I believe we are seeing the final phase of the Google September 2026 Spam update rolling out between October 4th and October 6th, today. The update should be done any day now, so there may be another spike in volatility, but I suspect this is it – we are pretty much done with this spam update.
The rest is here:
Final Phase Of Google September 2026 Spam Update Rollout Oct 4-6?
Google has updated the Google Maps and Business Profiles Prohibited & restricted content policy’s advertising and solicitation section to list what merchants and business owners cannot post on their listings and posts.
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Updated Google Maps Policy: What Merchants Can’t Post In Listings Or Posts
Google admits a “couldn’t fetch” sitemap error may have nothing to do with whether Google can actually fetch it.
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Google Explains Couldn’t Fetch Sitemap Errors via @sejournal, @martinibuster
OpenAI will add an invisible watermark to ChatGPT and Codex text in the EU. Its tests show editing can weaken it. The post OpenAI To Watermark ChatGPT Text In The EU, Opens API Opt-In appeared first on Search Engine Journal .
The rest is here:
OpenAI To Watermark ChatGPT Text In The EU, Opens API Opt-In via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern
Oct 26
5
Google’s John Mueller says AI training crawlers usually don’t offer sitemap submission and suggests default sitemap names or RSS feeds to help them find sites. The post Google’s Mueller Says AI Crawlers Access Sitemaps & RSS In His Logs appeared first on Search Engine Journal .
More:
Google’s Mueller Says AI Crawlers Access Sitemaps & RSS In His Logs via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern
Oct 26
5
Google is fighting back against SERP tracking.
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Google Is Fighting SERP Tracking. AI Agents May Make It Worse via @sejournal, @martinibuster
AI visibility gaps call for different fixes. Constance Tan shows how to decide between correcting information, earning mentions, creating content, and checking bot access. The post AI Cites Your Brand: How to Choose Your Next Move appeared first on Search Engine Journal
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AI Cites Your Brand: How to Choose Your Next Move via @sejournal, @hethr_campbell
AI visibility gaps call for different fixes. Constance Tan shows how to decide between correcting information, earning mentions, creating content, and checking bot access. The post AI Cites Your Brand: How to Choose Your Next Move appeared first on Search Engine Journal .
Originally posted here:
AI Cites Your Brand: How to Choose Your Next Move via @sejournal, @hethr_campbell
Trace misleading sale badges and outdated product images to Google’s hidden data layer, with checks that go beyond your current feed. The post Google’s Hidden Data Layer: What Is It And What To Do About It appeared first on Search Engine Journal
See the original post here:
Google’s Hidden Data Layer: What Is It And What To Do About It via @sejournal, @demirie
Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today…
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Daily Search Forum Recap: October 5, 2026