Google's Spam Update Ended. Check Your Site This Week

Google finished its September 2026 spam update on October 8. The rollout began on September 24 and took just under 14 days. It is Google’s fourth confirmed spam update this year, after March, June, and August.

Spam updates target pages that break Google’s spam policies. However, any ranking swings you saw in late September and early October now have an end date.

What changed alongside it

Google also refreshed its guidance on AI-generated content. The update adds references from its quality rater guidelines about content with little effort, originality, or added value. This is a documentation change, not a new ranking update. Still, it shows what Google wants: pages that add something real.

How to check your site

Start with data, not guesses.

Open Search Console and compare clicks and impressions before September 24 with the weeks after October 8.
List the pages and searches that moved the most.
Read those pages as a stranger would, and ask what they add that other pages do not.
Remove or rewrite thin pages, because they carry the most risk.
Wait a few weeks before big changes, so you can separate a real drop from normal movement.

Original, specific content helps here too, which is the same point we made in why ranking is not enough anymore. Technical health matters as well, as covered in website speed and SEO.

FAQ

Did this update target AI-written content?

Google described this as a spam detection update, and it did not announce an AI-specific ranking change.

My traffic dropped. Is it the spam update?

Maybe, but check the dates first. A drop that started between September 24 and October 8 is worth investigating. Outside that window, another cause is more likely.

Getting started

Zavix Media handles website management, including SEO monitoring and content reviews. Book a Free Call, and we will check whether the update affected your site.