Google’s November 2025 shake-up — AI Overviews, disappearing features, and what you need to fix this week

1. What actually changed

The November roll-out focused on simplification. A few niche rich-result formats quietly disappeared because they weren’t driving engagement. At the same time, Google confirmed that support for certain structured-data types inside Search Console and its API will end in early 2026.

In plain terms, any schema that generated low-value visuals—like practice exercises or temporary announcements—is being retired. Google wants faster results pages and cleaner data signals.

Another visible tweak is “Query Groups” inside Search Console Insights. It automatically groups similar searches so you can spot rising or falling themes instead of wading through thousands of individual queries.

And yes—AI Overviews (AIO) are now showing up more often and in more countries. Those summaries borrow short answers from multiple sites and present them above regular results, which naturally shifts user attention upward.

2. What this means for your traffic

Expect your click-through rates to wobble, even if your rankings hold. When an AI Overview answers the core question right on the page, many users don’t feel the need to click through. Pages that used to win clicks with long intros now risk being skipped.

This doesn’t mean SEO is dead; it means the format of “winning” has changed. You’re writing for instant clarity first and storytelling second.

Clean structure, credible sources, and small visuals—like comparison tables or one-sentence stats—help your content qualify for snippets and summaries.

3. Fix it this week — quick checklist

1. Rewrite your intros

Open with the exact answer in the first 80 words. Imagine you’re summarizing it for a journalist—no fluff, just facts with one supporting figure or insight.

2. Audit your schema

Remove markup that no longer brings visibility. Keep essentials like Organization, Product, Article, FAQ, and LocalBusiness. If you still have learning videos, salary estimates, or other legacy tags, it’s time to delete them.

3. Use Query Groups to read volatility

Inside Search Console Insights, check which topic clusters suddenly lost clicks. If the affected keywords are informational, assume AI Overviews are stealing attention and tighten those pages’ first paragraphs.

4. Track changes weekly

Log position and CTR changes using your Keyword Position Tracker (link internally). Split keywords into “AIO-likely” and “transactional” groups to see which type is suffering.

5. Refresh page structure

Try this outline:

H1 → Direct Answer → Data Proof → How-to Steps → FAQs.

It’s clean, scannable, and exactly how Google prefers to surface context.

4. Why this matters long-term

Google’s direction is obvious: reduce noise, highlight expertise, and let AI summarize the rest. If your pages deliver trustworthy answers with supporting data, the algorithm still needs you—it just rewards brevity and clarity.

Think of this update not as punishment, but as an invitation to write smarter.

5. FAQ

Will removing old schema hurt rankings?

No. Outdated schema simply won’t be used, so cleaning it up removes technical debt without losing visibility.

Can I tell how much traffic comes from AI Overviews?

Not precisely. Those impressions blend into total search data, so treat unusual dips as signals rather than precise numbers.

How do I get my content featured in AIO?

You can’t tag your way in. Your best bet is concise answers, reliable sourcing, and original visuals that help Google verify your expertise.

What’s the quickest win this week?

Re-write your top five informational pages with a sharp 80-word intro and update their schema. That alone can recover lost clicks.

6. Conclusion

November 2025 didn’t break SEO—it clarified what still matters. Deliver straight answers, trim outdated markup, and use the new Search Console tools to monitor shifts. A few hours of cleanup now can protect months of traffic later.