In the digital age, it is as important to maintain a healthy site as it is to produce good content. Your spam score is one of the most important components of website health. When your site has a high spam score, it may influence your ranking on Google and other search engines. This blog will tell you what a spam score is, why it is important and most importantly, how to lower your spam score using simple and effective techniques.
Spam score is a figure that indicates the probability of your site being considered as spam by search engines. This score is assigned in percentage between 1% and 100% where a higher score indicates a greater risk of being penalized.
This is not a direct Google metric, but is generated by SEO tools such as Moz. Nevertheless, search engines do consider similar factors when determining whether your site can be trusted.
A high spam score may be harmful to your site. It may decrease your search engine ranking, decrease your organic traffic, and even ruin your online reputation. In other instances, the search engines may even de-list your site.
Moreover, when your visitors or clients use SEO tools to check your spam score and it is high, they will lose confidence in your business. That is why it is essential that every serious webmaster or online marketer maintains a low spam score.
You can easily check your spam score using tools like:
These tools show your current spam score and also help you see what’s causing it. It’s a good idea to check your score regularly.
There are many things that search engines look at to judge your spam score. Some of the main ones include:
Let’s look at how to fix these and reduce your spam score.
Backlinks from spammy or low-authority sites can raise your spam score. Use SEO tools to find these links and then disavow them using Google’s Disavow Tool.
Only try to get backlinks from relevant, trusted, and high-quality websites. Avoid black-hat SEO practices like buying links.
It’s not just about removing bad links. You should also focus on:
Exchanging links with other sites or buying backlinks might seem like a shortcut, but it’s risky. Google may penalize your site if it thinks your backlinks are unnatural.
Instead, focus on creating valuable content that others want to link to.
One of the biggest reasons for a high spam score is thin or copied content. Every page on your website should offer useful, original information.
Avoid:
Follow Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
A messy or ad-heavy website can feel spammy to both users and search engines. Avoid too many pop-ups, auto-redirects, or confusing navigation.
A simple, user-friendly design not only reduces spam score but also improves the user experience.
Broken links, redirect errors, missing meta tags, and slow-loading pages can hurt your SEO and spam score.
Do a regular technical audit and fix:
Legitimate websites always have pages like:
These pages show that your website is genuine and trustworthy. Add them to your header or footer for easy access.
Be careful who you link to. If you’re linking to websites with bad reputations, search engines may assume you are also untrustworthy.
Only link to relevant, high-quality, and secure websites.
If your site has too many external links and not enough internal ones, it may look spammy. Internal links help search engines understand your site structure and improve crawlability.
A healthy link ratio improves SEO and lowers spam score.
Using too many anchor texts in one page can look like manipulation. Use anchor texts naturally, and avoid stuffing them into short or unrelated content.
Domain names that are too long or full of keywords can raise a red flag. Also, avoid using numbers in the domain unless absolutely necessary.
For example, instead of 123best-deals-online.com, go for bestdealsonline.com or something brandable and simple.
A secure website builds trust and improves your SEO. Use HTTPS and get an SSL certificate.
Search engines prefer secure websites and are more likely to penalize those without basic security measures.
Even good content gets outdated. If your blog posts or service pages are old, update them with new data, images, or examples. This helps keep your site fresh and reduces the chances of being seen as low quality.
Many tools can now write content, but search engines are getting better at spotting content that’s not helpful or human-written.
If you use AI-generated content, make sure to edit and fact-check it. Add real value with examples, stories, or expert insights.
Make it a habit to check your website for:
Use tools like Moz, SEMrush, and Ahrefs to run monthly or quarterly audits. Fix any red flags before they become bigger issues.
If your spam score stays high for a long time, you could face:
That’s why it’s important to take action early.
Spam score may not be a direct Google ranking factor, but it tells you how trustworthy your site looks to search engines. Keeping it low means better rankings, higher traffic, and more business.
If you’re struggling with high spam scores or don’t know where to begin, consider working with experts.
If you want to reduce your website’s spam score and improve your SEO health, Digital Tokri can help. Their team of SEO professionals will audit your site, fix critical issues, and build a clean backlink profile to boost your online presence. Reach out to Digital Tokri today to make your website more credible, visible, and successful in search results.
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