September 26, 2026
Google has started rolling out its September 2026 Spam Update, and this time the roll-out comes with a longer window than several of the spam updates earlier this year.
The update began on September 24, 2026, at 9:15 a.m. PDT and applies globally across all languages. Google says the roll-out may take up to two weeks to complete. As of September 25, the update is still rolling out.
For SEO teams and website owners, the key point is simple: it is too early to judge the full impact of the update. Rankings and traffic can continue to fluctuate while Google’s systems complete the roll-out.
What Is the September 2026 Spam Update?
Google describes this as a normal spam update. It is not being announced as a new core update or as the introduction of a new spam policy.
Google uses spam updates when it makes notable improvements to its automated systems for detecting search spam. However, Google has not provided additional details about which specific spam tactic or policy this September update targets.
That distinction is important.
There has been discussion about whether AI-generated content could be one of the areas affected. However, Google has not confirmed that the September 2026 Spam Update specifically targets AI-generated content.
So it would be inaccurate to describe this update simply as an “AI content update.”
The Fourth Spam Update of 2026
The September roll-out is the fourth confirmed Google spam update of 2026.
Earlier spam updates were released in:
- March 2026
- June 2026
- August 2026
- September 2026
The earlier March, June and August updates each completed within a few days. The September update is different because Google says its roll-out may take up to two weeks.
The longer roll-out does not mean the update will necessarily take the full two weeks. It does mean that website owners should avoid drawing conclusions from the first few days of ranking data.
Is Your Content Safe From Google’s Spam Updates?
Get your pages checked against Google’s spam policies before your rankings take a hit.
What Does Google Consider Spam?
While Google has not identified a new spam tactic for this update, its existing policies provide useful context for understanding what its systems look for.
Google’s spam policies cover practices intended to manipulate Search rankings rather than provide value to users. These include areas such as:
- Scaled content abuse
- Scraping and republishing content
- Keyword stuffing
- Cloaking
- Doorway abuse
- Hidden text or links
- User-generated spam
- Manipulative link practices
- Other techniques intended to manipulate Search
These policies existed before the September update. A spam update represents improvements to Google’s automated spam-detection systems rather than a completely new set of SEO rules.
Where Does AI-Generated Content Fit?
AI-generated content is an important topic in this discussion, but it is important to separate Google’s existing guidance from speculation about this particular update.
Google’s guidance does not say that using generative AI to create content is automatically spam. The concern is how AI and automation are used.
Google’s current spam documentation includes scaled content abuse, including situations where automated systems such as generative AI are used to produce large amounts of content primarily to manipulate Search rankings without providing meaningful value to users.
The distinction, therefore, is not simply:
AI content = bad
The more relevant question is:
Is the content genuinely useful to users, or is it being produced at scale primarily to capture search traffic?
A useful, well-researched article can still involve AI-assisted workflows. On the other hand, publishing large numbers of near-identical pages with little original information simply to target different keywords creates a very different SEO situation. The technology used to create content is only one part of the picture. Originality, accuracy, relevance, and user value still matter.
Don’t Confuse Ranking Volatility with the Spam Update
Search industry tracking showed notable ranking volatility around September 22–24, shortly before the spam update was announced. However, Google confirmed that the volatility observed before the announcement was not the September Spam Update itself.
This is an important reminder for SEO teams: a traffic or ranking change that happened immediately before September 24 should not automatically be attributed to this update.
What Should Website Owners Do Right Now?
The best response is not to make large changes simply because rankings move during the roll-out. Instead, use this period to monitor the site carefully.
1.) Monitor Search Console Data
Track:
- Organic clicks
- Impressions
- Average position
- Important landing pages
- Major keyword groups
- Branded versus non-branded traffic
Look for sustained patterns rather than reacting to one day’s movement.
2.) Review Pages That Rely Heavily on Scaled Production
Look more closely at content that was created:
- In very large quantities
- With highly repetitive templates
- For minor keyword variations
- For multiple locations with little unique information
- Without original research or useful examples
- Primarily to attract search traffic
These patterns deserve closer review against Google’s existing spam policies.
3.) Review Content Quality, Not Just Keyword Placement
A page can include the target keyword, optimized headings and FAQs while still offering very little useful information.
Review whether each page provides clear answers, accurate information, relevant examples and enough original value to justify its existence.
4.) Don’t Make Assumptions About AI
If a site uses AI-assisted content production, there is no reason to assume it has been affected simply because AI was involved.
Instead, review whether the content process produces:
- Original information
- Human review
- Accurate claims
- Useful examples
- Relevant expertise
- Clear search intent
- Meaningful differentiation between pages
Google’s current guidance focuses on the use and purpose of content, not on treating every use of generative AI as spam.
Confirmed Details and Open Questions
At this stage, separating confirmed information from speculation is especially important.
Confirmed by Google:
- The September 2026 Spam Update began on September 24.
- It applies globally.
- It applies across all languages.
- It is a normal spam update.
- The roll-out may take up to two weeks.
- It is an update affecting Google Search rankings.
Not confirmed by Google:
- That the update specifically targets AI-generated content.
- That it targets a particular industry.
- That it introduces a new spam policy.
- That it specifically targets low-word-count content.
- That it targets every form of AI-assisted writing.
Search Engine Roundtable also reports that Google said the update does not specifically target link spam and that Google did not identify a particular spam policy change associated with this roll-out.
What This Update Means for SEO
The September 2026 Spam Update reinforces a simple SEO principle: content should not exist just to target a keyword. Every page needs a clear purpose, useful information, originality and value for the reader.
For businesses using AI in their content workflows, this does not mean abandoning AI. It means using it responsibly, with human judgment, accuracy and genuine value at the center.
Since the update is still rolling out, the best approach is to monitor ranking and traffic patterns, review content against Google’s existing spam policies, and wait for the roll-out to finish before drawing conclusions about its full impact.
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