Google’s Anti Scraping Update means users are faced with blocks, outdated data and high costs to access key information.
The SEO ecosystem faces a new barrier: since January 15, 2025, Google has strengthened its restrictions against scraping its search results (SERPs), which has significantly affected SEO tools that depend on this data to operate. This change is part of a series of updates that tighten policies against automated information extraction, forcing platforms to rethink their data collection methods. And of course, with the Anti Scraping Update, the SEO industry faces new challenges.
Scraping, a key to SEO
Since January 15, 2025, tools such as Semrush, SE Ranking, SimilarWeb, and Rank Ranger have reported service interruptions, reflecting the difficulty in accessing Google information. This modification in the search architecture makes automated access much more complicated and, in some cases, unfeasible without significant adjustments to data collection methods.
Scraping is an automated technique that allows information to be extracted from websites for further analysis. In the field of SEO, this practice is essential for monitoring the position of sites in search engine results (SERPs), analyzing keyword trends and evaluating the competition.
Many SEO tools use scrapers to simulate searches and collect data directly from Google. However, this process requires constant and reliable access to search results, which has now been severely affected by Google’s new restrictions that include IP blocks, stricter CAPTCHA requirements, and the most significant change is that Google now requires JavaScript to be enabled in browsers to access its search engine.
This requirement makes it difficult for traditional scrapers to gather information, as most of these tools are not designed to process JavaScript efficiently.
Anti-Scraping Update: Google’s reasons
Google justifies these changes by arguing that mass data extraction creates an excessive load on its servers and can affect the accuracy and speed of its services. It also seeks to prevent manipulation of its algorithm through automated queries.
This strategy is not new. Google has been implementing measures to limit unauthorized access to its search results for years. However, this update represents a particularly strong blow to ranking monitoring tools, which now struggle to obtain updated data.
Impact on the SEO industry and possible solutions
The effects of this Anti Scraping Update are already visible according to the reports presented:
- Outdated data: Many platforms have experienced interruptions in information collection.
- Increased costs: The need to enable JavaScript and work around restrictions can make these tools’ services more expensive and slower.
- Exploring new alternatives: some companies are seeking to establish alliances with Google to guarantee access to data in an official manner.
In the short term, the costs of these tools are likely to increase due to the need to develop more sophisticated solutions to evade Google’s restrictions. At the same time, SEO professionals will have to diversify their data sources and rely more heavily on tools such as Google Search Console and Google Analytics to gain relevant insights into the performance of their sites.
This is how SEO tools are facing the anti-scraping update
Different tools are implementing strategies to mitigate the impact of this change:
- SimilarWeb and Rank Ranger have made technical adjustments to minimize the impact on their reporting.
- SE Ranking and other platforms have had to readjust their data collection methodology.
- Semrush, which initially reported no issues, has faced delays in updating its data.
The future of SEO in the post-scraping era
This new approach from Google forces SEO companies and professionals to rethink their way of working. The future could lie in greater integration with Google-approved tools, which will surely integrate AI-based models that analyze trends without the need for scraping and in more diversified data sources.
Despite the difficulties, this update reinforces the importance of innovation and diversification in the SEO industry. The ability to adapt will be key to finding new ways to analyze the performance of our strategies, without relying exclusively on data extracted from the SERPs.
