USING AI TO WRITE YOUR WEBSITE? GOOGLE JUST UPDATED THE RULES PAGE.
On October 1, 2026, Google updated its Search Central page on using generative AI content, adding pointers to its Search Quality Rater Guidelines. Google is not banning AI writing. The message is simple: AI is fine as a tool, but pages made in bulk without adding value can break the spam rules, and everything you publish needs a human check first.
AT A GLANCE
By Conqueror Capital · Published
The short answer: Google's guidance says AI can help with research and structure, but generating many pages without adding value for users may count as scaled content abuse. It also says to fact-check all AI-written content before publishing, including page titles, meta descriptions, structured data and image alt text. For a local business, that means every page should hold real, checked details about your business.
WHAT CHANGED
Google's list of Search Central documentation changes has an entry dated October 1, 2026: it updated the guide on using generative AI content with information from the Search Quality Rater Guidelines. Google says the reason was to bring the documentation in line with the presentations it gives at its developer events.1
The updated guide now points readers to two sections of the rater guidelines: section 4.6.5 on scaled content abuse, and section 4.6.6 on main content created with little to no effort, originality or added value.2
Google also repeats a point worth knowing: the rater guidelines are not a guide to ranking first. Raters help Google evaluate its ranking systems, and their ratings do not directly affect where a page ranks.2
WHAT THE GUIDANCE SAYS
- AI is allowed as a tool. Google says generative AI can be useful for researching a topic and adding structure to original content.2
- Bulk pages with no added value are the risk. Using AI to generate many pages without adding value for users may violate the spam policy on scaled content abuse.2 That policy covers large amounts of unoriginal, low-value content made mainly to manipulate rankings, no matter how it was created.3
- Fact-check everything. Google notes that AI models predict likely words rather than look up facts, so their output can be wrong. It says to review all AI-generated content for accuracy before publishing.2
- The check includes the hidden parts. The review applies to page titles, meta descriptions, structured data and image alt text, because these can appear in search results.2
- Context helps readers. If content is generated automatically, Google suggests explaining how it was made where that makes sense for your audience.2
WHAT IT MEANS FOR A LOCAL BUSINESS
Most small business sites do not publish thousands of pages, so the bigger risk is not volume. It is AI copy that sounds right but is not true for your business. Common mistakes when AI text is pasted in without a check:
- Wrong facts. Services you do not offer, areas you do not cover, hours, licences or years in business that were never checked.
- Copy-paste town pages. The same page repeated for every town with only the place name swapped. Each location page should carry details that are true for that area.
- Generic filler. Paragraphs that could sit on any competitor's site and tell a customer nothing about your work, prices or process.
- Unchecked metadata and schema. AI-written titles, descriptions or LocalBusiness markup with an old phone number or address. These can show up directly in Google.
A QUICK CHECK FOR YOUR SITE
- List the pages that were written with AI help. Include service pages, town pages and blog posts.
- Read each one as a customer would. Mark any claim you cannot back up: services, coverage area, prices, licences, guarantees, reviews.
- Fix or remove the claims you cannot confirm. Accurate and short beats long and wrong.
- Check the details Google shows. Look at the page title, meta description and image alt text, and test the structured data with Google's Rich Results Test.
- Add what only you know. Real job photos you own, the neighbourhoods you actually serve, how you quote, what a first visit looks like.
- Merge near-duplicate pages. If two town pages say the same thing, combine them or make each one specific.
Our post on checking for thin pages after a spam update covers step 6 in more detail, and our plain-English guide to schema markup explains step 4.
FOR MULTI-LOCATION AND LARGER SITES
Sites with dozens or hundreds of location or product pages are where the scaled content policy matters most.
- Set a review rule. No AI-assisted page goes live until a named person has checked the facts.
- Feed pages from real data. Build location pages from verified details such as address, hours, staff and services for that branch, not from a template with the city name swapped.
- Sample regularly. Check a sample of pages each month for wrong or outdated details, and log what you find.
- Ecommerce has extra rules. Google points to Google Merchant Center policies, which ask for AI-generated product images to carry the IPTC DigitalSourceType TrainedAlgorithmicMedia metadata, and for AI-generated product titles and descriptions to be labelled as AI-generated.2
Our mid-size and enterprise page explains how we work with larger sites.
FAQ
Does Google penalise AI-written content?
Google's guidance does not ban AI content. It says using AI to generate many pages without adding value for users may violate its spam policy on scaled content abuse.
What did Google change on October 1, 2026?
Google updated its guide on using generative AI content with information from the Search Quality Rater Guidelines, pointing to sections 4.6.5 and 4.6.6.
Do the rater guidelines decide my ranking?
No. Google says the rater guidelines are not a guide to ranking first, and raters' ratings do not directly influence ranking.
Do I need to check AI-written meta descriptions and schema?
Yes. Google says the fact-check applies to page titles, meta descriptions, structured data and image alt text, because these can appear in search results.
Should I label pages written with AI?
Google suggests giving readers context on how automatically generated content was made where that makes sense for your audience. Merchant Center has its own labelling rules for product data.
SOURCES
- Google Search Central, Latest documentation updates (entry dated October 1, 2026).
- Google Search Central, Google Search's guidance on using generative AI content on your website (last updated October 1, 2026).
- Google Search Central, Spam policies for Google web search: scaled content abuse.
- Google, Search Quality Rater Guidelines (PDF).
Platforms change often. Check the sources for the current version before acting.
KEEP READING
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL
Not sure what your AI-written pages are saying about your business? Book a 15-minute call and we will review a few of them with you.