The Google October 2023 core update and the spam update were two separate updates that occurred almost simultaneously. For Bloggerpi authors, this period was one of the first times organic traffic on a number of websites they managed dropped significantly, including some manually built sites. This article reviews this experience as a historical case study, while distinguishing Google facts from the author’s personal hypotheses.
This case study is not a report on Google’s 2026 situation. While the November 2026 update is ongoing, readers can check the Google algorithm update list for the latest schedule and evaluation steps. A total of 27 original screenshots from the October 2023 analysis remain as evidence of observations from that time.
Google October 2023 core and spam update timeline
| Official incident | Start | End | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2023 spam update | October 4, 2023 | October 2023 (Google status date) | Spam detection system |
| October 2023 core update | October 5, 2023 | October 19 2023 | Core ranking changes |
| Discover bug related to the core update | October 5, 2023 | Fixes through October 31, 2023 | Discover implementation issues |
Google stated that the October 2023 spam update targets several types of practices, including cloaking, hacked content, auto-generated spam, and scraped spam, with improvements for several languages, including Indonesian. The core update has a broader ranking scope. When two updates coincide, attributing a drop in a single URL to a specific update should be done with caution.
1. What did website owners experience in October 2023?
In the original note, the author stated that traffic to many of the websites he managed decreased, while some experiments with spam websites and AI-assisted content appeared to persist. This is an observation of a specific portfolio of websites, not a random sample representing the entire industry. Old Analytics and Search Console screenshots are needed to understand the scale and context of these findings.
Don’t use one manager’s experience as evidence that Google is penalizing all travel blogs or encouraging spam websites. Patterns in website traffic are heavily influenced by seasonality, search queries, location, and SERP changes, not just one algorithm.
2. The author’s observed patterns of increases and decreases
University and major media websites appear strong
The author observed several university or national media websites gaining increased visibility for the observed queries. However, there is no verification that “university” or “national media” status is an automatic ranking factor. The quality of the answer, the reputation of the source, and the search intent may influence visibility, but analysis requires data per query and page.
Travel blogs and niche websites are declining
A number of travel blogs, in my personal observation, have experienced significant declines. Because the travel niche can be heavily influenced by seasonality and changes in travel availability, compare the year, country, device, and page before determining the cause. competitor analysis can help identify competitor changes, but the tool’s estimates are not equivalent to the Search Console data a website has.
3. Old hypothesis: topical authority, branding, freshness and duplication
The original article mentioned topical authority, trustworthiness, content duplication, quality history, categories, freshness, spam backlinks, and scraping as possible causes. This is a hypothetical list from the author in 2023, not an official Google list of factors proven to explain the entire decline. Managers should still examine these factors. Google E-E-A-T and relevance Google ranking factors more comprehensively.
Audit the content accurately and originally
Check that each page addresses the reader’s needs, uses up-to-date data, has sources, and offers original information. If two articles target the same intent, evaluate them. keyword cannibalization before creating additional content. Apply content planner And SEO-friendly articles to produce a coherent series of content rather than multiplying thin pages.
Link audit and technical issues
A large profile link isn’t always the cause or solution. Understand backlink And link building so as not to rely on buying links. From the side technical SEO, check XML sitemap, indexing, canonical, crawl access, response code and redirect to ensure technical issues are not occurring simultaneously.
4. Is AI content safe from core updates?
In 2023, authors noted that some experimental pages assisted by ChatGPT did not experience a drop in performance compared to other websites. This does not prove that AI is safer, better, or immune to updates. Google states that production process is not the only criterion; mass-produced content for ranking manipulation without value can be considered spam. Read on. AI content experiments to see the observational results of AI experiments with the limits of their methodology.
5. How to analyze SEO decline correctly?
- Make sure the update type and date from the official Google dashboard.
- Check Search Console on the appropriate Search type and the same country.
- Compare pages, queries, devices, brand versus non-brand and YoY trends.
- Audit website changes, deployment, internal links and tracking during the same period.
- Choose the URL that actually goes down big, not the entire page.
- Evaluate content and UX based on audience needs before taking action.
For core updates, Google recommends waiting at least a full week after the rollout is complete before evaluating the results in more depth. Use SEO reporting And data-driven marketing to create a dashboard that separates observations, hypotheses and actions.
6. What was learned from the October 2023 experience?
The most important lesson isn’t to look for a “trick” to bypass updates, but to recognize the limitations of reporting. A website with strong branding may perform well, but it’s not automatically invulnerable. Fresh content can help if information changes, but changing dates without substantive improvements offers no benefit. A fake author persona is no substitute for proof of genuine experience or authentic identity.
Use On-page SEO And crawling data Responsibly. When traffic drops, don’t immediately delete thousands of pages or perform a mass disavow without justification. Prioritize real issues that can be validated and documented in your action plan.
7. Relevance of old case studies for Google’s 2026 update
On November 11, 2026, Google is rolling out the November 2026 core update, which began the day before. The final results are uncertain. The 2023 case study helps provide a diagnostic checklist, but it’s not enough to predict who will win the next update. For spam issues, compare policy changes after 2023, including: March 2024 spam update so that the assessment does not stop at old myths.
Archive of 27 charts and screenshots of author’s analysis in October 2023
The following material preserves observations of university, travel, and media websites, as well as personal SEO testing results presented by the author. The identities and metrics in the screenshots reflect historical periods and should not be considered the current performance of any of these websites.
View all 27 original screenshots
FAQ about Google core and spam update October 2023
1. When will the October 2023 core update take place?
Starting October 5, 2023, and ending October 19, 2023, according to Google.
2. When will the October 2023 spam update end?
The official status date is October 20, 2023.
3. What is the difference between a core and a spam update?
Core updates broad rankings, while spam focuses on policy-violating practices.
4. Does this update target Indonesian?
The spam update mentions increased coverage of various languages, including Indonesian.
5. Are all travel blogs down?
It cannot be concluded; it is a limited pattern from the author’s experience.
6. Will university domains definitely go up?
There is no guarantee of ranking based on extensions/domains alone.
7. Are strong brands immune to core updates?
No. Reputation can be relevant but doesn’t guarantee results.
8. Is AI content safer?
No; spam content can be produced by any method.
9. How to determine the cause of traffic drops?
Check official status, queries, pages, devices, seasonality, and technical changes.
10. Should disavows be done with every update?
No; only for specific circumstances that really require it.
11. Should all content be rewritten immediately?
No. Evaluate the affected pages and don’t make changes without a diagnosis.
12. Are 2023 results predictive of 2026?
No; SERP conditions and ranking systems change.
External reference
- Google — October 2023 core update
- Google — October 2023 spam update
- Google Search Central — October 2023 spam
- Google — Evaluating core updates
- Google Search Status Dashboard
