What is Spam Score? Causes, SEO Risks, and Proven Fixes

Is your website’s SEO profile strong enough to avoid Google’s spam penalties? 

Many site owners assume it is, but the hidden spam issues (whether from within the site or from harmful backlinks) can quickly put you at risk. And when that happens, Google doesn’t take long to put your website on notice.

Here’s the tricky part: Even if your content is great, a high spam score can make search engines suspicious of your site. That doesn’t mean you’re doomed, but it does mean you need to take it seriously. 

The question is, how do you evaluate whether your site is in Google’s good books or not? 

Well, there’s a solid parameter known as “Spam Score” that essentially tells how good your website’s SEO health is.

If you’re new to the concept of spam score, don’t worry, we’ll walk through everything you need to know: what spam score actually means, the common causes behind it, the risks it carries for your SEO performance, and the proven fixes to bring it down.

Let’s get going!

What is Spam Score?

Spam score is a metric developed by Moz that estimates the percentage of spammy or penalized sites connected to your website. It doesn’t mean your site is spam, but it highlights warning signs that are often present in websites that get penalized.

Moz calculates spam score by checking for spam flags: specific patterns or signals that frequently appear in low-quality or penalized websites. 

For example, a site with hundreds of backlinks from irrelevant directories may trigger a spam flag. 

Generally, there are two main levels of spam score to keep in mind:

Domain-level Spam Score: Evaluates risk across the entire domain. For instance, if most of a site’s backlinks come from unrelated, low-quality sites, the whole domain can show a higher spam score.

Page-level Signals: It looks at individual pages. A single page stuffed with irrelevant outbound links might increase risk even if the rest of the site looks fine.

Monitoring spam score regularly is important because it acts like an early warning system. Tracking spam score helps you catch risky SEO signals before they affect your search visibility.

How is Spam Score Calculated?

Moz calculates spam score by analyzing a website against 27 known spam signals. These aren’t random checks; they’re patterns observed through large-scale data analysis. 

The system uses machine learning to compare your site with others that were actually penalized in the past. The more your site resembles those risky patterns, the higher your spam score will climb.

Here’s how the score ranges work:

• 1-30% (Low Risk): Your site shows few or no spam signals. Generally safe, but still worth monitoring.

• 31–60% (Moderate Risk): Your site matches many spam patterns. This is a warning zone where cleanup is necessary.

• 61–100% (High Risk): Your site shares several similarities with penalized domains. Instant action is needed to avoid further damage.

Common Causes of High Spam Score

A high spam score usually points back to a handful of recurring issues. Below are the most common reasons for it:

Low-quality backlinks

Backlinks from irrelevant or spammy sources are one of the primary reasons for a high website spam score. Platforms like link farms, shady directories, or random blogs with no clear niche. For example, if a fitness blog suddenly gets hundreds of backlinks from gambling or casino sites, search engines treat that as a major red flag.

Thin or duplicate content

Search engines value originality. Auto-generated pages, copy-pasted articles, or content stuffed with keywords don’t provide real value and are quick to trigger spam signals. For instance, a page repeating the same keyword 20 times in one paragraph is a clear case of thin, manipulative content.

If you want to explore more about this topic, read our detailed blog post on Avoiding Duplicate Content & Canonical Tags here.

Unnatural anchor text profiles

Anchor text is the clickable part of a link. When too many backlinks use the exact same keyword-rich phrase (like “best cheap flights to New York”), it looks manufactured rather than natural. Another sign is foreign-language anchor text pointing to an English site; it just doesn’t add up in Google’s eyes.

Toxic linking practices

Buying links, joining private blog networks (PBNs), or spamming comments with backlinks are shortcuts that almost always backfire. Google’s algorithms are now smart enough to detect these manipulations, and sites that rely on them often end up with inflated spam scores.

Excessive outbound links

If your site links out to dozens of irrelevant or low-quality sites, it can look like you’re selling links or trying to manipulate rankings. For example, a tech blog linking to unrelated payday loan sites will appear suspicious to search engines.

Over-optimized technical SEO

Technical tricks meant to manipulate rankings, such as hiding text, stuffing ads everywhere, or using sneaky redirects, are strong spam indicators. 

SEO Risks of a High Spam Score

A high spam score can quietly undermine your website’s reputation and, over time, cause serious setbacks for your SEO. 

The first and most immediate risk is trust. When users see spammy-looking titles or suspicious descriptions in search results, they’re far less likely to click. The fact is that visitors hesitate to engage with sites that give off untrustworthy signals.

Beyond user perception, a high spam score signals indirect ranking risks. While Google doesn’t use it as a ranking factor, the issues that raise it (like toxic backlinks, duplicate content, or keyword stuffing) are exactly the red flags Google’s algorithms target.

The consequences can escalate further if those issues trigger Google’s penalties. Algorithmic updates like Penguin target unnatural backlink patterns, while Panda focuses on poor-quality or duplicate content. In severe cases, a site with too many violations can even be deindexed, effectively disappearing from Google’s search results altogether.

So, How to Check Website Spam Score?

Checking your spam score is simple if you know the right tools. There are multiple spam score checkers available; however, the most widely used option is Moz Link Explorer. It provides a direct spam score metric for domains and pages.

If you’re just getting started, this free tool is the easiest place to begin. All you need to do is enter your domain into Moz Link Explorer, and it will generate a report showing your website’s spam score along with the specific spam flags your site may have triggered. 

Let’s say your website’s spam score is higher than expected. Your next move should be digging deeper to see whether it’s caused by low-quality backlinks, unusual anchor text patterns, or outbound links to irrelevant sites. 

Proven Fixes to Reduce Spam Score

Below are the most effective fixes to reduce your website’s spam score.

Strengthen Your Backlink Profile

Earning backlinks from reputable, high-authority websites is one of the most effective ways to lower your spam score and strengthen your SEO.

The best place to start is by creating high-quality, in-depth content that answers real user questions and naturally attracts links. Another proven approach is writing guest posts for respected blogs in your niche. By contributing high-quality, relevant articles, you can earn contextual backlinks that not only improve rankings but also reach a wider audience.

Building genuine relationships with influencers and industry leaders can also open the door to natural backlink opportunities with far less effort. Above all, focus on keeping your backlink profile relevant and authentic.

Diversify Your Anchor Text

Avoid relying on the same keyword repeatedly, as anchor text makes your backlink profile look artificial and increases the risk of over-optimization. A safer and more effective approach is to mix things up with different variations of your target keywords.

Instead of only using your primary keyword, try a combination of branded terms, generic phrases, long-tail keywords, and non-branded variations, as long as each one fits naturally in context. For example, if your focus keyword is “running shoes,” you could diversify with anchors like “running shoes for women,” “Nike running shoes,” or “how to choose the best running shoes.”

The golden rule here is relevance. Whatever anchor text you use, it must align with the page the user lands on after clicking on it. This way, your link profile stays natural, your content feels user-friendly, and search engines see no reason to flag it as spammy.

Remove Spammy Backlinks

Toxic backlinks can drag down your site’s credibility, but handling them isn’t always about rushing to disavow. The first step is to try removing them, usually by reaching out to the site owners or webmasters hosting those links. If that doesn’t work, Google’s Disavow Tool can be used as a last resort.

That said, Google itself has made it clear that in most cases, you don’t need to panic. In other words, spammy backlinks won’t automatically hurt you. Disavowing or reporting them is still an option if you want peace of mind, but more often than not, Google has already taken care of the problem in the background.

Keep Your Link Growth Natural

Building links too quickly can raise red flags with Google, especially if the pattern looks unnatural. That’s why it’s better to focus on steady, consistent growth rather than chasing sudden spikes. 

Instead of rushing, aim to earn high-quality links at a natural pace. Even if it takes longer, these links carry more weight, support long-term SEO growth, and help you avoid the suspicion that comes with unnatural link velocity.

[Also Read: Ahrefs for Link Building & Keyword Research: A Guide for SMBs]

Fix Technical Issues

Technical SEO issues like broken links, slow loading times, or cluttered site structures can quietly increase your spam score. The good news is, most of these issues are fixable.

By addressing technical bugs and keeping your site architecture clean, you make it easier for Google to crawl and index your pages. Think of it like tidying up your house before inviting guests over: a neat structure helps search engines (and users) find their way around effortlessly.

Simple steps like improving navigation, using clear and user-friendly URLs, and setting up proper internal linking can go a long way. Together, they strengthen your SEO while reducing spam signals that might otherwise hurt your site’s reputation.

Steer Clear of Black Hat SEO Techniques

Taking shortcuts in SEO may feel tempting, but black hat tactics almost always backfire. At best, they give you short-lived visibility; at worst, they trigger penalties or manual actions from Google that can bury your site deep in the search results.

With its recent policy updates, like cracking down on site reputation abuse and expired domain abuse, Google has made it crystal clear that manipulative practices won’t fly. Whether it’s link spam, cloaked content, or keyword stuffing, these tactics are red flags that hurt more than they help.

Instead, focus on what actually works long-term: publishing user-focused content, building high-quality backlinks naturally, and refining your site for a smooth user experience. These are the kinds of strategies that not only lower spam signals but also build lasting trust with both users and search engines.

Key Takeaways

• Monitor your site regularly: Use tools like Moz, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to track your spam score and backlink profile.
• Clean up proactively: Remove or disavow toxic links, fix broken pages, and resolve technical issues before they snowball.
• Focus on quality: Publish original, user-focused content and maintain a natural, diverse anchor text strategy.
• Build authority the right way: Earn backlinks from trusted, relevant sites instead of relying on manipulative tactics.
• Invest in long-term SEO efforts: Avoid shady tricks and stick to sustainable white hat SEO strategies that strengthen your credibility over time.

At the end of the day, lowering your spam score isn’t about chasing a number; it’s about building a website that both users and search engines can trust. 

Do that well, and rankings will follow!