For years, search engine optimization (SEO) professionals, digital marketers, and even AI platforms relied on a small but powerful Google search feature known as the num=100 parameter. It quietly helped tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs deliver fast insights and even allowed AI search engines like Perplexity and ChatGPT to display seemingly reliable results.
But recently, Google shut it down. This move not only impacted SEO tools but also exposed how heavily AI search engines were depending on Google’s index rather than building their own. Let’s break down what the num=100 parameter was, why Google disabled it, and how this change affects SEO professionals and AI search competitors.
Key Takeaways
- Google shut down the num=100 parameter, ending a shortcut that SEO tools and AI search engines relied on for bulk data.
- SEO platforms like SEMrush and Ahrefs now face higher costs and slower reporting.
- AI engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity lose cheap access to 100 results, forcing them to work with fewer sources.
- For websites, ranking in the top 10 is more critical than ever to appear in both Google Search and AI answers.
- The move reaffirms Google’s dominance and signals the need for SEOs to focus on quality content, authority, and fundamentals.
What was the num=100 Parameter?
When you search on Google, the search engine usually displays 10 results per page. If you want to see more, you have to click through several pages. But for many years, users and SEO tools could add “&num=100” at the end of a Google search URL.
This small trick displayed 100 results on one page instead of 10.
For regular users, it saved a few clicks. For SEO tools and AI platforms, it was a goldmine. Instead of making 10 different queries to gather 100 results, they could fetch everything in one go. This meant:
- Lower costs (fewer API calls or scraping attempts)
- Faster insights for SEO platforms
- Easier access for AI search engines trying to build answers
How SEO Tools Used num=100
Popular SEO tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz depended on the num=100 trick to deliver quick ranking insights.
For example, if you searched for your website’s ranking for a keyword and it was at position 45, here’s what would happen:
- Without num=100: The tool would need to scan the first 10 results, then the next 10, and so on until it reached the third page.
- With num=100: The tool could fetch the top 100 results instantly and identify position 45 in a single query.
This saved time and money. Instead of paying for 10 queries, SEO tools only paid for 1. The savings were passed on to the platforms and, indirectly, to users.
How AI Search Engines Used num=100
The bigger revelation came when people realized how AI search engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity were using num=100.
Unlike Google, these platforms don’t have massive crawlers that scan the web every second. Instead, they often relied on Google’s own search results, accessed through APIs and scrapers.
Here’s how it worked:
- A user typed a question like “best places to visit in India” in Perplexity.
- Perplexity sent the same query to Google through a scraping API.
- The API, using num=100, fetched the top 100 results in one go.
- Perplexity then scanned these sites, summarized the content, and presented an answer.
To users, it looked like Perplexity or ChatGPT had “done the research.” In reality, they were piggybacking on Google’s index.
Why Did Google Shut It Down?
Google’s terms of service clearly prohibit scraping its search results. While the company tolerated SEO tools using this trick, the game changed when AI search engines started using it to compete directly with Google Search.
By disabling num=100, Google:
- Raised costs for scrapers and APIs (they now need 10 queries to fetch the same data).
- Protected its index from being exploited by AI competitors.
- Forced innovation by making others invest in their own crawling and indexing technology.
Immediate Impact on SEO Tools
The shutdown caused problems not only for AI platforms but also for SEO tools. Marketers noticed sudden changes in impressions data and reporting accuracy.
For example:
- SEMrush and Ahrefs could no longer fetch 100 results at once, increasing costs and slowing down reports.
- Many SEO Experts noticed a “X Graph” in their Google Search Console graphs, with impressions appearing to drop unexpectedly and an improvement in average position.
These drops weren’t due to AI overviews stealing clicks, but because AI platforms and scrapers were no longer artificially inflating impressions by hitting Google’s results.
Impact on AI Search Engines (ChatGPT & Perplexity)
For ChatGPT and Perplexity, the cost of generating answers increased dramatically. Without num=100, they now had to make 10 separate queries to gather the same data.
This had two main effects:
- Higher operational costs – pulling search data became much more expensive.
- Reduced depth of answers – instead of referencing the top 100 sites, AI tools might only pull from the top 10 results to save money.
As a result, if your website is ranking in the top 10 on Google, you may actually start seeing more traffic from AI-powered search tools because their answers are limited to fewer sources.
Why This Matters for SEO Professionals
For SEOs, the num=100 shutdown highlights three key lessons:
- Dependence on Google is unavoidable.
Even advanced AI systems are still dependent on Google’s index. This proves Google’s search infrastructure remains unmatched. - The accuracy of SEO tools may change.
Ranking data from tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs may not be as cheap or instantly available as before. Some platforms may need to adjust their pricing. - Top 10 rankings are more important than ever.
If AI tools are now working with fewer results, landing in the top 10 ensures visibility in both traditional search and AI-generated answers.
Looking Ahead: What Comes Next?
Google’s decision to shut down num=100 is a strategic move in the AI race. By cutting off cheap access to its index, Google is:
- Forcing competitors like ChatGPT and Perplexity to either innovate or pay more.
- Strengthening its own position as the default source of online information.
- Preparing to roll out its own AI-powered Chrome and Gemini integrations, where Google controls both the platform and the monetization.
For users, this means AI search engines may still look attractive, but their answers are only as good as the data they can afford to pull. For SEOs, it means going back to basics: focus on quality content and secure top rankings rather than chasing shortcuts.
Conclusion
The shutdown of Google’s num=100 parameter marks the end of an era where SEO tools and AI search engines could cheaply access large sets of Google results. While it has made life harder for platforms like Perplexity and ChatGPT, it also underlines Google’s dominance in the search ecosystem.
For SEO professionals, the takeaway is simple: invest in building authority, secure top 10 rankings, and stay informed about how AI and search continue to evolve. Google’s move shows that while technology changes, the fundamentals of visibility and relevance remain the same.
At Trigital Solutions, we specialize in helping brands navigate these shifts through our comprehensive SEO services—strengthening visibility, improving rankings, and future-proofing strategies in an AI-first world. Our expert team ensures that your business not only ranks but also thrives in Google and AI-powered search engines.
