Google’s &num= Parameter Removal: Impact on SERP Data & Moz Pro
Google's recent removal of the long-standing `&num=` parameter has sent ripples across the SEO industry, fundamentally altering how Search Engine Results Page (SERP) data is collected and impacting tools like Moz Pro. Historically, the `&num=` parameter allowed users and scraping tools to specify the number of organic results displayed per page, commonly set to `&num=100` to efficiently gather up to 100 results from a single query.
This change directly affects Moz Pro's SERP scraping capabilities. Previously, Moz Pro leveraged the `&num=100` parameter to cost-effectively and rapidly collect extensive SERP data. This method was crucial for providing deep insights into keyword rankings and competitive landscapes. The parameter's removal means that collecting more than the default 10-15 results per page now requires more complex and resource-intensive methods, such as simulating user scrolls or clicks to load additional results. This significantly increases the operational costs and time associated with data collection for SEO platforms.
For Moz Pro, this necessitates a strategic shift in data collection. The platform will now primarily focus on collecting the top 10 results per query as the default. While the article implies adaptations for deeper data, it highlights the challenge of maintaining the previous depth and frequency of data updates without the `&num=` parameter's efficiency. The target audience, primarily SEO professionals and digital marketers who rely on Moz Pro for comprehensive ranking data, will experience changes in how deep SERP data is presented and potentially the frequency of updates for very deep results.
In essence, the technical specification of the `&num=` parameter was a cornerstone for efficient SERP scraping. Its removal forces products like Moz Pro to innovate their data acquisition strategies, balancing the need for deep, accurate SERP data with the increased technical complexity and cost of collection. The benefit of the old system was efficiency and cost-effectiveness; the new reality demands more sophisticated and expensive approaches to achieve similar data depth.
(Source: https://moz.com/blog/num-100-and-changing-serp-lengths-in-moz-pro)
