Why Your Google Search Console Impressions Dropped Dramatically 

If you’ve logged into Google Search Console recently and noticed a dramatic drop in impressions, you’re not alone. Over the past few weeks, SEOs and site owners have been puzzled by sudden reporting shifts: impressions down, query counts reduced, and average positions looking better than expected. The culprit? A change in how Google displays and measures search results.

Why Did Google Search Console Impressions Drop?

Google recently removed the ability to view 100 results per page (&num=100) in search. For years, this parameter allowed SEO tools and scrapers to gather deeper ranking data, well beyond the first page.

Now, with &num=100 disabled, Search Console and third-party rank trackers are showing far fewer impressions. Here’s what’s been reported:

• 88% of sites saw declines in site impressions.
• 78% of sites lost ranking data on keywords in their Seach Console reporting.
• Desktop impressions dropped significantly, with average position numbers rising unnaturally.

In short: your site may not have actually lost any search engine visibility, but Google has changed the way it records and reports impressions, shifting metrics and reporting dramatically.

Google Search Console Data Looks “Off”

Many SEO professionals describe the current Search Console data as confusing. Average position may appear to improve because fewer lower-ranking impressions (page 3 and beyond) are included. That makes reports look better on one end—but is actually a more limited picture of website visibility.

Third-party tools such as Ahrefs, SEMrush, and AccuRanker have all acknowledged disruptions. Since they relied on the 100 results-per-page parameter, gathering complete ranking data now costs them more, and their reports currently show gaps.

This isn’t just a tool problem. Search Console itself is also impacted. That’s why so many SEOs are reporting impression drops, strange average position shifts, and missing data.

What Does This Change Mean for SEO Strategy?

While reporting looks unstable, the fundamentals of SEO haven’t changed. Here’s how to approach the new landscape:

• Don’t panic about impression drops. They reflect data reporting changes, not necessarily ranking losses.
• Focus on page-one visibility. Search Console impressions were never a ROI-focused metric to monitor. Focus your attention on your keyword data in position 1-20; this is where the opportunities are (and always have been).
• Use conversions as a core metric. Impressions are not a reliable metric. Clicks and engagement tell the true story of your website’s visibility. Those important visibility metrics should also correlate with conversions on your site.
• Stay updated on Google’s next move. It’s not yet clear whether this is a permanent change or a temporary adjustment.

Navigating the Impressions Drop with Foundery

The sudden drop in Google Search Console impressions is the result of data reporting changes, not necessarily lost website visibility. However, this change may require your reporting team to further adapt reporting metrics to better represent your overall visibility in search. There may be a period of transition as reporting is updated to reflect these changes.

At Foundery, we help businesses adapt to search changes like this with proactive strategists that remain focused on real growth, not vanity metrics. If you’re concerned about your reporting, visibility, or overall SEO performance, we can help you make sense of the numbers and build a strategy that works.