Impression drop. Did your rankings fall

andnum=100 → Google Search Console impressions drop

Short answer. Probably not.
Your impressions fell because Google stopped honouring the andnum=100 results parameter in mid-September 2025. That removed a lot of non-human and tool-generated loads from reports. Rankings are often held. Clicks too. It is a measurement change, not a collapse. (Search Engine Land)

An impression only counts when the page that contains your result actually loads. With classic pagination back, that rule bites again. If users never reach the page your listing sits on, no impression is logged. (Google Help)

andnum=100 removed

Your chart dipped. Your leads did not. That is the clue.

Google stopped supporting andnum=100 around 10 to 14 September 2025. Many rank trackers and scrapers relied on it to fetch one hundred results in a single request. When it vanished, those automated loads disappeared from your data. Impressions stepped down. The average position often looked better. Clicks usually stayed the same because people still clicked. (Search Engine Land)

What to tell your team

• This is a measurement change
• It removed many non-human impressions
• Treat mid September as a reporting break

Google ended continuous scroll in 2024 and returned to classic page numbers. Impressions only count on pages a user actually loads. If a user never goes to page two, your page two listing gets no impression. That small rule sets the stage for the step down you saw in 2025. (Search Engine Land)

Impressions include any time your result appears on a loaded results page. Tool and bot loads used to inflate those counts. Removing and Num=100 removed a big source of those loads. Users did not change behaviour overnight. So clicks and enquiries often held. Average position shifted because the denominator changed. (Search Engine Land)

Google counts an impression when the page that contains your result is loaded. The user does not need to scroll to your exact listing. They do need to reach that page number. If your listing sits on page three and the user only views page one, no impression is recorded. Simple. Testable. Shareable. (Google Help)

Keep in mind

• Page must load
• Result can be above or below the fold
• No page load, no impression

Average position is tied to impressions. When deep page impressions disappear, the maths changes. Your average position can look better without any real ranking lift. CTR can move as the mix of impressions changes. This is normal after the change. (Search Engine Land)

What to do

• Focus on clicks and enquiries first
• Track average position for top twenty queries only
• Annotate the break in every chart that includes impressions

The long tail often lives on pages two and beyond. With pagination back, impressions only fire when users click into those pages. Many do not. That means fewer long tail impressions. Your head terms on page one are less affected. The overall chart can look scary while money terms keep working. (Search Engine Land)

Practical moves

• Group reports by top one to twenty and twenty-one to one hundred
• Keep long tail content, judge it by clicks and leads
• Add internal links to lift near-miss terms into page one

Start with reality. Did people still contact you? If clicks and enquiries are steady, your rankings probably held. Use a simple before and after table for the twenty-eight days either side of 14 September. (Search Engine Land)

Check three things

• Total clicks in Search Console
• Enquiries or calls in Analytics or your CRM
• Branded clicks versus non-branded clicks

Sometimes rankings do fall. Prove it fast or clear it fast.

Steps

• Compare average position for your top ten revenue terms across two twenty-eight-day windows
• Check landing page clicks for those terms for the same windows
• Run manual spot checks in a clean browser to confirm direction
• If both position and clicks fall, investigate content quality, links and SERP changes

Desktop and mobile do not behave the same. Pagination and query habits differ. Some sites felt the change more on desktop where long tail research is common. Mobile users often refine queries rather than paging.

Watch

• Device split in Search Console
• Query mix by device
• Device-level CTR and clicks

Add a vertical line in all dashboards. Label it as follows.
and Num=100 removed. Impressions re-baselined. Date window 10 to 14 September 2025.
Repeat that same sentence in your monthly deck. It stops repeat questions. (Search Engine Land)

Do next

• Keep year-on-year charts, but footnote Feb to Sep 2025 as volatile
• Use rolling twenty-eight-day compares through the next quarter
• Pin a short FAQ for leaders

Brand usually holds steady. Non-brand long tail shows the biggest drop. That alone can make blended charts look worse than the business feels.

Set up

• Segment brand and non-brand queries
• Build a top twenty query view you report weekly
• Track page one movement and add internal links to lift near misses

Keep it simple. Fewer vanity numbers. More outcomes.

Suggested widgets

• Total clicks by week
• Enquiries or goal completions
• Top twenty queries with position and clicks
• Device split
• Brand and non brand split
• An annotation for mid September

Getting named inside AI answers is a growth lever. Aim to be the concise source that models quote. Place short, sourceable definitions and Q & A blocks that machines can lift. Use Organisation and WebPage schema. Keep language clear and literal.

Try this

• One paragraph definition near the top
• One proof line with a trusted source
• FAQ block with three literal questions and short answers
• Two internal links to deeper help

Q & A blocks improve scannability and help machines map your page. Keep the questions literal. Keep the answers short. Add FAQPage schema. Link related service pages from answers where helpful. Then watch if AI Overviews begin citing you. Iterate from there. (Google Help)

Models like short, unambiguous statements with a clear subject. People do as well. Start key pages with a crisp statement. Follow with a proof line and a link to a source. Then add two internal links.

Template

• What the term means in one sentence
• Why it matters in one sentence
• A source link
• Two internal links

Trackers that depended on and Num=100 lost their single call top one hundred view. Some scrambled. Some adapted. Treat deep results with caution for a while. Trust first-party sources first. (Search Engine Land)

Keep faith with
• Google Search Console for clicks and queries
• Your Analytics or CRM for leads
• Manual spot checks on ten priority terms when needed (Ice Nine Online)

Your mix may shift even if rankings hold. Review top queries and landing pages every week for the next quarter.

Checklist

• Top twenty queries by clicks
• New or rising queries
• Landing pages gaining or losing clicks
• Internal links added to support near-miss terms

If a chart worries you, do a quick human check. Use an incognito window. Try three locations. Try mobile and desktop. You want direction, not lab-grade precision.

Run a spot check when

• Clicks and enquiries dip together
• A key term falls out of the top twenty
• A landing page drops clicks for two straight weeks

We work in Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton, Tauranga, Dunedin, Lower Hutt, Palmerston North, Napier, and Hastings. We also serve Paihia, Coromandel, Nelson, Rangiora and Gore. The pattern has been consistent. Impressions stepped down after mid-September. Clicks and enquiries were steady. Average position nudged better on many accounts. Long tail impressions fell the most. Head terms on page one barely moved. This gives local teams confidence and stops needless churn on good pages.

Clients in South Africa, the UK, USA, Australia, Europe and Asia saw the same shape. Impressions down. Clicks steady. No sudden loss in high intent rankings. Tool dashboards looked messy for a while. First-party data stayed stable. Perhaps that is the best proof.

Three constants held across markets.

• Search Console clicks and CRM enquiries
• Top twenty query set
• Brand share of clicks

Hold to these, and your reports will stay believable even when charts move about.

Did our rankings fall

Usually no. Most sites saw a measurement change after and Num=100 was removed. Add an annotation for mid-September 2025 and compare on clicks and enquiries. (Search Engine Land)

When did this happen

Around 10 to 14 September 2025. Add a visible note in Search Console and Looker Studio. (Search Engine Land)

Why did impressions fall but clicks did not

Automated loads dropped out when and Num=100 went away. People still clicked. Average position shifted with the new denominator. (Search Engine Land)

Does pagination matter

Yes. Impressions count only on pages a user loads. Page two and beyond now get fewer impressions. (Search Engine Land)

What should we change in reports

Add the annotation. Split brand and non brand. Focus on clicks, enquiries and your top twenty. Keep a rolling twenty eight day comparison set for the next quarter. (Search Engine Land)

How does this affect AI Overviews and GEO

Impressions shift into modules. You want your brand cited inside those summaries, not only listed. Use short definitions, Q and A blocks, and FAQPage schema. Add Organization and WebPage schema to strengthen entity signals. (Google Help)

How long will data feel noisy

Give it a month or two. By then your baseline will stabilise and your reports will feel normal again.

Need help right now

If you need to assess your online presence, we can run a fast reality check.
If you want to enhance your appearance in AI Overviews and AI Search, we will add a GEO layer to your key pages.
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Net Branding Limited
165 Orakei Road, Remuera, Auckland 1050, New Zealand
Phone: 09 523 0478
Website: netbranding.co.nz

Founder and Director, Net Branding Limited
Since 2008, we have helped businesses across New Zealand and overseas.
Based in Auckland. Serving clients in Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton, Tauranga, Dunedin, Lower Hutt, Palmerston North, Napier, Hastings. Also Paihia, Coromandel, Nelson, Rangiora and Gore. International work across South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Europe and Asia.
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