The December 2025 edition of the SEO Update by Yoast: AI search, publisher deals & more

Missed the final SEO Update by Yoast of 2025? Our in-house principal SEOs, Carolyn Shelby and Alex Moss, broke down December’s biggest search shifts, from Gemini’s integration to Google’s publisher deals, and answered your burning questions. Don’t forget to watch the replay and sign up for the next edition!

Watch the full replay below (or read on for the highlights).

2025 in a nutshell: The three biggest SEO shifts

2025 was the year AI officially took over search. Here’s what mattered most:

1. From rankings to retrieval: AI overviews and chat interfaces made being cited more important than ranking #1.
2. EEAT became non-negotiable: Google (and users) demanded real expertise, not just keyword-stuffed content.
3. Publishers vs. AI: Lawsuits and deals reshaped how content is licensed and monetized.

Want the full breakdown? Our in-depth 2025 SEO recap post will be released next week. Also, hear Carolyn and Alex share their insights in the December SEO Update by Yoast on YouTube.

Key takeaways from the episode

AI search isn’t coming, because it’s already here

• Gemini 3 blurs the line between chat and search. Google’s AI mode is now the default for many queries, and the UX is evolving fast.
• Google Ads in AI mode? Some users have reported seeing sponsored results in AI overviews, which occupy half the screen. Expect more tests in 2026.
• OpenAI’s “Code Red”: After user feedback favored Gemini, OpenAI rushed out GPT-5.2. The takeaway? AI platforms are in a feature war, and your content needs to work across all of them.

Action: Audit your content for retrieval (not just rankings). Use tools like Yoast’s Brand Insights AI visibility tracker to see where you’re cited in AI responses in LLMs like ChatGPT and Perplexity.

Google’s publisher deals: A band-aid or the future?

• Google struck deals with major publishers (e.g., news sites) to license content for AI training. This is to avoid lawsuits and maintain ad revenue.
• The catch: This doesn’t solve the long-term problem. Publishers still rely on traffic, and AI overviews are siphoning clicks.

Action: If you’re in publishing, diversify traffic sources (email, social, direct). For everyone else, monitor how these deals affect your niche.

Shopify’s AI UX agent: A glimpse of the future

• Shopify’s SimGym simulates user behavior to identify UX issues, without skewing analytics.
• Why it matters: AI-driven CRO tools are getting smarter. If you’re not testing UX with AI, competitors will.

Action: Experiment with AI UX tools (even free ones like Hotjar’s AI insights).

Google Search Console gets smarter

• AI-powered insights: Search Console now suggests questions to analyze your data (e.g., “Why did impressions drop for X query?”).
• Social channel tracking: YouTube, Reddit, and other social traffic now appear in Search Console.

Action: Use these tools to spot trends before they become problems.

llms.txt: Worth the 5 minutes?

• Google confirmed they “treat it like a text file”, meaning it doesn’t hurt to add one, but there’s no guarantee it’ll help.
• Our take: It’s low-effort, so why not? Yoast SEO’s free tool generates a valid llms.txt file in seconds.

Action: Add llms.txt if you’re curious, but don’t expect miracles.

Q&A highlights

Carolyn and Alex answered live questions during the webinar. Here are the top three:

1. Should we stop using background images to improve load speed?

• Carolyn: “Optimize them, but don’t stress. Focus on non-blocking load times. If the image is lazy-loaded and doesn’t delay interactivity, it’s fine.”
• Alex: “Test it. If your audience cares about visuals (e.g., fashion, design), keep them. If not, simplify.”

2. Can we make big changes during a Google core update?

• Carolyn: “Act like there’s no update. If you need to make changes, make them. Google’s updates are continuous, so they’re not a deadline.”
• Alex: “Worst case? You’ll see fluctuations. But if your site’s broken, fix it now.”

3. FAQ pages or FAQs on every page?

• Alex: “Both. Put unique FAQs on product/service pages. Use a central FAQ for shared questions (e.g., shipping, returns).”
• Carolyn: “Avoid hiding answers in toggles, because AI won’t read them.”

Stay ahead in 2026

The news in this December edition of the SEO Update by Yoast proves one thing: SEO is changing faster than ever. Whether it’s AI-driven search, publisher deals, or smarter tools, the rules are being rewritten at a rapid pace.

Here’s how to keep up:

• Join us for the next SEO Update by Yoast on January 27, 2026. We’ll dive into the latest trends and explore their implications for your strategy. Sign up now.
• Missed the 2025 recap? Our in-depth post will be released next week; don’t forget to read it!