Google did not run a core update in October 2026, but the month still brought changes that affect how websites are assessed and how their performance is reported. The September spam update finished rolling out, Google rewrote its guidance on AI-generated content, and Search Console gained new ways to see where traffic comes from. This round-up covers what changed, what it means for your website and what to check before the end of the year.
The September 2026 spam update finished on 8 October
Google’s latest confirmed ranking change was the September 2026 spam update, which began on 24 September and finished rolling out on 8 October. Spam updates target practices that break Google’s spam policies, such as scaled low-value content, link schemes and sites that exist mainly to manipulate rankings.
If your organic traffic dropped between late September and early October, compare the affected pages against those policies before making changes. A fall in traffic during that window does not automatically mean a site was penalised, as seasonal demand and competitor activity also move rankings.
Google's guidance on AI content now targets fake authors and scaled pages
On 1 October, Google updated its documentation on using generative AI content to bring it in line with its Search Quality Rater Guidelines. The update does not ban AI-assisted writing. Instead, it makes clear that content is judged on whether it helps people, and it singles out practices Google treats as manipulative.
The practices drawing the most attention are:
- Publishing articles under invented authors or AI-generated expert profiles
- Producing large volumes of AI content without human review or original input
- Creating content designed mainly to influence what AI tools say about a brand
For businesses, the practical message is to put real names, real expertise and real examples behind the content you publish. An article written with AI support but reviewed by someone who knows the subject, and backed by first-hand experience, sits on the right side of these rules.
Search Console now separates image-led searches
Search Console added a multimodal filter that shows traffic from searches which start with a picture rather than typed words. This covers Google Lens, Circle to Search on Android, image uploads and the “Search this image” option in Chrome.
Because these searches begin with an image, the report shows impressions, clicks and average position but no query data. All of the image entry points are grouped together, so you cannot yet tell Lens traffic apart from Circle to Search traffic.
The filter is most useful for businesses with products people photograph or recognise, such as vehicles, furniture, clothing or building materials. Original photography, descriptive file names and accurate alt text give Google more to match against than stock images do.
You can now combine countries and devices in one report
From 6 October, the Search Console performance report lets you select several countries or devices at once instead of comparing them one at a time. For a UK business that also receives traffic from Ireland, or one that wants to see mobile and tablet together, this saves switching between filtered views.
This sits alongside the AI performance reporting Google opened to all sites at the end of the summer. Google has said those AI impressions were always included in overall totals, so the new view separates them out rather than adding new numbers.
Rankings moved on 20 and 21 October without a confirmed update
Site owners and tracking tools reported noticeable ranking volatility on 20 and 21 October. Google has not confirmed an update for those dates, and its Search Status Dashboard still lists the September spam update as the most recent ranking change.
Some SEO forecasters expect a core update between late October and mid-November, as the last one began in May. That is a prediction rather than a Google announcement, so it is better to keep improving content quality now than to wait for a confirmed update before acting.
One further point for anyone relying on rank tracking software: an industry report found that some results pages Google serves to automated tools since late September have been incorrect. If your rank tracker shows sudden swings that do not match Search Console, trust Search Console’s average position data first.
Traffic from AI assistants is still hard to attribute
Visits from AI assistants do not always arrive with a clear referral source. Some appear in analytics as direct or unassigned traffic, which makes it harder to see how often tools such as ChatGPT send people to your site. Google has reportedly started adding tracking parameters to outgoing links from Gemini, which should make that source easier to identify.
If a growing share of your traffic is labelled direct or unassigned, it is worth reviewing how your analytics groups those sessions. Many of these visits end up as unassigned traffic in Google Analytics, which can distort how each channel’s performance is reported.
What to check on your website before the end of 2026
The changes above point to a short list of checks that apply to most business websites:
- Review pages published at scale, such as location or service variations, and remove or improve any that add little for the reader.
- Make sure every article carries a real author name and, where relevant, a short note on their experience.
- Replace stock imagery with original photos on key product and service pages.
- Open the multimodal filter in Search Console to see which pages already earn image-led traffic.
- Note your current rankings and traffic so you have a baseline if a core update arrives in November.
CMe Media’s SEO team tracks Google’s updates for clients across the UK and adjusts content, technical setup and Google Business Profiles as the rules change. Contact the team to request a review of your website’s search performance.
