June 2021 Google Spam Update: The Two-Part Rollout

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Google's June 2021 spam update shipped in two parts, on June 23 and June 28, 2021, each announced as concluding the same day it began.

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Google released the first part of its June 2021 spam update on June 23, announcing: "As part of our regular work to improve results, we've released a spam update to our systems." The same announcement set the schedule: "This spam update will conclude today. A second one will follow next week." Search Engine Land's coverage noted Google pointed sites to its best practices for Search rather than naming specific spam types.

Part two arrived on June 28, 2021. Google said "The second part of our spam update has begun today, and it will also conclude later today, unless we share otherwise", and coverage of the second part reported it as a global rollout affecting both web and image results. Same-day spam deployments like these were a contrast to core updates, which at the time typically ran one to two weeks.

Spam updates are periodic improvements to Google's automated spam-detection systems, so sites playing by the rules should see no change. If your rankings dropped around June 23 or June 28, 2021, audit the site against Google's spam policies and fix what violates them; per Google's spam updates documentation, improvement then depends on its systems learning "over a period of months" that the site complies.

Rollout log

  • Part one announced and released; Google says it will conclude the same day, with a second part to follow the next week.

  • Part two rolls out, likewise set to conclude the same day; coverage reports it as global, affecting web and image results.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

When did the June 2021 spam update roll out?

In two parts: June 23 and June 28, 2021. Google announced each part as concluding within the same day it began.

What did the June 2021 spam update target?

Google did not specify beyond calling it a spam update and pointing sites to its best practices for Search. Coverage reported the second part applied globally, to both web and image results.

What should I do if the June 2021 spam update hit my site?

Audit the site against Google's spam policies and fix any violations. Per Google's spam updates documentation, recovery from algorithmic spam demotions can take months as its systems verify the site now complies.

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Cite this page: Keywords Everywhere, "June 2021 Google Spam Update: The Two-Part Rollout", last updated 28th Jun 2021, https://keywordseverywhere.com/news/google-algorithm-updates/june-2021-spam-update/