Google Search Central

Today, we are expanding our spam policies to address a deceptive practice known as “back button hijacking”, which will become an explicit violation of the “malicious practices” of spam policies, leading to potential spam actions.

We are hosting Search Central Live Shanghai 2026 on May 15. This event is structured for the local community, with a specific focus on optimizing sites that target users outside of China.

If you tuned into episode 105 of the Search Off the Record podcast, you might have heard us diving deep into a topic that is close to our hearts (and our servers): the inner workings of Googlebot.

Just a short note this time!

It’s that time of the year again! Let’s talk about the Search Central Live (SCL) schedule for the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. We have mapped out a series of events designed to connect you with our Search teams and fellow community members. Here is everything you need to know about our plans for the year, at least for the APAC region.

Our event series, Search Central Live, is coming to Toronto, Canada on April 21, 2026 for the first time! The event series has been a great way for communities to connect with each other and Googlers to learn more about the web ecosystem and how Google Search works and exchange ideas.

Today we’ve released the February 2026 Discover core update. This is a broad update to our systems that surface articles in Discover. Our testing shows that people find the Discover experience more useful and worthwhile with this update.

We’re excited to announce that Search Central Live is returning to São Paulo and to Buenos Aires in 2026. Following many years of successful events in the region, we’re continuing our mission to help local businesses enhance their site’s performance in Google Search.

It has been a busy second half of the year for the Search Central Live (SCL) team! Zipping through the busy streets of Bangkok to the skyscrapers of Tokyo and the vibrant harbor of Hong Kong, we’ve been on a mission to connect, share, and—most importantly—listen.

Analyzing search traffic trends is a core part of SEO. While granular, daily data is essential for spotting immediate issues or spikes, it can sometimes be harder to understand the bigger picture. Daily fluctuations can make it hard to see if your site is truly growing or declining over time.