Latest search Updates - November & December 2025
- Alexander Soliman
- Dec 6, 2025
- 2 min read
The end of 2025 has seen rapid changes across search: not only in organic SEO (ranking algorithms, AI-search features, structured data) but also in paid search tools and in alternate search engines beyond Google Search.
Below are some of the biggest updates to watch, covering organic, AI-search, and paid/alternative search platforms.
AI-Search Is Shifting User Behavior — Impact on Click-Throughs
Bing AI Search recently highlighted that AI-driven search is now handling a major portion of the research phase for users, turning informational queries into conversational AI results. As a result, traditional clickthrough patterns are changing — publishers may see fewer “early funnel” clicks but stronger intent when users do click.
Thanksgiving Weekend Google Ranking Swings
Late November brought another round of turbulence (following Nov 7th volatility) that coincided with Thanksgiving week. Community trackers labeled this an "unconfirmed update" due to significant ranking instability. The pattern resembles seasonal adjustments Google often makes during high-traffic periods (Black Friday season).
Google Launches Gemini 3 Conversational Search Mode
Google rolled out a new AI-powered conversational mode on mobile, allowing users to refine and explore queries through dialogue. This shifts user behaviour away from traditional SERPs toward AI-generated answers. The update heavily impacts how brands appear in discovery journeys.
Source: https://www.webpronews.com/google-rolls-out-gemini-powered-conversational-mode-in-mobile-search
Google Deprecates Several Structured Data Types
Google announced that beginning January 2026, certain structured data formats will no longer be supported in Search Console or APIs. Websites using outdated schema types may lose enhancements or error tracking. SEOs must adapt schema strategies ahead of rollout.
ChatGPT & Perplexity Roll Out AI-Powered Shopping & Discovery Tools
Recently, both ChatGPT and Perplexity introduced new “AI shopping” tools — enabling conversational product discovery, personalized recommendations, and streamlined shopping via AI search instead of traditional e-commerce site browsing.
This signals a shift: AI search isn’t only about information anymore — it's becoming a gateway to commerce and conversion, which could reshape how brands and retailers approach traffic and ads.
Google Gemini 3 + “AI Mode” Search Is Expanding Rapidly
Google has upgraded its AI-powered search offering: Gemini 3 now powers “AI Mode” in its search, offering deeper reasoning, multimodal search (text, images, maybe more), and follow-up-question support — moving beyond traditional “10 blue links.”
This integration means that for many users, the default search experience is becoming more like a conversational, context-aware AI session rather than a list of webpages
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