SearchGPT Testing, DOJ vs. Google, and Smarter Schema
As we move deeper into Q4, the SEO landscape continues to evolve rapidly. This month brings key developments on the AI front, deeper legal scrutiny of Google’s dominance, smarter ecommerce markup opportunities, and a renewed call to ditch outdated SEO practices. Below, we break down the updates that matter most, and what you should do about them.
SearchGPT Begins Limited Rollout in iOS App
SearchGPT, OpenAI’s AI-powered search engine experience, is now appearing for a small test group of iOS users in the U.S. via a new search icon in the ChatGPT app.
What this signals:
- A full public rollout is likely coming soon.
- Marketers must prepare content not just for traditional SERPs, but for conversational, citation-driven search experiences.
- Structured, helpful, and source-attributable content will become even more valuable.
Action step:
Audit your content for clarity, helpfulness, and citation-readiness, especially for branded queries and informational content.
DOJ Weighs Breaking Up Google
Following a major antitrust trial, the U.S. Department of Justice is considering structural changes to Google’s business. Potential reforms include:
- Banning exclusive distribution deals with platforms like Apple
- Ending revenue-sharing arrangements with publishers like Reddit
- Requiring greater access to Google’s search index
What this could mean for marketers:
- Greater algorithm transparency
- Changes in organic vs. paid search dynamics
- More equitable distribution of content visibility across publishers
Stay tuned—this could redefine the digital advertising and SEO landscape in 2025.
AI Overviews Appear Biased Against Sites Affected by the HCU
Even though some sites hit by Google’s Helpful Content Update (HCU) have seen partial ranking recovery, they are not being cited in AI Overviews—even for branded searches.
Why this matters:
If you were hit by the HCU, recovery might not guarantee inclusion in AI-generated summaries, which are becoming increasingly prevalent across high-volume searches.
What to do:
- Continue prioritizing helpful, expert-driven content
- Build brand trust through author signals, citations, and schema
- Monitor AI Overviews for presence (or absence) and adjust strategy accordingly
A Daily Operations Lifesaver: The SEO Account Tracker Spreadsheet
SEO strategist Chris DeMarey shared a valuable time-management tool—a Google Sheets-based SEO account tracker built for agency workflows. This sheet consolidates:
- Client overviews and MRR-based time budgeting
- Weekly task tracking and priority planning
- Real-time time tracking with client-specific summaries
If you’re managing multiple clients or projects, this is an effective way to stay organized, plan proactively, and ensure efficient time allocation without jumping between ClickUp, Looker, and email threads.
6 SEO Practices to Leave Behind (For Good)
Sam Hollingsworth outlined six practices that are still mistakenly used—and why you should abandon them:
- Keyword stuffing and density targeting – Google prioritizes intent, not repetition
- Writing for crawlers over humans – Readability and UX matter more
- Buying backlinks – It’s risky, outdated, and flagged easily by Google
- Anchor text overload – Be natural, not spammy
- Obsolete keyword research tactics – Focus on user behavior and topic clusters
- Publishing thin or generic content – Only standout content earns standout rankings
Bottom line: SEO has matured. Your tactics should too.
Google’s Product Schema Update: A Win for Ecommerce if Implemented Correctly
Google introduced an important update to Product Schema Markup, enabling support for product variants such as size, color, and material via new properties like hasVariant, variesBy, and productGroupID.
Why it’s important:
- Improves how products and variants appear in search
- Boosts eligibility for rich results
- Enhances user experience by providing detailed options in SERPs
Best practices:
- Embed schema in HTML (not JavaScript) for better crawlability
- Use tools like Rich Results Testing Tool or Schema Markup Validator
- Avoid overloading your server if you must use dynamic schema via JavaScript
Immediate next step for ecommerce teams:
Audit your existing Product schema and update your markup to include new variant properties where applicable. This ensures your products are represented more accurately, and prominently, in search results.
Final Takeaways
October’s SEO updates underline a few core themes:
- AI is gaining ground in both discovery and user engagement. Prepare your content accordingly.
- Technical precision matters more than ever, especially for structured data and ecommerce experiences.
- Old habits are holding marketers back. It’s time to evolve beyond keyword games and focus on intent, authority, and clarity.
- Organizational efficiency is part of SEO success. From time tracking to roadmap updates, process matters as much as strategy.
Looking ahead, preparing for AI-native search and building long-term, brand-driven content ecosystems will be critical. If you’re still optimizing like it’s 2014, your rankings and revenue are probably paying the price.
