A confirmed August 2025 Google spam update rolled out and is still in progress, contributing to intense search volatility following months of fluctuations. Google deployed AI Mode to 180 countries and territories and updated its AI model, while experimenting with ways to encourage clicks on AI-generated results. Conflicting studies emerged about click stability and whether traditional search usage is declining. A significant crawling issue affected many sites for several weeks. Google launched the preferred sources feature in the US and UK and extensively tested search features, UI changes, AI overviews, Search Console updates, and local/business profile adjustments.
We finally had a confirmed Google Search update this past month, the August 2025 spam update, which seems pretty intense so far and it is not done rolling out yet. This is in addition to the ongoing heated volatility we saw throughout the past months. Google rolled out AI Mode to 180 countries and territories. Google also pushed an update to the AI Model model and said Google has been testing ways to encourage clicks for its AI results.
This comes after Liz Reid from Google said clicks are stable, calling the other studies flawed but it seems like Google's study may be flawed. At least one study said traditional search is not declining. Google had a large crawling issue that impacted many but not all sites for a couple of weeks. Google rolled out the preferred sources feature in the US and UK ( make us a preferred site).
Plus, Google tested a ton of search features, changes and AI changes. Those were the higher level changes and check out the August 2025 Google webmaster report if you missed that. Here are the bigger Google SEO stories from the past 30 days: Google Algorithm Updates & Volatility: Google AI Mode & AI Overviews: Google Search Console: Google SEO: Google User Interface & Search Features: Google Business Profiles & Local: Forum discussion at WebmasterWorld.
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