SEO never stands still, and neither do we here at Yoast. In our November 2025 Yoast SEO Update, our top SEOs, Carolyn Shelby and Alex Moss, broke down the latest changes in search, structured data, and AI. Whether you run an e-commerce store, manage a content-rich website, or just keep up with Google’s ever-changing rules, this edition shows what really matters.
Google updates
Google refines its search results Phase-out of certain structured data featuresincluding FAQ snippets and COVID-19 updates. However, that doesn’t mean you should remove structured data from your website. It still plays a role behind the scenes, particularly in AI retrieval, and could make a comeback down the road.
For online shops, the message is clearer than ever: the product scheme is non-negotiable. Matt Southern from Search Engine Journal explains Google’s new AI shopping toolsSome features, such as agent-based checkout and direct comparisons, require that your product data is complete, consistent, and easily visible. This means you don’t have to hide important details behind tabs or switches. If it’s not easy to crawl, Google’s AI won’t use it.
Search Console updates
Search Console received some useful upgrades this month. Query groups Now groups search terms by topic instead of individual keywords, making it easier to identify content gaps and adjust your strategy. Brand query filter help differentiate between branded and non-branded searches, which is handy for tracking misspellings or seasonal trends.
Custom annotationspreviously only available in GA4, now allows you to log website changes directly in Search Console. This is great for combining updates with performance shifts. E-commerce sites also get a small win with shipping and returns details that can now be added without a Merchant Center account. It’s still in the introductory phase, so test it carefully to avoid any missteps.
Google and AI
AI continues to transform search, and Google’s AI Overviews are playing an important role in this change. The story by Barry Schwartz from Search Engine Roundtable on Robby Stein from Google emphasizes that these overviews are based on clear, structured content such as headings, lists and direct summaries. Word count is not as important as clarity and extractability.
The downside? According to Danny Goodwin in Search Engine Land: AI overviews reduced organic click-through rates by 61% and paid CTR by 68%. The takeaway is not to chase clicks, but to optimize visibility in AI responses. If your content is easy to extract and cite, you will be in a better position.
Beyond Google
Beyond Google, The new SDK from ChatGPT allows developers to build apps within the platform, which could be particularly useful for larger companies looking to streamline AI integrations. In the meantime, Acquisition of SEMrush by Adobe could expand the tool to enterprise users, so smaller teams should watch out for pricing changes.
As for WordPress, Version 6.9 introduces the Abilities API to improve plugin security and interoperability. Meanwhile, Yoast SEO Premium users’ Site Kit integration will soon allow access to Search Console and GA4 data directly within WordPress, a handy time saver.
The next SEO update from Yoast
Yoast’s next SEO update is scheduled for December 15, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. CET. Until then, the focus remains on structured data, clear content and adapting to AI-driven search. For e-commerce websites, this means ensuring product data is accurate and up-to-date. For content creators, it’s all about keeping extractability in mind when writing. And for everyone? Keep an eye on Search Console’s new tools to stay on top.