Google’s September 2026 Spam Update Is Done. What to Check If Your Traffic Moved
A spam update finished on 8 October and no October core update had been announced by mid month. If your traffic moved, here is how to work out whether the update had anything to do with it.
By Ads Ninza · Published 16 October 2026 · 4 min read
What happened
Google's Search Status Dashboard logged the September 2026 spam update from 24 September to 8 October, a rollout of about 13 days and 16 hours, applied globally and in all languages. Google described it as a normal spam update and did not say which tactics it targeted. As of mid October, the dashboard listed no October 2026 core update; Google's 2026 broad core updates were in March and May.
Was your site affected?
Ranking trackers often show movement during any update, and not all of it is caused by the update. Compare Search Console clicks and impressions for the two weeks before 24 September with the two weeks after 8 October, split by page group: commercial pages, blog, location pages. A drop concentrated in one group that started inside the rollout window is worth investigating. A gradual decline that started earlier is probably something else, such as AI answers taking informational clicks; see why traffic falls while rankings hold.
Also check Search Console for a manual action notice, which is separate from algorithmic updates.
Policies worth reviewing
Scaled content abuse: many pages produced mainly to rank, by any method, with little value. Large sets of near-identical location or keyword pages are the common risk.
Site reputation abuse: third-party content hosted to exploit a site's ranking signals.
Expired domain abuse: buying old domains to rank unrelated content.
Link spam: bought links and link schemes.
If any apply, fix the cause rather than hoping the next update reverses it. See whether AI content ranks.
What to do if you were hit
Identify the affected pages and the policy they may conflict with. Remove or substantially improve thin pages, consolidate near-duplicates, and remove manipulative links where you can. Recovery from spam updates usually comes as Google recrawls and reassesses the site over the following weeks and months, not overnight. Keep publishing useful, first-hand content in the meantime.
What to do if you were not
Use the moment to audit before the next update. Check for thin location or tag pages, outdated content, broken structured data and pages that exist only to target a keyword. Strengthen service pages, case studies and expertise content, which are what both Google and AI assistants reward. Our Search Everywhere Optimisation work starts with this audit.
Sources
Google Search Status Dashboard; Search Engine Roundtable: update done; Google spam policies.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Google September 2026 spam update run?
From 24 September to 8 October 2026, about 13 days and 16 hours, according to the Search Status Dashboard.
What did the spam update target?
Google called it a normal spam update and did not name specific tactics.
Was there an October 2026 core update?
As of mid October, none had been announced on the Search Status Dashboard.
How do I know if my site was affected?
Compare Search Console data before 24 September and after 8 October by page group, and check for manual actions.
How long does recovery take?
Usually weeks to months as Google recrawls and reassesses improved pages.
Can location pages trigger spam issues?
Large sets of near-identical pages with little unique value can conflict with the scaled content abuse policy.
Is AI-written content spam?
Not by itself. Content made mainly to rank with little value is the problem, however it is produced.
Should I disavow links?
Only for clearly manipulative links you cannot remove, and usually after a manual action. Most sites do not need it.
Does a spam update affect Google Ads?
No. Spam updates affect organic Search, not ad delivery.
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