Google Rolls Out the June 2026 Spam Update
Google has released and completed the June 2026 spam update. It began on 24 June and finished on 26 June, running for roughly two days and applying globally across all languages.
This is the second spam update of 2026, following the March spam update, which finished in under a day. Google described it as a normal spam update and announced no new spam policies alongside it.
What It Did and Did Not Target
Google rarely says what a spam update is aimed at, but on this occasion it ruled a couple of things out. The update was not targeting link spam or the site reputation abuse policy.
That leaves the broader set of spam policies, such as scaled content abuse, cloaking and other deceptive practices. Some in the industry reported the update felt more widespread than a typical spam update, though Google has not confirmed any specific focus.
It is also worth noting the timing. This was the first spam update since Google extended its spam policies in May to cover attempts to manipulate its AI features, so tactics aimed at gaming AI Overviews and AI Mode now sit within scope.
What You Should Do
Use 26 June as your reference point. Compare Search Console performance before 24 June against the days after the rollout finished, and look for sharp drops concentrated on particular page types.
If you were affected, review your site against Google’s spam policies, paying particular attention to thin or mass-produced pages. Recovery from a spam update takes months rather than weeks, because Google’s systems need time to see sustained compliance. If you need help auditing your site against the spam policies, our technical SEO team can help.
