SEO & AI Industry Update

December Industry Update

The Completion of Google’s Core Update Rollout Means Your Rankings May Be Affected

What happened
Google confirmed that its December 2025 core update finished rolling out after starting on 11 December. Core updates adjust how Google evaluates and ranks content across the web. Google repeated its guidance that there is no single fix for ranking drops. Sites should focus on producing useful, people-first content that genuinely answers user needs.

Google also advised sites that lost visibility to recheck alignment with its helpful content guidance. This is already a standard approach we follow across our client work.

Why this matters
Core updates can reshape visibility across entire sectors, not just individual pages.
Ranking changes during core updates reflect how Google reassesses content quality, relevance, and trust. Drops do not usually point to technical issues or penalties. They signal that Google believes other content better meets user expectations. 

Google Confirms Smaller Unannounced Core Style Updates That Will Be Causing Drops In Your Visibility

What happened
Google confirmed that, in addition to large, named core updates, it frequently releases smaller improvements to its ranking systems without formally announcing them. These updates work similarly to core updates but are rolled out quietly.

We have long suspected this based on the high volatility events we observed throughout the year. Google’s confirmation now makes it clear that smaller, incremental updates are a normal part of how search is managed, rather than rare anomalies.

Why this matters
Search visibility can change at any time, not just during major updates. High volatility, sudden increases or drops in visibility, can happen without warning. For marketers, this explains why traffic and rankings sometimes fluctuate unexpectedly. It also signals that Google may rely more on continuous, smaller updates in the future, rather than only large, named core updates.

Gemini 3 Flash Becomes Default in Google Search AI Mode, Making Citations Harder to Win

What happened
Google announced that Gemini 3 Flash is now rolling out globally as the default model in AI Mode. This AI model handles complex search questions with faster reasoning and improved understanding. Essentially, it is the engine that powers Google’s AI responses, and becoming the default means it will be the main way users get AI-generated answers in search.

Why this matters
As AI Mode becomes faster and more capable, it is increasingly a credible first stop for discovery. Users may rely on AI answers before visiting websites, which increases competition for citations, as they are referenced in AI answers. Brands need to create content that is clear, structured, and “cite-ready” so AI systems reference your content in their answers and cite your website.

What you can do

• Understand how your brand is being understood by LLMs through a dedicated platform, identifying AI-perceived strengths and weaknesses
• Assess how your content is influencing these perceptions and what might need to be adjusted on-site to improve it.
• Understand what external sites AI are leaning on the most to construct their answers, and look at how you can get a presence on their sites.
• Our service Prism can guide you through all this

Your Landing Page Matters More Than You Think, As Google AI Mode Still Sends Traffic On Most Transactional Searches

What happened
Data shows that Google AI Mode sent users to websites on around 69% of transactional searches, queries where the user is looking to buy a product or service. Users also continued scrolling after clicking through from AI results, which suggests exploration and may indicate users want to validate options before committing.

Why this matters
High intent searches still drive traffic. AI helps users narrow options, but does not replace the need for strong landing pages. Users arrive later in the decision process and expect clear next steps. This challenges the idea that AI leads to “zero-click” searches where no traffic reaches brand websites. For high-intent searches, websites still play a critical role in the customer journey. Users rely on AI to shortlist options but still visit sites to make decisions, check details, or engage with the brand.

Google Tests Showing Full Property Listings in Search, Reducing the Need to Click Through and Increasing The Need For Accurate Listing Information

What happened
Google was spotted testing detailed for-sale property listings directly within search results. These listings show rich information about properties for sale, such as images, prices, and key features, without requiring users to click through to the website.

Why this matters
If this test expands, property discovery could become more “SERP-native,” meaning users may find most of the information they need directly on Google. This increases the importance of having complete and accurate property details on your site. Structured data, listing completeness, and consistent information across platforms will become critical, as Google may pull these fields directly into its own layouts.

What you can do

• Ensure property pages contain complete and accurate details.
• Maintain strong, structured data and schema coverage.
• Keep listing information consistent across platforms.
  

Google AI and ChatGPT Cite Retailers Differently, Signifying the Need For Platform-Specific AI Strategies

What happened
BrightEdge research showed that Google AI surfaces cite retailer websites around 4% of the time for e-commerce style queries. ChatGPT cited retailer sites around 36% of the time for similar queries.

Why this matters
For brands, this highlights the need for platform-specific visibility strategies. Google AI tends to rely on third-party sources like editorial sites, forums, and videos rather than directly referencing retailer pages. ChatGPT is more willing to cite first-party retailer content. This divergence is important for e-commerce brands trying to maintain visibility in AI-driven discovery.

What you can do

• Strengthen third-party coverage and brand mentions for Google visibility.
• Ensure product and category pages are clear, factual, and easy to reference.
• Treat AI optimisation as platform-specific rather than universal.
  

ChatGPT Adds Local Knowledge Panels, Making Data Accuracy a Visibility Issue Again

What happened
ChatGPT introduced local knowledge panels that appear when users click on a business name. These panels show business details in a right-hand layout similar to Google.

Why this matters
Local visibility now extends beyond Google Maps and business profiles. AI tools rely on consistent business data across the web. Incorrect or conflicting information can reduce visibility.

What you can do

• Maintain consistent name, address, and phone details.
• Keep opening hours, categories, and URLs accurate.
• Use structured data to reinforce entity understanding.
• Distribute your location data through your Google Business Profile to reinforce a single, accurate brand representation.
• Consider using a managed distribution service to push accurate NAP data across the web. We offer this as a service to support long-term local and AI visibility.

Google Sues SerpApi Over Search Result Scraping Affecting the Reliability of Your Reporting Tools

What happened
Google filed a lawsuit against SerpApi, a company that automatically collects Google search results in large volumes and sells that data to other businesses. In simple terms, SerpApi uses software to repeatedly search Google, copy what appears on the results pages, and package that information for use in SEO and marketing tools.

This process is known as scraping. Scraping means using automated programs instead of a human to gather information from a website at scale. Google says SerpApi bypassed protections designed to stop this type of automated copying.

Why this matters
Google wants to control how its search results are accessed and reused. Many SEO tools rely on scraped search results rather than data that comes directly from Google. By taking legal action, Google is signalling that it plans to be stricter about how search data is collected and shared.

For brands, this does not change how Google ranks your site. The impact is indirect. Some reporting tools may become less reliable, update less frequently, or change how they collect data. This can affect competitor tracking, ranking reports, and visibility estimates.

This also reinforces an important point for marketers. Not all data sources are equal. Scraped data is an approximation. First-party data from Google itself is more stable and trustworthy.

Google Briefly Publishes LLMs.txt Then Removes It, Casting Doubt on AI Control Tactics

What happened
Google was briefly seen hosting a file called LLMs.txt on its official Search Central documentation site. LLMs.txt is a proposed standard that websites can use to signal how AI systems should access and use their content. This was notable because Google had previously said it does not use or support this file.

After the file was spotted and publicly flagged, Google removed it. No formal announcement or guidance followed.

Why this matters
This incident shows that there is still uncertainty inside Google about how AI systems should interact with website content. Despite public discussion around LLMs.txt, Google has not confirmed it as a supported or recommended approach.

For brands, the key takeaway is that LLMs.txt is not currently a recognised way to influence visibility in Google Search or Google’s AI systems. The file being removed suggests that it should not be treated as a best practice or priority.

More broadly, this highlights how quickly AI-related standards are changing. Not every emerging idea becomes an official ranking or visibility signal.

Google Expands Virtual Try On in Search, Letting Shoppers Decide Before Visiting Brand Sites

What happened
Google expanded its AI-powered virtual try-on feature to the UK and India. This feature allows shoppers to upload a single photo and see how clothing items might look on their own body. The experience sits inside Google Shopping and search results, not on the retailer’s website.

This means Google is moving beyond showing product listings and is now helping users make visual decisions before they ever visit a brand site.

Why this matters
For apparel brands, first impressions may now happen inside Google rather than on product pages. Google is positioning itself as a more complete shopping destination. Users can explore, compare, and visualise products without clicking through immediately. 

Visibility and performance increasingly depend on the quality of product data rather than page design alone. Missing attributes, inconsistent sizing information, or low-quality images can limit how often products appear or how accurately they are shown in these experiences.

What you can do

• Ensure product attributes are accurate and complete.
• Use high-quality imagery of as many angles of the product as possible.
• Maintain consistent structured data across product feeds.

Final Thoughts

Search visibility now spans many places. Traditional results, AI answers, local panels, and shopping features all influence how brands are discovered.

Search engines and AI systems rely on the same core signals to decide what to show. Clear content explains what you do. Accurate data confirms who you are. Strong structure helps systems read and trust your site.

Authority still matters. Links remain a key signal for SEO performance. Brand citations now play a similar role for AI visibility. Consistent mentions across trusted sites help AI systems validate your brand.

Teams that treat SEO as overall digital visibility, not rankings alone, stay more resilient as search behaviour and technology continue to change.