Google wraps up its fastest spam update yet in just 24 hours: a crackdown on low-quality content

For several days, we had been discussing the fact that SEO volatility was at historically high levels (and it continues to be), and that the situation seemed to be signaling one of those core updates that shake the very foundations of search results. Indeed, Google has launched an update to its algorithm, but not in the manner we had anticipated. On Tuesday afternoon, a new spam ppdate made its debut.

As usual, Google has not provided too many details regarding this development, other than stating that completion is expected to take “a few days.” Typically, these rollouts span one to two weeks, but this time, Google moved at breakneck speed.

In a mere 24 hours, Google has officially wrapped up its fastest algorithm update in years.

Keep in mind that this is the first spam update of 2026, with the previous one having taken place in August 2025. That year, there was only one such update, in contrast to the three carried out in 2024.

What is a spam update?

Spam updates are updates to Google’s algorithm intended to penalize those websites that use poor SEO practices in order to manipulate search results in their favor. Although the term “spam” is used, these updates are not related to unwanted email, but instead target websites that are not useful to users, provide a poor user experience, or appear to be created for search engines rather than for people.

In general, it could be said that they are designed to penalize websites attempting to deceive Google’s algorithm to improve their rankings or those that are directly engaged in illicit activities.

As Google itself explains in its documentation on the matter:

“Although Google’s automated systems for detecting spam in search continuously operate, sometimes we make significant enhancements to them. When that occurs, we refer to these improvements as spam updates, which we share in our list of updates to Google Search ranking systems.

For example, SpamBrain is our AI-based spam prevention system. From time to time, we improve this system to make it more effective in identifying spam and to ensure that it recognizes new types of spam.”

All right, but what exactly is web spam?

There are many different forms of web spam; however, as Google explains, among the most common are the use of hidden links, keyword abuse, or more directly, practices associated with illicit activities such as malware or impersonating another company. These cases are more common than they might appear and, unfortunately, are facilitated by the use of automated tools and the new possibilities brought about by generative AI.

Let us examine some examples:

• Cloaking: Showing different content to users and search engines for the purpose of manipulating rankings or deceiving visitors.
• Doorway page abuse: Creating pages or entire sites designed to rank for similar queries and redirect users to a single, less useful final destination.
• Expired domain abuse: Purchasing and reusing old domain names to host low-value content that leverages the domain’s previous reputation.
• Hacked content: Unauthorized insertion of code, pages, or links into a third-party site due to security vulnerabilities for the purpose of manipulating search engines or harming users.
• Hidden text and links abuse: Placement of words or links in a way that makes them visible to search engines but invisible or difficult to see for users.
• Keyword stuffing: Filling a page with lists of numbers or terms that are out of context in an attempt to force better search rankings.
• Link spam: Creating, purchasing, or selling links with the primary objective of manipulating search ranking rather than serving as editorial references. Google itself explains that “it understands the buying and selling of links are normal economic activities on the Web if done for advertising and sponsorship purposes. This is not considered a violation of our policies as long as these links are qualified with a rel=”nofollow” or rel=”sponsored” attribute.”
• Malware and malicious practices: Hosting software designed to damage devices, perform unwanted actions, or deceive the user during navigation.
• Deceptive functionality: Sites intentionally created to promise services or content they do not provide, thereby directing the user to misleading advertising.
• Bulk content abuse: Mass generation of pages with little original value (often using AI or data scraping) with the purpose of manipulating rankings.
• Scraped content: Publishing content taken from other sites without providing additional value, originality, or genuine utility for the user.
• Site reputation abuse: Publishing third-party content on a trusted site to exploit its authority and rank topics unrelated to its primary subject matter.
• Deceptive redirects: Directing a user to a URL different from the one requested with malicious intent or to display unexpected content.
• Low-value affiliate links: Pages that display affiliate products by copying original descriptions without offering original reviews, comparative analysis, or additional value.
• User-generated spam: Deceptive or irrelevant content added by third parties in public sections of a website, such as forums or comments.
• Content removals for legal reasons: Reduction in ranking for a site accumulating multiple valid requests for copyright infringement or defamation.
• Removal of personal information: Penalization of sites that expose personal data or explicit images without consent and display abusive behavior patterns.
• Policy evasion: Creation of new domains or subdirectories for the purpose of continuing to violate the rules after previous penalties.
• Scams and fraud: Impersonation of companies or official services and dissemination of false information to financially deceive users.

What should you do now?

In another official document on this subject, it is stated that “we detect practices that violate our policies through automated systems and, when necessary, through human review that may result in manual action. Sites that violate our policies may achieve lower rankings in search results or may no longer appear in them.”

As with core updates, if you notice a change in your website’s ranking after a spam update, you should conduct a thorough review of your site to determine if you are violating any of Google’s policies. “Making changes can help a site improve its ranking if our automated systems observe for several months that the site is in compliance with our spam policies,” the company explains.

Image: Gemini