Google completed its September 2026 Spam Update on 8 October 2026. If your website's rankings or organic traffic have changed, reviewing your backlink profile may help identify potential issues. However, a decline does not automatically mean that your backlinks caused the problem.
A backlink audit helps you understand which websites link to yours, whether those links appear natural, and whether your link-building practices comply with Google's spam policies. The aim is to investigate evidence, not remove links simply because they look unfamiliar.
Did Google's September 2026 Spam Update Target Backlinks?
Google confirmed that the September 2026 Spam Update applied globally and to all languages. Its announcement did not establish that backlinks were the specific cause of individual websites losing visibility.
Google's link spam policy identifies manipulative practices such as buying links to influence rankings, automated link creation, excessive link exchanges, and paid guest posts that pass ranking credit without appropriate qualification.
If your website experienced a decline during the rollout, investigate your backlink history alongside other possible causes, including changes in content quality, indexing, search demand, and competing pages.
When Should You Conduct a Backlink Audit?
A backlink audit is particularly useful when you have evidence of potentially manipulative link-building activity or receive a manual action notification in Google Search Console.
Consider reviewing your profile if:
Your website previously used paid link schemes or automated link-building services.
You discover a large number of links created through questionable SEO campaigns.
Your agency or previous provider cannot explain how certain links were acquired.
Google Search Console reports a manual action related to unnatural inbound links.
Your backlink profile contains patterns that warrant further investigation.
A sudden increase in backlinks alone is not proof of manipulation. Legitimate publicity, popular content, and genuine recommendations can also attract links quickly.
How to Analyse Your Backlink Profile
Follow these steps to assess link quality and identify areas that need attention.
1. Export Your Backlink Data
Use a reputable backlink analysis tool to collect referring domains, linking pages, anchor text, and available link attributes. Google Search Console's Links report can provide an additional view of links Google has identified.
Review the data collectively rather than judging individual links in isolation.
2. Look for Suspicious Link Patterns
During your backlink profile analysis, investigate patterns such as:
Large numbers of links from unrelated websites created primarily for SEO.
Repeated exact-match commercial anchor text across unrelated domains.
Links acquired through paid arrangements intended to pass ranking credit.
Automated links or excessive reciprocal linking.
These patterns warrant investigation, but none should automatically trigger removal or disavowal without examining the circumstances.
3. Check for Manual Actions
Open Google Search Console and review the Manual Actions report. A notification concerning unnatural links requires a more direct response than a traffic decline alone.
You can also review your website's performance around the update period. Compare clicks, impressions, rankings, and affected landing pages to determine when the changes began.
For a broader perspective on interpreting search performance, read Carney Technologies' guide to measuring SEO rankings and organic traffic.
Should You Use Google's Disavow Links Tool?
Not every website needs Google's Disavow Links tool. Google recommends using it cautiously, particularly when a site has a considerable number of spammy or artificial links and those links have caused, or are likely to cause, a manual action.
Before disavowing links:
Identify the questionable links and investigate how they were acquired.
Attempt to remove links created through manipulative practices where practical.
Check whether a manual action exists or whether the evidence supports a serious risk.
Prepare a disavow file only when the circumstances justify it.
Incorrect use can harm search performance. Google's official Disavow Links guidance explains the requirements and risks.
What Should You Do After the Audit?
Prioritise verified problems instead of making sweeping changes. Address manipulative link-building practices, document your findings, and monitor Search Console performance over time.
For a wider review of your website's search performance and optimisation priorities, Carney Technologies provides SEO services. Its AI-based SEO approach also discusses technical audits and link strategy as part of broader optimisation work.
Remember that a backlink audit cannot guarantee a ranking recovery. Its value lies in identifying genuine risks and helping you make informed decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Should every website audit backlinks after a Google spam update?
No. An audit is most useful when there are signs of manipulative link-building, a relevant manual action, or a reason to investigate the backlink profile.
2. Can spammy backlinks automatically lower rankings?
Not necessarily. Google works to assess which links to trust, and the presence of an unfamiliar or low-quality link does not automatically prove that it harms your website.
3. How often should you conduct a backlink audit?
There is no fixed schedule for every website. Review links when investigating a potential issue, after a questionable link-building campaign, or as part of routine SEO monitoring.
4. Does a traffic drop prove that backlinks caused the problem?
No. Compare performance data and investigate content, indexing, seasonality, competition, and other possible explanations before attributing a decline to backlinks.
5. When should you use Google's Disavow Links tool?
Consider it when substantial spammy or artificial links are associated with a manual action or a credible risk of one. Follow Google's official guidance before submitting a file.
Need a clearer picture of your website's SEO risks? Consider a structured SEO audit that evaluates backlink signals alongside content, technical health, and organic search performance.
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