to specify the number of search results displayed per page. This parameter was widely used by SEO platforms, often set to `&num=100`, to gather a consistent and comprehensive dataset for analysis. Its discontinuation means that Google now dynamically determines the number of organic results shown on a SERP, which frequently falls below 100.

This change introduces substantial risks and challenges for the SEO industry, particularly for data scraping and analysis. The primary impact is an expected increase in SERP scraping costs and complexity, as tools can no longer rely on a fixed number of results per page. The inconsistency in SERP lengths makes data collection less predictable and can complicate the comparability of competitive analysis and historical data, requiring platforms to adapt their methodologies to this new variable environment.

Moz Pro is highlighted as a specific example, having historically relied on `&num=100` for its “Keyword Difficulty” and “SERP Analysis” features. With the parameter’s removal, Moz Pro is adapting by collecting all organic results Google provides for a given query, regardless of the count. Consequently, users will now observe SERPs within Moz Pro’s interface displaying fewer than 100 results (e.g., 60-70) for many keywords. This shift, while reflecting Google’s current presentation, necessitates a change in how users interpret competitive landscapes and keyword difficulty scores, as the underlying dataset size is no longer fixed. Moz Pro is actively working to adjust its systems and user experience to transparently account for and reflect these evolving SERP lengths.

(Source: https://moz.com/blog/num-100-and-changing-serp-lengths-in-moz-pro)