Google QC Update Sept 26, 2026

Google confirmed the September 2026 QC update began September 24 and will apply globally across all languages. The company says the rollout could take up to two weeks. Google is calling this a spam update (lol, whatever that is). In practical terms, it looks a lot like another round of QC as Google continues trying to clean the filth up that has become crowded with thin content scaled pages and Gemini-generated slop.

The timing is notable, as google has been further testing AI mode on the Serps by removing the “classic search” button on SERPs and disallowing -AI mode in search strings. Google ran another update only last month, yet ranking flux continued well after that. Search marketers have continued reporting bizarre Google movements in the results, while Google’s own update cadence suggests the company is still making “devil may care” adjustments to it’s search interface. (where does the 800lb Monopoly set? lol)

The Bigger Problem Is Traffic

For site owners, however, the concern is no longer simply whether they move from position to position on the serps. Most SEO’s and site owners get that “below the fold” might as well be 6ft under for a site. Worst we have seen was a position 7 with 3 million (yes million) impressions, and 3 clicks (yes, three clicks).

At the same time, the amount of click traffic available from Google continues to die a slow death. Recent research found that users clicked sources cited inside AI Overviews in only about 1% to .5% of visits where an AI Overview appeared. Other experimental research has similarly found massive elimination in outbound clicks when AIO or AI features are present.

That matches what many of us are seeing in real client accounts. Clicks are down across the board, even in cases where rankings and visibility haven’t collapsed. Real world clients are once again starting to panic when they open Analytics or Search Console and see traffic disappearing. This time the conversation feels radically different. We aren’t simply explaining an algorithm updates with hand-holding “wait and see” lines anymore. Google itself is increasingly trashing the search journey before the user ever reaches a website.

The uncomfortable question for businesses heading into the volatile holiday season may no longer be, “Where do we rank?” It may be, “How much traffic is Google still willing to send?” and where do I go next for traffic?

That makes this September Google move worth watching closely. Google may succeed in removing more spam and improving the quality of its traditional results, but cleaner rankings won’t solve the much larger problem facing publishers, ecom sites and locals. If AIO and other Google features continue intercepting the click, even a better search result can still produce less traffic. Coming into the most important commercial months of the year, that distinction is becoming much harder for businesses to ignore.

Result: people will have more trouble than ever finding reliable quality information on Google. Again, it is time to look elsewhere for real traffic.