On September 24, 2026, Google began rolling out the September 2026 Spam Update. It is a global update covering all languages and is expected to take about two weeks to complete. Tracking tools recorded noticeable volatility in search results during the first days of the rollout.
What does the update target?
Spam updates target websites that violate Google’s spam policies, such as hidden text, large volumes of low-value auto-generated content, and cloaked pages. Sites relying on these tactics typically lose rankings.
Context of recent updates
This update follows an August 18 spam update and two core updates in March and May of this year, according to the Google Search Status Dashboard.
What should you do now?
- Monitor your Search Console data until the rollout completes, and avoid major changes based on a few days of movement.
- Review your content and make sure it is written for readers first and provides real value.
- Avoid buying links or publishing large amounts of duplicated content.
If you’ve noticed a change in your traffic since September 24, contact us for a review with our SEO team.
