Google change disrupts SEO tools, resulting in data blackouts

Google's recent system update has significantly impacted numerous SEO tools. This change, implemented within the last 48 hours, appears to have blocked many data scrapers and APIs, leading to widespread data outages.

Several SEO platforms, including SimilarWeb, Rank Ranger, SE Ranking, ZipTie.dev, and AlsoAsked, have reported data lags. Google has since confirmed that they now require JavaScript to be enabled for search functionality, stating that this change is designed to combat bots and spam and to deliver more relevant results. This requirement is the root cause of the data disruptions experienced by many SEO tools.

SimilarWeb's senior director, Shay Harel, explained that Google's update introduced new interaction protocol requirements, rendering many existing configurations unusable. SimilarWeb, however, restored full functionality within 18 hours of the update. The change also impacted the commonly used ads_mode: ON configuration for paid results analysis.

ZipTie.dev, a Google AI Overviews tracking tool, also noted a significant decrease in AIO detection rates, indicating Google's efforts to block AIO checkers using sophisticated methods beyond traditional CAPTCHAs.

This disruption affects SEO professionals who rely on these tools to measure the success of their campaigns. The lack of data hinders the ability to track visibility, conversions, and revenue. However, some tools, such as Sistrix, Monitorank, and Ahrefs, appear unaffected.

While many initially believed Semrush was impacted, a spokesperson clarified that this was not the case. The initial discovery of the issue is attributed to Eric Mercier's Spanish-language article, "Google bloqueó las herramientas SEO: el drama del 2025," brought to wider attention via a LinkedIn post.

Many tools are now back online. Patrick Hathaway, co-founder and CEO of Sitebulb, offers an insightful perspective suggesting this isn't solely targeted at keyword tools, but rather a response to the growing threat posed by large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, which are seen as potential replacements for Google Search. By making data access more difficult at scale, Google aims to protect its data from being used to train LLMs. SEO tools, in this context, are considered collateral damage.

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