How to Reduce Spam Score and Boost Your Google Rankings

So there you are, doing all the right things: creating content, building backlinks, and optimizing keywords, yet your site’s rankings seem stuck. Sound familiar?

There’s a hidden issue that might be quietly holding your website back: a high spam score. Yep, even if your content is solid, a sketchy signal or two can tank your trust with search engines—leading to lower visibility, fewer clicks, and missed opportunities.

The good news? You’re not powerless here. In this post, we’ll walk through exactly how to reduce spam scores so your site can earn that trust back. From identifying red flags to removing spam links and cleaning up broken links, we’ve got you covered with a step-by-step guide to improve your website’s spam score and boost your spot in Google’s search results.

Let’s get into it—because a low spam score is a game-changer.

What Is Spam Score & Why It Matters

The spam score is a metric (created by Moz) that flags how risky your site might look to search engines. It doesn’t always mean your site is spammy—but a high spam score can still hurt your rankings, trust, and visibility.

Even legit websites can get caught in the mess due to spammy links, broken links, or outdated SEO tactics. That’s why it’s key to monitor spam signals and take steps to reduce them.

Here’s the basic range:

• Low (1–30%) – You’re good.
• Medium (31–60%) – Be cautious.
• High (61–100%) – Time to act and reduce spam score ASAP.

Fortunately, thanks to tools such as Google Search Console attention to quality backlinks, valuable content, and optimizing meta tags, you can certainly turn it around. Next, let’s talk about what actually causes your website’s spam score to climb in the first place.

How to Check Your Spam Score

You can’t fix what you can’t see—so before you start cleaning the house, it’s important to check where your spam score stands. While not every tool shows a direct score, many offer insights that help you spot red flags across your web pages.

Here’s a quick rundown of tools you can use:

Tool	What It Does	Limitations
Moz Pro Spam Score Checker	Shows your actual spam score, based on various risk factors across your domain.	Requires a Moz Pro account.
Google Search Console	Highlights manual actions, crawl errors, spam filters, and indexing issues.	Doesn’t give a specific spam score, but great for spotting signals.
Google Analytics	Helps detect suspicious traffic or sudden drops, which can hint at issues like spammy links or poor page load speed.	More indirect—no spam score metric.
SEMrush / Ahrefs	Analyze backlinks, anchor text, and toxic link risks (e.g., keyword stuffing).	Focused more on links; no direct spam score metric.
Google Index Status Tool	Confirms whether your dedicated pages are indexed properly or flagged.	Limited in terms of spam analysis.
Blekko / niche tools	Some niche or older platforms can offer helpful website content insights.	May be outdated or have limited access.

Take a look at this guide from Moz Pro to better understand how to assess your site’s Spam Score and evaluate potentially harmful backlinks.

From your Moz Pro Campaign, select Links > Spam Score from the menu on the left-hand side. This section provides a clear view of your website’s overall Spam Score, as well as a breakdown of the spam scores of your inbound links.

Users can also compare their Spam Score with competitors by selecting them from the dropdown menu. For those who want a deeper backlink analysis, Moz’s Link Explorer offers a more detailed comparison.

At the top of the page, Moz displays your site’s overall Spam Score. Just below it, there’s a visual chart showing how your backlinks are distributed across different Spam Score ranges:

• 1%–30%: Low Spam Score
• 31%–60%: Medium Spam Score
• 61%–100%: High Spam Score
  

This chart helps identify any concentration of links within the higher-risk ranges that may need further attention.

The page also includes a detailed list of links categorized by their Spam Scores. Users are encouraged to investigate each link individually before deciding to remove or disavow it. Some older or well-established links may still offer SEO value despite a higher Spam Score.

To evaluate a specific link, simply click the URL to visit the source page and check for relevance and quality. The entire report can also be exported as a CSV file for documentation or to share with team members or clients.

Now that you’ve got your tools lined up, let’s talk about the common causes behind a high spam score—so you can tackle them one by one.

Factors That Increase Your Spam Score

If your spam score is trending higher than you’d like, there’s usually a combination of issues hiding under the hood. Let’s break down the main culprits, one category at a time.

Link Profile Issues

A sketchy link profile is one of the most common reasons for a high spam score. You might not even realize it, but if most of your backlinks are coming from the same handful of domains, it raises eyebrows. This is called low backlink diversity—and it screams artificial to search engines.

Another red flag? Having way too many dofollow links compared to nofollow ones. Natural link profiles tend to have a balance. Pair that with keyword-stuffed anchor text like “cheap online loans fast” across multiple pages, and your spam score is basically begging to climb.

A good rule of thumb: Keep a healthy mix of branded and non-branded anchors, and avoid backlinks from spammy or irrelevant sources. If your link comes from a sketchy site with zero relation to your niche, it’s probably doing more harm than good. These are the bad links you want to disavow ASAP.

Site Structure & Technical SEO

Your site’s backend setup might look fine on the surface, but technical flaws can silently chip away at your trustworthiness.

For example, a large site with barely any internal links can feel disjointed. If you’re linking out to tons of other websites (external links) but not connecting your own pages, that’s a red flag, too.

Another common misstep? Long, awkward domain names stuffed with keywords. If your domain is something like best-car-insurance-deals-near-me.net, it’s probably not winning trust points. And don’t forget to secure all your pages—using HTTP instead of HTTPS can signal that your site isn’t safe.

Content Quality & On-Page Signals

Now, let’s talk about the content itself. No surprise here—high-quality content earns trust, while spammy stuff sinks your rankings.

If your pages are thin, repetitive, or clearly written just to house links, your spam score will reflect that. Keyword stuffing used to be an old-school SEO trick, but today it just looks desperate. Similarly, duplicate content (whether copy-pasted internally or from another site) can confuse search engines and reduce your credibility.

Pro tip: Avoid writing pages with 80% anchor text and 20% value. Readers—and Google—notice.

User Experience & Trust Signals

Would you trust a site with no contact information, no security certificate, and broken mobile buttons? Neither would Google.

A trustworthy site should have the basics: a visible contact page, a dedicated page for privacy or terms, and a valid SSL certificate (that “HTTPS” in your URL). If your site isn’t mobile-optimized, that’s a deal-breaker for both users and search engines.

Also, don’t ignore your comment section. User comments can be great for engagement, but if you’re not moderating them, they can fill up with spam links that reduce the spam trustworthiness of your entire site.

Security Risks

Security might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to SEO, but it plays a big role in your spam score.

Websites with malware or security issues tend to get blacklisted fast. And even without hacking, letting spam comments run wild or having broken pages with backlinks (like 404 errors) hurts your credibility.

Lastly, don’t overload your site with too many SEO plugins. Misconfigured tools—especially those that overlap in functionality—can create technical conflicts that trigger spam filters and increase your score.

How a High Spam Score Impacts Your Website

Think of your spam score like a silent reputation scorecard—when it gets too high, it starts quietly wrecking your SEO behind the scenes. Here’s what it can lead to:

• Lower search rankings – Google and other search engines may push your pages down in results, even if your content is great and your keywords are relevant.
• Penalties or de-indexing—If your site looks too risky, search engines might take manual action or remove your pages from indexing entirely.
• Loss of organic traffic—Lower rankings mean less visibility, which means fewer people will find your site naturally.
• Damaged credibility – Sites with spammy signals, outdated content, or too many low-quality links tend to lose trust—not just with Google, but with real users, too.
• Struggles to rank for competitive keywords – Even if your content is relevant and optimized, spam signals can make it harder to break through the noise.

And it’s not just your rankings at stake. A bad reputation can also hurt email performance. If your site looks spammy, your email domain might get flagged—and your messages could end up in the junk folder. That’s why tools like Mail Tester are useful for catching deliverability problems early.

To fix this, it’s important to regularly monitor your site using trusted online tools, remove spammy content, clean up bad backlinks, and when needed, use Google’s Disavow Tool to reduce your risk.

Keeping your site clean, secure, and up to date isn’t just good practice—it’s essential for long-term growth.

How to Reduce Your Spam Score: 12+ Actionable Tips

This isn’t just another checklist. It’s your step-by-step action plan to lower your spam score and win back trust from both users and search engines. 

Let’s take a look at these actionable steps:

1. Audit & Remove Spammy Backlinks

What to do:
Start by checking your backlink profile using tools like Moz Link Explorer, Ahrefs, or SEMrush.

How:

• Log into Ahrefs and open Site Explorer.
  Enter your domain to view your backlink profile.
• Click on Backlinks in the sidebar.
• Apply filters to catch spammy links: DR 0–10 (low authority) Traffic = 0
  Suspicious anchor text or foreign-language sites
• Filter by dofollow and enable “One link per domain” for a cleaner view.
• Review links manually—watch out for irrelevant topics, link farms, and low-quality sites.
• Export your list, then decide which to remove or disavow via Google’s Disavow Tool.

Goal:
Find and flag links from spammy directories, private blog networks (PBNs), or irrelevant websites. These links are hurting your trust score.

2. Diversify Your Backlink Sources

What to do:
You need various types of backlinks coming from various relevant domains, such as blogs, news, forums, directories, etc.

How:

• Reach out to industry bloggers for guest post opportunities.
• Submit your business to trusted niche directories.
• Create shareable content (e.g., infographics or stats posts) to encourage natural backlinks.
• Avoid having too many backlinks from the same domain.

Goal:
A diverse backlink profile tells Google that your site is naturally gaining attention.

3. Use More Branded Anchor Text Naturally

What to do:
Balance keyword-rich anchors with branded anchor text.

How:

• If a backlink currently says “cheap insurance quotes online,” ask the site owner to change it to “Learn more from [YourBrand].”
• Use variations like “YourBrand’s latest guide” or “Visit YourBrand.com.”

Goal:
Make your link profile appear organic and brand-centered—not overly optimized.

4. Disavow Toxic Backlinks if Necessary

What to do:
If you can’t get bad links removed manually, tell Google to ignore them with the Disavow Tool.

How:

• Compile a .txt file with the format domain:spammysite.com.
• Go to Google Search Console → Disavow Links Tool.
• Upload the file and confirm submission.

Note:
Use this as a last resort. Only disavow links you’re confident are toxic.

5. Keep Your Domain Name Short, Relevant, and Brandable

What to do:
Avoid domains like top-loans-for-bad-credit-free.com.

How:

• Choose names under 15 characters, ideally one or two words.
• Use .com if possible.
• Keep it unique and easy to remember.

Goal:
Look trustworthy and professional—not like a spam site.

6. Add Clear, Visible Contact Information

What to do:
Let users (and bots) know you’re a real business.

How:

• Add full business contact info in your footer and on a dedicated Contact Us page.
• Include phone, email, address, and a contact form.

Bonus Tip:
Use Schema.org markup to help Google read your contact details properly.

7. Secure Your Site with HTTPS

What to do:
SSL encryption is a ranking signal—and lack of it increases your spam risk.

How:

• Check your URL: does it start with “https://”?
• If not, get an SSL certificate from your hosting provider (often free via Let’s Encrypt).
• Install and force HTTPS sitewide via your .htaccess file or SSL plugin (if on WordPress).

Goal:
Create a secure, encrypted browsing experience for visitors.

8. Remove or Moderate User Comments

What to do:
Comment sections often attract spam bots with malicious links.

How:

• Use moderation plugins like Akismet, CleanTalk, or native WordPress moderation.
• Turn on manual approval for all comments.
• Automatically close comments on posts older than 30–60 days.

Or:
Disable comments entirely if you don’t plan to engage that way.

9. Avoid Keyword Cannibalization

What to do:
Don’t overload your content with exact-match keywords.

How:

• Use 1–2 main keywords per 500 words.
• Add keyword variations, synonyms, and related phrases (LSI keywords).
• Focus on readability and user experience.

Goal:
Content should flow naturally and provide value—not read like a script for bots.

10. Improve Your Content Quality (Follow E-E-A-T)

What to do:
Create high-quality content that shows your Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).

How:

• Add author bios with credentials.
• Link to trusted external sources.
• Keep your blog up to date.
• Answer real user questions and back claims with data or examples.

Goal:
Show Google your content deserves to rank.

11. Fix Broken Links and 404 Errors

What to do:
Fix dead internal/external links, especially if other sites are linking to those broken pages.

How:

• Use Google Search Console → Crawl → Coverage to find 404 errors.
• Use Screaming Frog SEO Spider or Ahrefs to crawl your site for broken links.
• Redirect 404 pages using 301s to a relevant live page.

Bonus Tip:
Check your backlink profile—are any good backlinks pointing to broken pages? Redirect those to reclaim SEO juice.

12. Ensure Mobile Optimization

What to do:
Your site should look and function perfectly on phones and tablets.

How:

• Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test Tool.
• Ensure buttons are easy to tap, fonts are readable, and your layout is responsive.
• Avoid pop-ups that block the screen on mobile.

Goal:
Improve UX, boost rankings, and avoid mobile-related penalties.

13. Use Google Tag Manager to Track and Filter Bots

What to do:
Filter out non-human traffic so it doesn’t skew your metrics or raise flags.

How:

• Set up Google Tag Manager and configure it to block traffic from known bots/spiders.
• In Google Analytics, enable the setting to “Exclude all hits from known bots and spiders.”

Goal:
Clean data = better analysis and less risk of false spam signals.

14. Limit Plugin Bloat and Avoid Black-Hat SEO Plugins

What to do:
Excessive plugins slow your site down or create SEO conflicts.

How:

• Remove plugins you don’t use.
• Avoid any tool that auto-generates backlinks, spins content, or promises instant rankings.

Goal:
Streamline your site and keep things lean and ethical.

15. Regularly Scan for Malware and Unusual Behavior

What to do:
Hidden malware, ad injections, or spam scripts can crush your credibility.

How:

• Use scanners like Sucuri SiteCheck, Wordfence, or your hosting provider’s security tools.
• Schedule weekly scans and set up email alerts.
• Remove infected files and update outdated plugins/themes immediately.

Goal:
Protect your site and visitors—and keep your spam score low.

Ongoing Monitoring & Maintenance

So—you’ve cleaned up your site, fixed the red flags, and your spam score is looking better. Nice job! But here’s the thing: spam signals can sneak back in if you’re not paying attention. That’s why a little ongoing maintenance goes a long way.

Here’s how to stay on top of it:

Do SEO checkups regularly

Once a month (or at least once a quarter), run an SEO audit using tools like Moz, Ahrefs, or Google Search Console.
Look for:

• Broken links
• Pages that aren’t being indexed
• Any new warnings or errors

This helps catch little issues before they turn into big ones.

Set up alerts for new backlinks.

Spammy sites can start linking to you without your permission. Use Google Alerts or SEMrush/Ahrefs to get notified when new backlinks pop up.

That way, you’ll know if someone sketchy is linking to you—and you can act fast.

Watch out for duplicate content.

Use tools like Copyscape or Siteliner to check if your content is being copied (or accidentally duplicated across your site).

If you find duplicates, update the content, combine pages, or set up proper redirects.

Check your spam score every month

Log into Moz or your preferred SEO tool and take a quick look.

If your score is climbing again, don’t panic—just re-audit your links and content to see what might’ve changed.

When to Get Professional Help

If you’ve tried everything and your spam score is still high, don’t worry—it might just be time to call in an expert.

One big sign you need help is if your site has been hit with a Google penalty or a manual action. These can be tough to deal with on your own, and an experienced SEO consultant knows exactly how to handle them and get your site back on track.

Another reason to get help is if you need a deeper backlink cleanup. SEO pros have tools and know-how to spot and remove the really bad links that basic tools might miss. They can also help you safely use Google’s Disavow Tool without risking the good links you’ve worked hard to earn.

Honestly, if you’re feeling stuck or don’t have the time to deal with it all, working with a trusted SEO agency like Leadadvisors can save you stress. They’ll monitor your site, keep your spam score low, and make sure everything stays in good shape.

Sometimes, getting a little help is the fastest way to move forward.

Spam Score as an SEO Health Check

Think of your spam score as a health check for your website. It’s not just about avoiding penalties or impressing Google—it’s about building real trust with your audience and showing search engines that your site is worth ranking.

Reducing your spam score takes time. It is a process, not a band-aid. But with careful, deliberate work, smart strategies, and regular check-ins, you’ll start to see real results, not just in your score but also in traffic and overall site performance.

At the end of the day, ethical SEO always wins. Focus on creating helpful content, building honest backlinks, and maintaining a clean, secure site. The results might not be instant, but they’ll definitely be long-lasting.

You’ve got this!