Google Spam Update 2025: What It Means for Local Businesses

Sep 14, 2025

Google Spam Update

Google Just Rolled Out Another Spam Update

Google has improved its AI-based spam prevention system (SpamBrain) to better catch manipulative SEO tactics like keyword stuffing, spammy backlinks, duplicate content, and cloaking tricks.

When Google does this, businesses using sketchy tactics see their rankings tank. But even honest local businesses can feel the ripple effects especially if their profiles or websites aren’t fully aligned with how Google evaluates local SEO ranking factors.

That’s why it’s critical to stay up to date with how Google ranks local businesses, instead of waiting until an update forces you to make changes.


What This Update Means for Local SEO

Google’s spam updates aren’t just about shady websites. They can impact local search results, too.

Here’s where local businesses might feel it:

  • Google Business Profile spam → stuffing your GBP with keywords can trigger penalties.

  • Low-quality backlinks → any ranking “boost” you had from them will vanish.

  • Duplicate location pages → thin or copied content may stop working.


Local Howl Fix: Our Google Business Profile Optimization service makes sure your listing is fully optimized, accurate, and built to rank, without crossing into spammy territory.



What To Do If You’ve Been Hit

If your rankings slipped after this Google Spam Update, here’s what to focus on:

  1. Check your practices → Review your site, GBP, and backlinks against Google’s spam policies.

  2. Clean house → Remove duplicate content, fix NAP inconsistencies, and ditch spammy links.

  3. Stay consistent → Google’s systems may take months to re-learn that your business is following the rules.

  4. Don’t try shortcuts → Every update proves Google rewards real businesses, not quick hacks.



Local Howl Fix: Our Citation Management service cleans up duplicates, fixes inconsistencies, and strengthens the trust signals Google is looking for.


Why This Matters More Than Ever

Updates like this highlight one thing: if you’re not keeping up with how Google ranks local businesses, you’re falling behind competitors who are.

That means ensuring you have:

Local Howl can help you stay ahead with automation and management, so you don’t have to stress every time Google pushes another update.


Bottom Line

Google’s Spam Updates aren’t going away. If your rankings dipped, it’s not random, it’s Google cutting out spammy tactics.

The businesses that win are the ones that keep things clean, consistent, and customer-focused.

Want to know if this update hit your visibility?

Request a Free Local SEO Audit →