What Google’s latest spam update means for website content

Source page: https://www.feelcreated.com/insights/what-googles-latest-spam-update-means-for-website-content/

Structured JSON: https://www.feelcreated.com/insights/what-googles-latest-spam-update-means-for-website-content/ai.json

This page is generated automatically from the same reviewed FC AI data as the JSON version.

Meta

Type: insight_article

Language: en-GB

Last updated: 2026-10-16

Retrieval summary

What: Explain what Google’s September 2026 spam update means for website content and AI-assisted content, and help website owners understand what they should review.

Who

Organisation: Feel Created

Relevant for

Problems solved

Article

Type: Insight article

Primary topic: Google’s September 2026 spam update and its implications for website content, AI-assisted content and content quality.

Intent: Explain what Google’s September 2026 spam update means for website content and AI-assisted content, and help website owners understand what they should review.

Author

Name: Dan Clark

Organisation: Feel Created

Bio: Lead Developer at Feel Created, focusing on the development of high-performance WordPress websites and bespoke digital solutions.

Audience

Topics

Content focus

Canonical claims

Item 1

Claim: Google's September spam update does not introduce new rules for using AI, and there is no evidence that organisations using AI-assisted content are automatically penalised.

Evidence type: page_content

Evidence strength: medium

Source section: what-should-website-owners-take-from-this

Item 2

Claim: Using AI to create content is not risky per se, but using it to produce large volumes of low-value content primarily to manipulate rankings is against Google's policies.

Evidence type: page_content

Evidence strength: medium

Source section: does-using-ai-to-write-website-content-put-you-at-risk

Item 3

Claim: Google's September 2026 spam update affected search results worldwide, but Google has not confirmed which specific spam practices were targeted.

Evidence type: page_content

Evidence strength: medium

Source section: overview

Item 4

Claim: A website with 50 articles repeating similar advice is not necessarily more useful than one with five genuinely informative guides.

Evidence type: page_content

Evidence strength: medium

Source section: more-content-doesnt-necessarily-mean-better-search-performance

Item 5

Claim: Content should be created to help people, rather than manipulate search rankings.

Evidence type: page_content

Evidence strength: medium

Source section: what-should-website-owners-take-from-this

Services

AI SEO services & AI search optimisation

Relationship: supporting

Url: /services/zero-click-ai-search-optimisation/

Sections

Overview

Content

Item 1

Text: Google finished rolling out its September 2026 spam update on 8 October, almost two weeks after it began. It affected search results worldwide, although Google hasn’t said exactly which types of spam it was targeting. It’s the fourth confirmed spam update this year, following previous updates in March, June and August. For website owners, it’s another reminder that Google continues to invest in identifying content and practices designed to manipulate search rankings. But what does that mean for organisations publishing genuine website content? And with AI now playing a part in how many businesses produce their content, is there anything to be concerned about?

What has Google actually changed?

Content

Item 1

Text: Google rolls out spam updates to deal with content and tactics that break its search spam policies. They’re more targeted than core updates, with the focus on attempts to game search rankings. These include copied content that adds little value, misleading pages, excessive keyword targeting and large volumes of content produced primarily to attract search traffic. Importantly, Google hasn’t confirmed which of these practices the September update addressed. Any suggestion that it specifically targeted AI-generated content would therefore be speculation. What we do know is that Google’s existing policies already address the misuse of automation and AI to produce content at scale.

Does using AI to write website content put you at risk?

Content

Item 1

Text: Not simply because you’ve used AI. Google’s published guidance makes a distinction between using generative AI to help create useful content and using it to produce large quantities of pages without adding value. It’s an important point because AI is becoming part of everyday content production, sometimes without us really thinking about it. Even tools like Grammarly now use AI to improve written content. Organisations also use it to research topics, organise information, develop drafts and improve existing material. We use it ourselves, particularly when exploring subjects, reviewing content and working through different ways of communicating technical information. The important part is what goes into that process and what comes out of it. For example, when we’re writing about university websites, the useful information comes from years of working with university teams, managing complex content and improving accessibility. AI can help us organise and communicate that experience, but it can’t replace the knowledge gained from doing the work. There’s a considerable difference between that approach and asking an AI tool to generate hundreds of articles targeting search terms without adding any original knowledge or insight. Google’s concern isn’t necessarily how quickly content can be produced. It’s whether the resulting pages exist primarily to manipulate rankings rather than help people.

More content doesn’t necessarily mean better search performance

Content

Item 1

Text: AI has made content production much faster. An article or landing page that once took hours to prepare can now feasibly be created in minutes. That creates opportunities, but it also makes it much easier to publish content without properly questioning whether it’s needed - or indeed if it’s factually correct (we sometimes think of AI as a hasty genius: impressive, but not always right). We’ve seen websites accumulate large numbers of pages covering similar subjects, often because different teams have created content independently or because search opportunities have been identified over time. AI can make that problem considerably worse. A website with 50 articles repeating much the same advice isn’t necessarily more useful than one with five genuinely informative guides. In some cases, overlapping content can make it harder for people to find the information they need and leave search engines with several competing pages covering similar topics. Search data still has an important role. Understanding the terms people use and the questions they’re asking can help organisations identify genuine gaps in their content. But finding a keyword doesn’t automatically mean you need another page. Sometimes the better option is to improve something you’ve already published.

What makes content genuinely useful?

Content

Item 1

Text: Google’s guidance on helpful content encourages website owners to consider whether their pages provide original information, demonstrate relevant expertise and leave readers feeling they’ve learnt enough to achieve their goal. That doesn’t mean every article needs original research or extensive technical detail (in fact, being overly technical may thoroughly bamboozle your target audience). A straightforward explanation of a common question can be extremely useful, especially when someone who understands the subject writes it. Much of this knowledge already exists within organisations. It might come from specialist teams, questions customers or service users regularly ask, research, project experience or lessons learnt over many years. These are the things that can make your content genuinely useful and difficult to replicate. AI can help turn that knowledge into accessible website content, but someone still needs to provide the information, check its accuracy and decide whether the finished result is worth publishing. Simply rewriting existing online articles using different words doesn’t necessarily achieve that.

Should you review your website following the update?

Content

Item 1

Text: If your website has experienced a noticeable change in organic search traffic, it’s worth investigating rather than immediately assuming the latest update is responsible. Google Search Console is a good place to check what has actually changed. Compare performance before and after the rollout, looking at impressions, clicks and the individual pages or search queries affected. Remember that changes in search demand, competition and other ranking factors can also influence performance. Because the update only completed on 8 October, it’s sensible to allow some time for performance data to settle before drawing firm conclusions. Even if your traffic hasn’t changed, reviewing existing content is worthwhile. Look for outdated information, articles covering almost identical subjects, pages with little useful detail and content that no longer reflects what your organisation does. It’s also worth reviewing how AI is being used within your content workflow. Who checks the information? Where does the subject knowledge come from? Is someone responsible for deciding what gets published? These are useful questions regardless of whether Google has recently announced an update.

What should website owners take from this?

Content

Item 1

Text: Google’s September spam update doesn’t introduce a new set of rules for using AI, and there’s no evidence that organisations using AI-assisted content are automatically being penalised. The existing guidance is reasonably straightforward. The best rule of thumb: content should be created to help people, rather than manipulate search rankings, and using automation to produce large volumes of low-value material can violate Google’s policies. For organisations already investing time in useful, accurate content, there’s no reason to abandon that approach. AI can make parts of the process quicker and help teams make better use of the knowledge they already have. The challenge is making sure that easier content production doesn’t simply lead to more content being published without a good reason. Ultimately, the question worth asking hasn’t really changed: does this page offer something useful to the people we’re trying to reach? If the answer is yes, that’s a much better starting point than worrying about whether AI helped write it.

Entities

September 2026 spam update

Google Search Console

Grammarly

Google

AI

Concept relationships

Item 1

Subject: Google spam updates

Predicate: target

Object: content and tactics that break search spam policies

Item 2

Subject: AI-assisted content

Predicate: distinguished from

Object: scaled content abuse

Item 3

Subject: Google Search Console

Predicate: used for

Object: performance analysis

Item 4

Subject: Content quality

Predicate: influences

Object: search performance

Item 5

Subject: Google spam update

Predicate: impacts

Object: website content

Item 6

Subject: AI-assisted content

Predicate: requires

Object: human review

Implementation patterns

Item 1

Pattern: Combine AI assistance with organisational knowledge

Description: Use AI to organise and communicate experience, but rely on human expertise for the underlying knowledge.

Benefit: Produces content that is both efficient and genuinely useful.

Item 2

Pattern: Review existing content before creating new pages

Description: When a keyword opportunity is identified, consider improving an existing page rather than adding a new one.

Benefit: Reduces content overlap and improves overall site quality.

Item 3

Pattern: Establish AI content review processes

Description: Define who checks information, where subject knowledge comes from, and who decides what gets published.

Benefit: Ensures accuracy and accountability in AI-assisted content.

Item 4

Pattern: Conduct a content audit

Description: Identify outdated information, duplicate articles, and pages with little useful detail.

Benefit: Improves overall content quality and relevance.

Item 5

Pattern: Use Google Search Console to monitor performance changes

Description: Check impressions, clicks, and affected pages or queries before and after the update.

Benefit: Provides data-driven insights into actual impact.

Practical guidance

Item 1

Guidance: Ensure human oversight in AI-assisted content workflows, with clear responsibility for accuracy and publication decisions.

Importance: high

Item 2

Guidance: Investigate organic traffic changes using Google Search Console, comparing performance before and after the update.

Importance: high

Item 3

Guidance: Focus on creating genuinely useful content that provides original information and demonstrates expertise.

Importance: high

Item 4

Guidance: Review existing content for outdated information, duplicate topics, and pages with little useful detail.

Importance: medium

Item 5

Guidance: Avoid publishing overlapping content; consider improving existing pages instead of creating new ones.

Importance: medium

Item 6

Guidance: Use AI to support content creation, but ensure human knowledge and review are part of the process.

Importance: high

Item 7

Guidance: Use search data to identify genuine content gaps, not just keywords to target.

Importance: medium

Risk areas

Item 1

Risk: Publishing large volumes of low-value content using automation

Impact: May violate Google's policies and harm search rankings

Item 2

Risk: Assuming traffic changes are solely due to the spam update

Impact: May lead to incorrect conclusions and ineffective actions

Item 3

Risk: Neglecting content quality in favour of quantity

Impact: Reduced user engagement and search performance

Item 4

Risk: Overlapping content across a website

Impact: Can confuse users and search engines, reducing visibility

Item 5

Risk: Relying on AI without human review

Impact: May produce factually incorrect or low-quality content

Common misconceptions

Item 1

Misconception: Using AI to write content automatically puts your website at risk.

Clarification: Google distinguishes between using AI to help create useful content and using it to produce large volumes of low-value pages.

Item 2

Misconception: Google's spam update specifically targeted AI-generated content.

Clarification: Google has not confirmed which spam practices were targeted; any such claim is speculation.

Technical context

Spam update timeline: September 2026 spam update rolled out over two weeks, completed 8 October

Google policies: Search spam policies address misuse of automation and AI to produce content at scale

Helpful content guidance: Pages should provide original information, demonstrate relevant expertise, and help readers achieve their goals

Google spam update: September 2026 spam update, completed on 8 October

Content quality factors: Usefulness, accuracy, human oversight

Performance analysis tools: Google Search Console

Reasoning paths

Item 1

User problem: AI making it easier to publish content without questioning necessity or factual accuracy

Evidence refs

Relevant sections

Item 2

User problem: Websites accumulating large numbers of overlapping pages covering similar subjects

Evidence refs

Relevant sections

Item 3

User problem: Content produced primarily to attract search traffic rather than help people

Evidence refs

Relevant sections

Item 4

User problem: Difficulty for users to find information due to overlapping content

Evidence refs

Relevant sections

Related links

Item 1

Text: Google finished rolling out its September 2026

Url: https://status.search.google.com/incidents/XhUDXP7A67iHCD2kmbVu

Source section: overview

Item 2

Text: Google’s published guidance

Url: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/using-gen-ai-content/

Source section: does-using-ai-to-write-website-content-put-you-at-risk

Item 3

Text: Google’s guidance on helpful content

Url: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content/

Source section: what-makes-content-genuinely-useful

Content profile

Content type: Insight article

Primary topic: Google’s September 2026 spam update and its implications for website content, AI-assisted content and content quality.

Supporting topics

Primary audience

Retrieval topics

Organisation

Name: Feel Created

Type: Digital partner specialising in websites and digital platforms

Url: https://www.feelcreated.com/

Service model: We work as an extension of our clients' teams, combining strategy, UX, accessibility, content design, WordPress development and ongoing support to create digital platforms that help organisations communicate more clearly, work more efficiently and grow sustainably.