December Core Update: Why More Brands Now Win “Best Of” Queries

What changed (and why “best of” intent looks more commercial)

Early analysis points to a familiar pattern: pages that match the query with direct category expertise are gaining, while broad generalists are losing especially on “best of” and mid-funnel product terms.

A key driver is intent. Google appears to be treating more “best of” queries as commercial rather than purely informational so brand catalogs, specialist retailers, and dedicated landing pages can look like the more “satisfying” result than a generic roundup.

“This is yet another iteration to reward specialization, expertise… rather than generic ecommerce platforms or publications.”

Real-world shifts: who’s winning and who’s sliding

The examples being shared across the industry are concrete (and uncomfortable if you’re a publisher):

• Games: GamesRadar guides reportedly dropped for queries like “Best Steam Deck Games,” while catalog pages from platforms/brands (e.g., Nintendo, Epic Games) rose.
• Ecommerce: Broader retailers like Macy’s decreased on mid-funnel terms (e.g., “winter boots women”), while specialist brands/retailers such as Columbia and The North Face gained visibility.
• SaaS: More general pages from Zapier, Adobe, and CNBC reportedly slid on software queries, while specialist accounting platforms like FreshBooks and Xero improved with dedicated landing pages.

This is the December Core Update doing what core updates do: reassessing what’s most helpful at scale, not “penalizing” a site.

Why this is bigger than Google (hello, answer engines)

When brands show up more often in top organic results, they also become more likely to be cited by answer engines (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, etc.) because those systems heavily rely on what’s visible, stable, and clearly attributable on the open web.

Publishers felt the turbulence most. Search Engine Journal reported volatility across Search, Discover, Google News, and Top Stories.

“There was a ton of volatility with news publishers… across many countries.”

What’s the ranking for this topic right now (Jan 6, 2026)

For this exact headline/topic, results are dominated by the original Search Engine Journal story and fast-follow summaries; “core update completion” explainers from major SEO outlets also appear prominently.

The deeper signal: topical authority and proof

This shift matches what large-scale research has been pointing to since 2024: topical coverage and semantic relevance matter more than ever.

A study analyzing ~260k search results found that the strongest on-page factor they measured was topic coverage/semantic relevance, and quantified how missing common related terms correlated more strongly with worse rankings over time (e.g., from -0.11 to -0.13 in their measurements).

Tracking data also shows dramatic visibility swings during the December 2025 rollout (for example, SISTRIX lists vinted.co.uk up +386.8% in UK visibility in its winners/losers set).

Translation: if your “best of” page is thin intro → affiliate cards → short blurbs, it’s competing against brand catalogs, specialist taxonomies, and niche experts with tangible evidence.

A practical playbook to win “best of” queries after the update

Don’t try to “out-listicle” brands. Out-evidence them.

Build specialist depth (without publishing 200 pages of fluff)

Create a hub-and-spoke cluster: one decision guide + supporting pages for key sub-intents (budget, use case, comparisons) + deeper pages where you can show experience. That’s the structure that reads as ownership, not dabbling.

Add proof that can’t be copied

Use artifacts: original photos/videos, scoring rubrics, test notes, first-hand pros/cons, and transparent editorial policy. This is what makes your content both rankable and citeable.

Tighten intent to improve conversions

If the query is commercial, make the first screen commercial: a quick comparison, “who it’s for,” and trust cues. Then expand into the detail for readers who need it.

How to measure impact correctly

During the December Core Update, many teams chased daily rank trackers and rewrote pages that didn’t need rewriting. Google’s guidance is steadier:

“We recommend waiting at least a full week after a core update completes before analyzing…”

Once you’re outside the turbulence window, compare like-for-like in Search Console and segment by intent (informational vs commercial). If losses cluster around “best/top” queries, treat it as an authority + evidence problem not a technical SEO emergency.

The bottom line

The December Core Update didn’t kill “best-of” content. It raised the bar on what counts as the most satisfying result and brands now have a clearer path to win when they publish genuinely helpful category pages.

If you want to regain share, become the specialist again: narrower topics, deeper proof, cleaner intent, and content that answer engines can confidently cite.

Next step: audit your top “best of” URLs. If you don’t have a defensible methodology and supporting topic depth, that’s your biggest growth lever after the December Core Update.