If your Search Console charts dipped even though inquiries feel normal, you are not imagining it.

Google turned off a tiny URL code called num=100 that many SEO tools used to grab 100 results per page. That small switch changed how reports look. It did not suddenly make your work invisible. Think of it like changing the zoom on a camera. The scene did not move. Your lens did.

Before we dive in, if you want the mindset piece, start here for a refresh on why steady SEO still wins: SEO Works While You Sleep.

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What changed in plain English

• In September 2025, Google disabled the &num=100 parameter that loaded 100 search results at once.
• Most rank trackers used that shortcut to collect deeper data quickly.
• Without it, tools see fewer results per page by default, so the numbers they show you look different.

This was a platform change on Google’s side, not a quality change on your side. Sources confirming the change are listed at the end.

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What you will notice in your numbers

• Impressions down. Your tools used to count visibility from very deep pages. With a narrower window, those low visibility impressions drop off the report.
• Clicks steady. Your top pages that already bring real visitors usually keep the same click volume.
• Average position up a bit. Removing very low positions from deep pages makes your average look cleaner.
• Some tools cost more or slow down. They need more requests to crawl the same depth.

Translation for busy creatives: your visibility to humans did not fall off a cliff. Your report is using a tighter lens.

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What this does not mean

• It does not mean you have a penalty.
• It does not mean your best keywords tanked.
• It does not mean your content stopped working.

It means the industry lost a shortcut. Your strategy still works when you keep publishing useful, specific content for buyers.

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How to respond this month

1) Re-benchmark your baseline

• Add an annotation in Search Console and GA4 for mid to late September 2025.
• Save one export from before the change for your top pages and queries.
• Set a fresh baseline for impressions, CTR, average position, and clicks.

2) Upgrade your KPIs

• Make clicks, conversions, and booked calls the headline metrics.
• Use impressions as context, not the star of the show.
• Track branded terms and venue modifiers in positions 1 to 20. That slice maps to real intent.

3) Invest where results compound

• Local pack + Google Business Profile. Add services, products, Q+A, and fresh photos.
• Image SEO. Your photos drive discovery. Use clean filenames, strong alt text, and helpful gallery copy.
• Long tail blogs. Write posts that match how couples search, like venue guides and timeline help. For promotion ideas, use Pinterest for SEO.

4) Tighten your technical signals

• Keep your robots.txt clean with a working sitemap and access to image folders.
• Fix thin, duplicate, or orphan pages that waste crawl budget.
• Strengthen internal links from blogs to services and helpful guides.

5) Add an AI layer to save time

• Use your AI Wedding Vendor Assistant to pull rising queries, suggest internal links, draft schema, and write alt text in your voice.
• Ask it to flag posts sitting on page two so you can update them with fresh examples and better linking.

If you want hands-on help with a clean baseline and a prioritized to-do list, book an AI Visibility Report.

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SEO + LEO, simplified for creatives

• SEO is how Google understands your topics.
• LEO is how AI assistants like ChatGPT understand your brand, your structure, and your proof.

Both reward clarity. Your site’s structure, JSON-LD, alt text, and internal links teach both Google and AI what you are known for. The num=100 shift removes noisy deep page data from reports. That makes focus easier. Double down on content that answers real questions and on structure that is easy to crawl.

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Your new 30-minute weekly routine:

Five minutes

• Open Search Console. Look at Queries for the last 7 days. Filter to positions 1 to 20. Save any rising venue or style phrases.

Ten minutes

• Update one high intent post. Add a venue tip, a behind-the-scenes note, or a mini FAQ. Link it to a related service page.
• Add one internal link from an older post to a newer post that needs momentum.

Ten minutes

• Add two fresh Q+A items to your Google Business Profile. Think booking timelines, travel fees, permit rules, delivery windows.
• Upload one new image with a descriptive filename and helpful alt text.

Five minutes

• Use your AI Wedding Vendor Assistant to draft one Instagram caption pointing to the updated post. Pin that link in your profile.

Small, consistent moves grow rankings and help AI engines learn your lane.

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Content ideas that still win after the change

• Venue spotlights. “Cypress Gardens sunrise engagement photos,” “Lowndes Grove black tie wedding portraits timeline.”
• Seasonal planning. “Best months for golden hour in Charleston,” “Rain plan photo spots at [Venue].”
• Decision support. “First look vs aisle reveal for downtown timelines,” “How to plan family photos in 20 minutes.”
• Collab features. Share teams you love working with and link each vendor.

Anchor these posts with internal links, fully optimized photos, and a clear next step to inquire.

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How to explain it to clients or partners

• We saw a shift in how impressions are counted.
• Clicks and leads stayed steady, which is what matters.
• We set a new baseline as of September 2025.
• We are focusing on the terms and pages that convert.

This keeps everyone confident and aligned.

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Your next best step

• Get a clean benchmark and a focused plan with an AI Visibility Report.
• Let your AI Wedding Vendor Assistant spot opportunities weekly, write the schema, and keep your content fresh.

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editor’s note with sources

Google disabled the &num=100 parameter in mid September 2025, after removing the user setting for 100 results per page in 2024. Industry coverage documents impression drops with clicks often steady and explains why rank-tracking tools needed to adjust collection methods. See Search Engine Land on the change and impact, LOCOMOTIVE Agency for background, The Hoth for timing details, and Brodie Clark’s timeline analysis. (Search Engine Land)

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FAQ for the post

Q1. What is num=100 and what changed?
num=100 was a URL code many tools used to load 100 Google results per page. In September 2025 Google disabled it. Reports now pull fewer deep results by default, so your numbers look different even if real visibility did not change.

Q2. Why did my impressions drop but clicks look steady?
Your tools used to count visibility from very deep pages. With a narrower window, those low visibility impressions fall out of the data. Clicks usually stay steady because your top results still earn traffic.

Q3. Did I lose rankings or get a penalty?
No. This is a reporting shift. Keep an eye on clicks, conversions, and booked calls. Those are your truest signals.

Q4. How should I re-benchmark?
Add an annotation in Search Console and GA4 for mid to late September 2025. Save one pre-change export for top pages and set a fresh baseline for impressions, CTR, position, and clicks.

Q5. What should I focus on now?
Invest in surfaces that compound: Local pack + Google Business Profile, Image SEO, and long tail blogs tied to venues, neighborhoods, styles, and timelines. Use internal links to connect posts to services.

Q6. Does this affect AI visibility?
Yes, indirectly. Clear structure still wins: healthy robots.txt, internal links, Article + FAQ schema, and useful posts that answer specific questions. AI systems learn your lane from these signals even when reporting lenses change.

Q7. What quick routine keeps me on track?
Thirty minutes weekly: review Queries at positions 1 to 20, update one high intent post, add GBP Q+A and a fresh image with strong alt text, then promote with a short caption.

Q8. Where can I get help?
Start with an AI Visibility Report for a clean baseline and plan, or use your AI Wedding Vendor Assistant to suggest updates, write schema, and scale internal links in your voice.

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