Google’s been busy this September, with a new spam update, changes to conversion measurement and plans for better AI Max reporting. Here’s what’s changed and what we’d suggest checking in your own marketing.
Google’s September spam update is underway
Google’s latest spam update began on 24th September and is still rolling out as of 30th September. It affects searches worldwide, in all languages, and Google says it could take up to two weeks to finish. So far, it hasn’t shared which types of spam the update is focused on.
What should businesses check?
If your organic traffic has changed, start by looking at which pages and searches are affected in Google Search Console. Then check whether you’ve seen a similar change in enquiries or sales. Losing visibility for a few searches could have a very different impact from a drop across your whole website.
You don’t need to start rewriting pages just because an update is happening. If you’ve seen a decline, investigate what’s changed and check your site against Google’s spam policies. It’s also worth waiting for a clearer picture before putting the drop down to the update.
Google makes it easier to connect ads with customer data
On 10th September, Google announced changes to help businesses connect their customer data across its advertising and analytics tools. This includes bringing Data Manager into Google Analytics and Display & Video 360.
There’s also a new metric in Google Ads called Data Strength Uplift. It’s designed to show how many extra conversions your customer data setup helps pick up in reporting. That distinction matters: better tracking can reveal conversions you were previously missing, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve made more sales.
If your business relies on enquiries, you also need to know what happens after someone calls or fills in a form. A campaign bringing in ten enquiries isn’t necessarily doing better than one bringing in three. It depends on whether those enquiries are relevant and whether they become customers.
What should businesses check?
Start with the basics. Are your calls and forms being tracked properly? Can you see which enquiries became sales opportunities or customers? And can you trace those outcomes back to the campaign that brought them in?
Top tip: Pick a sample of last month’s reported leads and match them against your sales records. If you can’t work out what happened to them, that’s a good place to start.
Clearer AI Max reporting is on the way
Google announced a new AI Max reporting feature on 23rd September. It will bring together the search that triggered an advert, the ad assets someone saw and the page they landed on, making it easier to follow how those elements work together.
There’s no confirmed launch date yet. Google says it will share more details, including availability, later this year.
For advertisers, this could help answer some useful questions. Are your ads showing for the searches you want? Does the message fit what someone is looking for? And are they being sent to the right page?
There’s another AI Max change to keep an eye on, too. Google scheduled automatic upgrades for eligible campaigns using automatically created assets or the campaign-level broad match setting to begin in September 2026. Dynamic Search Ads have a later timetable, with automatic upgrades due to start in February 2027 following a change announced in June.
See Google’s updated timetable.
What should businesses check?
Check your Google Ads account for upgrade notifications and make sure you understand which campaigns are affected.
When reviewing performance, look beyond the conversion total. Which services are people enquiring about, and are those enquiries a good fit for your business? Check the landing pages too: someone clicking an advert still needs the right information and a clear way to get in touch.
The new report could make those checks easier. We’ll have a better idea of how useful it is once it’s available.
Demand Gen ads get a simpler route to your website
On 24th September, Google announced that people can now reach an advertiser’s landing page with one tap from image ads on Gmail and from 9:16 full-bleed image ads on YouTube Shorts.
See September’s Demand Gen update.
What should businesses check?
If you’re running these ads, try the journey yourself on mobile. Does the page load quickly? Is the offer from the advert easy to find? Is it clear what someone should do next?
Making it easier to reach your website is helpful, but the page still needs to give someone a reason to stay and take action.
Key marketing dates for October 2026
- Throughout October: Black History Month in the UK, Stoptober and Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- 10th October: World Mental Health Day
- 25th October: Clocks go back in the UK
- 31st October: Halloween
You don’t need to build a campaign around every date. Choose the ones that make sense for your business and that you can contribute to meaningfully.
If you’re a retailer, it’s also a good time to check your Christmas plans. Make sure your campaigns, product pages and stock information are ready before things get busier.
Final thoughts
There’s plenty to keep an eye on this month, but the most useful starting point is your own results. If search traffic has dropped, find out where and whether it’s affecting enquiries or sales. If Google Ads is reporting more leads, check what happened to those people after they got in touch.
Those checks will help you decide which updates matter to your business and where you need to spend your time.
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