At TrueRanker, we have always believed in giving you as much data as possible. However, as you probably know, Google recently made a drastic change to its search engine: they permanently removed the num=100 parameter.
This might sound like a minor technical detail, but it shook the entire SEO industry. Essentially, retrieving the top 100 results went from costing “1” to costing “10” (literally, we now have to make 10 separate requests where we used to make just one).
Faced with this massive cost increase, we had two options: drastically raise prices for everyone or get creative to give you flexibility. We chose the second one.
We have re-engineered our system so that you are in control. Now, the TOP 100 is back, but you decide where and when to spend your tracking resources.
1. The Three Tracking Options #
You can now configure the depth and update frequency individually for each project. Not all projects need the same level of attention, so here is the menu:
- TOP 20 – Daily Update: This is the option for your “core” projects. We monitor the first 20 positions every single day. Ideal if you need to react quickly to changes on the first and second pages.
- TOP 50 – Update every 3 days: The perfect middle ground. You get a deeper view (up to position 50) but with slightly less frequency. Perfect for spotting medium-term trends.
- TOP 100 – Update every 7 days: The TOP 100 is back! Ideal for deep audits, discovering new keywords entering the ranking, or monitoring projects that require a long-term view.
2. How to Configure Options in Your Project #
Changing this setting is very simple and can be done project by project.
- Enter the project you want to modify.
- Go to the “Project Settings” tab.
- Look for the field labeled “Select the tracking interval and depth of this project”.
- Open the dropdown menu and choose the option you prefer.
- Save your changes.
3. When Does the Tracking Change Apply? #
This is a very common question. The change is not immediate; it applies starting from the next scheduled update.
The system respects the tracking cycle you are currently in. Let’s look at it with two very clear examples:
Example A: Switching from “Fast” to “Slow” frequency #
Imagine you have the TOP 20 Daily configured.
- Your data was updated today.
- You decide to switch to TOP 100 Weekly.
- What happens? Tomorrow, when the update is due, the system will detect the change, perform the TOP 100 scan, and from then on, it will wait 7 days to do it again.
Example B: Switching from “Slow” to “Fast” frequency #
Imagine you have the TOP 100 Weekly configured.
- The scan was done yesterday.
- Today you decide you need more speed and switch to TOP 20 Daily.
- What happens? Since your current cycle is 7 days and the scan was done yesterday, the system will wait for the remaining 6 days of the cycle to finish. Once those 6 days pass, it will perform the new scan (TOP 20) and from that moment on, it will start updating daily.
We hope this flexibility helps you better manage your SEO strategies, allowing you to focus daily on what’s urgent and use deep insights for what’s important.