Google’s “September 2025 intent-over-keywords” update? What really changed — and how to adapt in AI-shaped Search (2025)

Rumors have been flying that Google shipped a “September 2025 core update” prioritizing AI-driven user intent over keywords. As of October 1, 2025, there is no official confirmation of a September core update on Google’s Search Central channels. What did happen: Google completed the August 2025 spam update on September 22, 2025, and announced richer, more visual and conversational experiences in Search’s AI Mode on September 30, 2025. These developments, combined with ongoing AI Overviews adjustments, are shifting how users discover and complete tasks — but they’re not the same thing as a single “September core” algorithm change.

Verification: rumor vs. official updates

• The August 2025 spam update is confirmed, with the rollout starting August 26 and finishing September 22, 2025; see the dated confirmation at Search Engine Land’s recap in “Google August 2025 spam update done rolling out” and Google’s incident timing on the Search Status Dashboard.
• Google’s algorithm updates history index shows no September 2025 core update; the prior confirmed core update was June 2025. Continue monitoring the Google Search Central news hub for any new confirmations.
• Separately, Google’s official blog post on September 30, 2025 details the latest AI Mode changes — more visual, conversational responses and multimodal inputs — see “AI Mode can now help you search and explore visually” (Google blog, Sept 30, 2025).

For a deeper background on the rumor and governance guidance, see our internal explainer “Google September 2025 AI Content Update? Official Truth”.

What actually changed in late August–September 2025

• Spam enforcement tightened: The August 2025 spam update targeted manipulative practices including low-quality/AI-generated spam and structured data abuse. Google’s spam policies explicitly note that automated content used primarily to manipulate rankings is considered spam; see Google spam policies (developers site).
• AI Mode became more visual and conversational: On September 30, 2025, Google emphasized visual results within AI Mode, conversational refinement, and multimodal searching (text + image), including clearer source linking in image contexts; details in the September 30 Google blog post.
• AI Overviews are reshaping click distribution: Industry studies in 2025 show directional CTR pressure when AI Overviews appear. For example, a July 2025 analysis reported the top organic CTR falling from 28% to 19% when AI Overviews surfaced; see Search Engine Journal’s roundup, cited as “Top result CTR dropped to 19% after AIO expansion” (SEJ, July 21, 2025). Methodologies vary; treat these figures as directional rather than universal.
• Overlap between AI Overviews citations and organic results: On October 1, 2025, SEJ reported that AI Overviews citations overlap with organic listings about 54% of the time, implying 46% non-overlap — see “AI Overviews overlaps organic results by 54%” (SEJ, Oct 1, 2025).

Why this matters: intent satisfaction trumps keyword stuffing

Keywords are still essential for discovery, but under AI-shaped SERPs, users expect faster task completion, trustworthy context, and clear workflows. Intent satisfaction becomes measurable: fewer query refinements, lower pogo-sticking, higher task completion rates, and more direct answers.

Practically, that means building content that is:

• Credible (E-E-A-T signals: named experts, dated citations, clear methodology)
• Comprehensive yet scannable (answers up front, structured sections, FAQs)
• Technically clean (valid schema, fast, accessible, mobile-first)
• Verifiable (cited primary sources, update timestamps)

Practical workflow: designing “intent-completion” pages for AI Mode and AI Overviews

Here’s a practitioner-friendly workflow you can adapt internally.

1. Define the primary task and the sub-intents

• Write a one-sentence “user task” goal (e.g., “Compare two CRM tools for SMB pricing and integrations”).
• Map sub-intents: criteria, steps, pitfalls, FAQs, and next actions.

2. Structure the page for excerptability

• Open with a concise answer paragraph summarizing the decision or steps.
• Use H2/H3 sections per sub-intent; add a short checklist for decisions.
• Include an FAQ block with exact phrasing users ask.

3. Apply and validate structured data

• FAQPage, HowTo, Product, and Article schema are especially useful — validate and keep properties accurate; see FAQPage schema requirements and Product schema.

4. Build trust and verifiability

• Cite authoritative sources and include dates in text near each citation.
• Add a “Reviewed by” expert and “Last updated” timestamp.

5. Author, publish, and iterate with governance

• Establish a weekly refresh cadence for evolving topics.
• Document change notes on the page.

As you operationalize this, platforms like QuickCreator can be used to draft AI-assisted outlines, apply block-based structures, and optimize for SERP excerptability while tracking a content quality score. Disclosure: QuickCreator is our product. For measurement specifics, refer to Content Quality Score documentation.

For stepwise SOPs, see Step-by-Step Guide to Using QuickCreator for AI Content.

Technical hygiene under spam scrutiny

• Validate schema with Google’s Rich Results Test; remove misleading or spammy markup.
• Keep mobile performance strong: fast LCP, responsive layout, accessible color contrast and alt text.
• Avoid thin pages and duplicative spun content. Remember Google’s spam policies on automation: ranking manipulation via auto-generated content is prohibited; see the spam policies.

Measurement: adapt analytics to AI surfaces

• Group queries by intent clusters (decision, how-to, comparison, troubleshooting). Track CTR and dwell metrics separately for each cluster.
• Annotate analytics around key dates: Aug 26–Sept 22 (spam update), Sept 30 (AI Mode update). Watch for traffic/CTR pattern shifts.
• Monitor AI surfaces: check whether your topics trigger AI Overviews or AI Mode visual panels, and compare the click behavior.
• Note SERP measurement caveats due to pagination changes. For background on tracking implications, see Google Removes num=100 Parameter (2025).

Content strategy moves that align with user intent

• Build task-focused hubs that link related pages by journey stage, not just by keyword similarity.
• Use FAQs and short answer boxes to make content excerptable for both AI Overviews and traditional SERP features.
• Strengthen your metadata fundamentals (Title, Description, Keywords — TDK), aligning language with actual user tasks; see Understanding and Implementing TDK for SEO.
• For publishers, diversify formats that can surface in Discover and visual panels; learn how to optimize content for Google Discover.

Change-log and monitoring cadence

• Updated on 2025-10-01: Verified no official September 2025 core update; acknowledged Aug–Sept spam update and Sept 30 AI Mode changes. Added workflow, technical, and measurement guidance. Next review: 2025-10-08.
• Monitoring: Check the Search Central news hub weekly for any ranking/system updates and the Google blog for AI Mode/Overviews feature notes.

Bottom line: keywords still matter — but intent completion wins in AI-shaped Search

The narrative that “Google now ignores keywords in favor of AI intent” is oversimplified. Discovery still relies on well-researched queries and high-quality metadata. What’s changed is the bar for satisfying intent: clear answers, trustworthy references, validated schema, and UX that helps users finish tasks quickly.

Next steps

• Audit pages for intent-completion patterns and schema accuracy this week.
• Annotate analytics around Aug 26–Sept 22 and Sept 30; watch CTR and refinement rates by intent cluster.
• Pilot one journey hub in a priority vertical and iterate weekly through October.
• If you need a consolidated workflow and governance layer, tools like QuickCreator can help operationalize outlines, validations, and publishing with block-based structures. Disclosure: QuickCreator is our product.