1. The September spam update is complete

Google confirmed that its September 2026 spam update finished on 8 October. It began on 24 September and applied globally, across all languages. Although it ended this month, it remains the September update.

Why it matters: The update covers Malaysian websites too. However, a traffic change during the rollout does not, by itself, prove that your website was affected by it.

Official source: Google’s rollout announcement and completion record. Rollout dates follow Google’s US/Pacific timestamps.

2. AI content guidance adds quality references

Google updated its generative AI content guide with information from the Search Quality Raters guidelines, including references to content with little effort, originality or added value. This is a documentation change, not an announcement of a new AI-specific ranking update.

The guide explains that AI can support research and structure original content. Generating many pages without adding value for readers may violate Google’s scaled content abuse policy. It also advises checking AI-generated content for accuracy before publication.

Official sources: October documentation changelog and Google’s AI content guidance.

What should you do next?

Our practical suggestions for business websites:

• Check your data: Review clicks and impressions in Search Console, then identify which pages and searches changed before deciding what to fix.
• Review your latest articles: Verify service details, product specifications and claims, especially in AI-assisted drafts.
• Add something useful: Include a genuine project example, original photo or clear answer to a customer’s question where relevant.