Updated November 3, 2026
Google has rolled out five confirmed core and spam updates in 2026, and in diib’s data only one of them, September’s spam update, caused an unusual number of sharp search drops. In a typical two-week stretch with no update, about 2% to 3% of websites see their Google search visits fall 30% or more. After September’s spam update, 8.4% did. After the other four updates, the share stayed at or near that normal range.
Google’s 2026 updates in diib’s data
For each update, we compared about 35,000 websites’ unpaid Google search visits in the 14 days before it started with the 14 days after. A site counts as a drop only if its search visits fell 30% or more while its direct visits (people typing the address or using a bookmark) held steady, which filters out tracking problems and outages.
| Update | Started | Sites with a sharp search-only drop | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| March spam and core updates | March 24 | 2.8% | March 2026 update data |
| May core update | May 21 | 3.6% | |
| June spam update | June 24 | 3.9% | |
| August spam update | August 18 | 3.1% | August 2026 update data |
| September spam update | September 24 | 8.4% | September 2026 early data |
| Normal weeks, no update | 2.2% to 2.9% |
Two more findings are worth knowing. When a site’s search traffic drops sharply, it usually stays down: two in three were still down six weeks later, whether or not an update was involved. And after September’s update, home and garden websites were hit hardest, with the typical pet website losing 12% of its search visits. For the year-in-review comparison, see which of 2026’s updates stood out.
What the updates were for
Google’s confirmed updates this year include a February Discover update, core updates beginning March 27 and May 21, and spam updates beginning March 24, June 24, August 18, and September 24. These are separate updates with different purposes, so a change in rankings needs to be evaluated in context.
Core updates broadly reassess how Google delivers helpful, reliable search results. A ranking decline following one does not automatically mean your website violated a policy. Google recommends waiting at least a full week after a core update finishes before comparing performance in Search Console, then reviewing which pages and searches experienced meaningful changes.
The spam updates make it useful to review your website against Google’s existing policies. One area to examine is scaled content abuse: creating large numbers of pages primarily to manipulate rankings while offering little value to readers. Google’s policy applies regardless of how the content was produced, including with generative AI.
Google also announced substantial AI search changes at I/O in May. These included an expanded search box supporting inputs such as images and files, along with an easier transition from AI Overviews into follow-up conversations in AI Mode. Google says established SEO practices still apply to AI Overviews and AI Mode, with no additional technical requirements for inclusion.
What to do if your traffic dropped
Compare your Google search visits for the two weeks before and after the drop. If search fell sharply while direct visits held steady, look at which pages lost the most visits and review them for thin, outdated or copied content. If every channel fell at once, check your tracking and site uptime before blaming Google. For background on how Google’s updates have evolved, see diib’s history of Google algorithm updates, and follow new coverage under Google Updates.
