August Google Spam Update Now Finished

Google has confirmed that its August 2025 spam update has now fully rolled out worldwide.

The update began on 26 August and was completed on 22 September, as listed on Google’s official status page. It applied globally across all languages.

Early reports from third-party data suggest the overall impact was relatively subdued, with only limited signs of widespread re-ranking.

For site owners who may have noticed drops in visibility or traffic, Google advises reviewing its spam policies to ensure compliance.

What This Update Targets

Google describes its “spam updates” as significant enhancements to the automated systems it uses to fight spam, including its SpamBrain technology.

The purpose of these updates is to improve the detection and reduction of spam within search results, rather than reshuffle rankings across the entire index.

As Google explains, its automated systems are always running in the background to catch search spam, but from time to time the company makes larger, more visible improvements to how those systems function.

Early Observations

According to an independent visibility review by SISTRIX, the August update appears to function purely as a penalty-based change.

Their analysis highlighted cases where spam-heavy domains had lost visibility, but they also observed that the update has not yet led to significant shifts across search results overall.

In simple terms, this means there are unlikely to be obvious “winners” from the update — only sites being downgraded or removed where spam has been identified.

What To Do Next

If your website experienced a decline in performance during the rollout, the first step is to check that it complies with Google’s spam policies, rather than seeking quick fixes.

Google has explained that sites affected by spam updates may see their rankings drop or, in some cases, disappear from search results entirely. However, making the necessary improvements can help restore performance once the automated systems recognise compliance.

That said, don’t expect widespread gains. As this update is mainly about enforcement, the results are more likely to involve the removal of non-compliant pages than broad increases in rankings.

Looking Ahead

Spam updates are an ongoing process, with Google frequently refining its systems to stay ahead of new spam techniques. Once you’ve addressed any issues on your site, it may take some time for Google’s systems to review the changes and reassess the affected pages.