Official statement
What you need to understand
Google has recently modified the display of the number of search results, making this information less accessible. This decision is part of a desire to simplify the user interface, but it also impacts the habits of search engine optimization professionals.
According to Google, these counters only represent rough estimates and not precise figures. They therefore do not constitute a reliable indicator for evaluating the competitiveness of a keyword or the interest in a query.
Google now recommends using Google Trends to analyze interest and trends around keywords. This tool would provide more relevant data for SEO strategy.
- The displayed number of results was an unreliable estimate
- This metric does not reflect the actual popularity of a query
- Google Trends is presented as the recommended alternative
- The goal is to reduce distractions during search
SEO Expert opinion
This position from Google is consistent with the technical reality: the results counter has always been a volatile estimate that varied depending on the datacenters queried. Experienced SEOs already knew this and did not rely solely on this metric.
However, this information remained a quick and accessible indicator for roughly evaluating the saturation of a SERP. Its removal forces us to diversify analysis sources, which is not necessarily negative for the quality of SEO work.
This evolution also reflects Google's desire to control the metrics that SEOs use. By directing towards its own tools, Google guides the industry towards the data it deems relevant.
Practical impact and recommendations
- Stop relying on the number of results as the primary indicator of competitiveness
- Integrate Google Trends into your keyword research process to analyze trends and seasonality
- Use Google Search Console to evaluate actual impressions and traffic potential
- Invest in professional SEO tools (SEMrush, Ahrefs, etc.) that analyze the real difficulty of keywords through other metrics
- Manually analyze SERPs: quality of competing content, domain authority, search intent
- Prioritize concrete metrics: search volume, keyword difficulty, featured snippet opportunities
- Diversify your analysis sources rather than depending on a single approximate metric
This evolution confirms that modern SEO requires a multi-criteria analytical approach. The number of results has never been a reliable strategic KPI.
Analyzing the competitiveness of a keyword now requires a more sophisticated methodology, combining quantitative data (volumes, trends) and qualitative data (content analysis, authority).
Faced with the growing complexity of the SEO ecosystem and the multiplication of data sources to analyze, many companies find that specialized expertise becomes essential. Calling upon a specialized SEO agency not only provides access to expensive professional tools, but above all allows you to benefit from a proven methodology to correctly interpret these multiple signals and make the right strategic decisions for your visibility.
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