• seohunters9

        See all notifications

        Skip to content
        Moz logo Menu open Menu close
        • Products
          • Moz Pro
          • Moz Pro Home
          • Moz Local
          • Moz Local Home
          • STAT
          • Moz API
          • Moz API Home
          • Compare SEO Products
          • Moz Data
        • Free SEO Tools
          • Domain Analysis
          • Keyword Explorer
          • Link Explorer
          • Competitive Research
          • MozBar
          • More Free SEO Tools
        • Learn SEO
          • Beginner's Guide to SEO
          • SEO Learning Center
          • Moz Academy
          • MozCon
          • Webinars, Whitepapers, & Guides
        • Blog
        • Why Moz
          • Digital Marketers
          • Agency Solutions
          • Enterprise Solutions
          • Small Business Solutions
          • The Moz Story
          • New Releases
        • Log in
        • Log out
        • Products
          • Moz Pro

            Your all-in-one suite of SEO essentials.

          • Moz Local

            Raise your local SEO visibility with complete local SEO management.

          • STAT

            SERP tracking and analytics for enterprise SEO experts.

          • Moz API

            Power your SEO with our index of over 44 trillion links.

          • Compare SEO Products

            See which Moz SEO solution best meets your business needs.

          • Moz Data

            Power your SEO strategy & AI models with custom data solutions.

          Let your business shine with Listings AI
          Moz Local

          Let your business shine with Listings AI

          Learn more
        • Free SEO Tools
          • Domain Analysis

            Get top competitive SEO metrics like DA, top pages and more.

          • Keyword Explorer

            Find traffic-driving keywords with our 1.25 billion+ keyword index.

          • Link Explorer

            Explore over 40 trillion links for powerful backlink data.

          • Competitive Research

            Uncover valuable insights on your organic search competitors.

          • MozBar

            See top SEO metrics for free as you browse the web.

          • More Free SEO Tools

            Explore all the free SEO tools Moz has to offer.

          NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic
          Moz Pro

          NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic

          Learn more
        • Learn SEO
          • Beginner's Guide to SEO

            The #1 most popular introduction to SEO, trusted by millions.

          • SEO Learning Center

            Broaden your knowledge with SEO resources for all skill levels.

          • On-Demand Webinars

            Learn modern SEO best practices from industry experts.

          • How-To Guides

            Step-by-step guides to search success from the authority on SEO.

          • Moz Academy

            Upskill and get certified with on-demand courses & certifications.

          • MozCon

            Save on Early Bird tickets and join us in London or New York City

          Unlock flexible pricing & new endpoints
          Moz API

          Unlock flexible pricing & new endpoints

          Find your plan
        • Blog
        • Why Moz
          • Digital Marketers

            Simplify SEO tasks to save time and grow your traffic.

          • Small Business Solutions

            Uncover insights to make smarter marketing decisions in less time.

          • Agency Solutions

            Earn & keep valuable clients with unparalleled data & insights.

          • Enterprise Solutions

            Gain a competitive edge in the ever-changing world of search.

          • The Moz Story

            Moz was the first & remains the most trusted SEO company.

          • New Releases

            Get the scoop on the latest and greatest from Moz.

          Surface actionable competitive intel
          New Feature

          Surface actionable competitive intel

          Learn More
        • Log in
          • Moz Pro
          • Moz Local
          • Moz Local Dashboard
          • Moz API
          • Moz API Dashboard
          • Moz Academy
        • Avatar
          • Moz Home
          • Notifications
          • Account & Billing
          • Manage Users
          • Community Profile
          • My Q&A
          • My Videos
          • Log Out

        The Moz Q&A Forum

        • Forum
        • Questions
        • My Q&A
        • Users
        • Ask the Community

        Welcome to the Q&A Forum

        Browse the forum for helpful insights and fresh discussions about all things SEO.

        1. Home
        2. SEO Tactics
        3. Technical SEO
        4. Spam Score Of Site Increased from 1 to 31% overnight

        Moz Q&A is closed.

        After more than 13 years, and tens of thousands of questions, Moz Q&A closed on 12th December 2024. Whilst we’re not completely removing the content - many posts will still be possible to view - we have locked both new posts and new replies. More details here.

        Spam Score Of Site Increased from 1 to 31% overnight

        Technical SEO
        seo spam score
        12
        13
        2399
        Loading More Posts
        • Watching

          Notify me of new replies.
          Show question in unread.

        • Not Watching

          Do not notify me of new replies.
          Show question in unread if category is not ignored.

        • Ignoring

          Do not notify me of new replies.
          Do not show question in unread.

        • Oldest to Newest
        • Newest to Oldest
        • Most Votes
        Reply
        • Reply as question
        Locked
        This topic has been deleted. Only users with question management privileges can see it.
        • rohit.c
          rohit.c last edited by

          Hello There,
          Few days back, Spam Score of two of my sites drastically increased from 1% to 31% for one site and from 1% to 36% for another site overnight.

          Here are the two websites

          1. https://simpalm.com/
          2. ducknowl.com

          Site background for 2-3 months

          • ABC link exchange campaign was started for both the sites.
          • Links where built on high quality sites with DA40 above and most of them are Saas sites
          • No reciprocal link exchange was done
          • Same new pages are created on the site for on page SEO
          • Both the sites are hosted on GoDaddy

          Can someone please tell me what is the reason of this Sudden increase in spam score of both the sites and at same time?

          saifullahsaif StaceyWoensdregt 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • rudraa
            rudraa last edited by

            Facing a similar issue. one of my website (https://couponspend.com/) was being managed by a developer. Recently, I decided to start operations at my end. Now, this website is showing a spam score of 66 with a lot of backlink count. We haven't even started activities. We were only working on Designing. But it is not showing any backlink data on testing with any tool. Any help will be appreciated.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • Suryansh_
              Suryansh_ last edited by

              A sudden increase in spam score from 1% to 31% overnight could be attributed to various factors, such as an

              • Influx of spammy backlinks

              • Content changes that mimic spam characteristics

              • list itemA potential hacking incident leading to malicious content
                Conduct a thorough backlink analysis, review recent site changes, and perform security checks to identify and address the specific issues causing the spike in spam score.

              Also if you want your whole website audit for free. You can visit at SBA Services one of the best Digital Marketing Agency and get your audit done to know what can you improve your site.
              Thanks

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • emmanuelkatto
                emmanuelkatto last edited by

                Hi everyone, myself Emmanuel Katto from Uganda. I am also facing this error, can anyone help how to resolve this issue?

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • jack_760
                  jack_760 last edited by

                  @rohit-c said in Spam Score Of Site Increased from 1 to 31% overnight:

                  Hello There,
                  Few days back, Spam Score of two of my sites drastically increased from 1% to 31% for one site and from 1% to 36% for another site overnight.
                  Here are the two websites

                  https://simpalm.com/
                  ducknowl.com

                  Site background for 2-3 months

                  ABC link exchange campaign was started for both the sites.
                  Links where built on high quality sites with DA40 above and most of them are Saas sites
                  No reciprocal link exchange was done
                  Same new pages are created on the site for on page SEO
                  Both the sites are hosted on GoDaddy

                  Can someone please tell me what is the reason of this Sudden increase in spam score of both the sites and at same time?

                  Hello,

                  There could be several reasons for the sudden spike in spam score. Here are some possibilities and factors to consider:

                  • Link Exchange Campaign: Even if links were built on high DA sites, it's essential to ensure that these links are contextually relevant and not seen as manipulative by search engines. Quantity, velocity, and quality all play a role. Rapid acquisition of a large number of links, even from high DA sites, can sometimes be flagged as suspicious.

                  • Quality of Sites: DA (Domain Authority) is just one metric. While DA40+ indicates some authority, it's not a guaranteed stamp of quality. Some high DA sites may still be flagged or penalized by search engines.

                  • New Pages for On-page SEO: Ensure that the content on these pages is unique, valuable, and not over-optimized. Sometimes, over-optimization or content that seems "spammy" can impact the overall spam score.

                  **

                  • Site Hosting:** Shared hosting environments, especially if overcrowded or containing other spammy websites, can sometimes impact a site's perceived trustworthiness. However, GoDaddy is a reputable host, so this is less likely, unless you're on a shared server with other problematic websites.

                  • Common Footprints*****: Since both sites experienced the increase simultaneously, you should look for common elements, tactics, or strategies employed across both sites. This includes identical backlink profiles, similar on-page SEO strategies, or shared server issues.

                  External Tools Accuracy: The tool you're using to measure the spam score might have updated its algorithm, leading to a change in score. It's essential to understand that the spam score is not a direct Google metric but often from third-party tools. These tools sometimes update their algorithms or might have false positives.

                  Technical Issues: Ensure that there are no technical problems like cloaking, hidden text, or malicious software unintentionally installed on your sites. Regularly monitor and scan your site for malware.

                  Manual or Algorithmic Penalties: Check Google Search Console for any manual actions. Also, keep in mind that Google and other search engines regularly update their algorithms, which could lead to sudden changes in perceived site quality.

                  Review Backlinks: Periodically review your backlink profile to ensure that you haven't become the target of negative SEO, where someone deliberately tries to harm your site's rankings by creating low-quality links to your site.

                  To get a clear picture:

                  • Review the new backlinks you've gained.

                  • Audit the new content/pages you've created.

                  • Check Google Search Console for any alerts or messages.

                  • Re-evaluate the link-building strategy to ensure it aligns with best practices.
                    if you have still confusion then visit : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mDl4DHCsautGDpVhZtUV8GXyli641MLK7bKvd6kBMb0/edit?usp=sharing

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • arambasil
                    arambasil last edited by

                    Hello,
                    Spam score is the ranking factor of MOZ. When you get links from a spammy websites than your websites spam score will increase. To decrease the spam score of your website you should identify the spammy links and disavow that links.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • StaceyWoensdregt
                      Stacey Rowan Woensdregt @rohit.c last edited by

                      @rohit-c have you recently applied DMCA Protected integration. I went onto your site and I see you have DMCA. Clicking on that link shows your site is NOT VERIFIED. And this shows up as spam as content copyright is not accepted. This could be a possible overnight issue. There are other reasons but try the other's comments and this.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • arambasil
                        arambasil last edited by

                        Spam score is the term of MOZ. When you get links from a high spam score websites than your website's spam score will increase. The best method to decrease the spam score of a website is that identify the spamy links and create a list than Disavow that links.

                        I recently faced the same issue one of a website ILT20 2024. I applied the same process mentioned above. It works for me

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • 09876543221
                          09876543221 last edited by

                          Here are some potential factors to consider:

                          Link Quality: Even though you mentioned that the links were built on high-quality sites, it's possible that Google's algorithm identified some of them as low-quality or spammy. It's crucial to ensure that the websites you're exchanging links with are reputable and relevant to your content.

                          Link Velocity: If a large number of links were built in a short period of time, this might raise red flags for search engines. A natural link-building pattern is usually gradual over time.

                          Algorithm Updates: Google frequently updates its search algorithms. An update might have caused a change in how it assesses link quality.

                          Content Quality: Ensure that the content on your websites is high-quality, relevant, and not stuffed with keywords. Low-quality content can negatively impact your site's credibility.

                          User Experience: Factors like site speed, mobile-friendliness, and overall user experience can influence how search engines view your site.

                          Hosting and Server Issues: While you mentioned both sites are hosted on GoDaddy, it's possible that server issues or downtime could affect your site's performance.

                          Negative SEO: In some cases, competitors or malicious actors may engage in negative SEO tactics to harm a website's rankings.

                          Disavow Links: If you believe that certain backlinks are causing the issue, you can consider using Google's disavow tool to tell Google to ignore those links.

                          Given the complexity of SEO, it's often a combination of factors that can lead to changes in spam score. To address this issue, you may want to:

                          Review and potentially disavow any low-quality or irrelevant backlinks.
                          Continue to focus on creating high-quality, valuable content.
                          Monitor the performance of your websites over time.
                          CEO - honorable dismissal

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • Suvidit-Academy
                            Suvidit-Academy last edited by

                            Spam Score is not a Google metric, and Google does not use it in its algorithm. However, it can be a useful tool for website owners to identify potential spam issues and take steps to fix them. Also it is possible for a website to have a high Spam Score and not be penalized by Google, or vice versa.

                            .
                            Possible Reasons

                            There are a few possible reasons for the sudden increase in spam scores of your two websites:

                            • Low-quality backlinks: The link exchange campaign you started may have resulted in backlinks from low-quality websites. These websites may be involved in spammy activities, which can hurt your own website's reputation.

                            • Link spam: It's also possible that your websites have been targeted by link spammers. These spammers may have created backlinks to your websites from irrelevant websites or websites that are known to be spammy.

                            • Content issues: It's also possible that there are content issues on your websites that are causing the spam scores to increase. These issues could include things like keyword stuffing, hidden text, or excessive self-promotion.

                            .
                            How to determine exact cause

                            To determine the exact cause of the increase in spam scores, you'll need to audit your websites and backlinks. You can use a tool like Google Search Console to identify any low-quality backlinks or link spam. You should also review your website content to make sure that it is high-quality and relevant to your target audience.

                            .
                            How to fix the issue

                            Once you have identified the cause of the increase in spam scores, you can take steps to fix the issue. If you find any low-quality backlinks, you can disavow them using Google Search Console. If there are content issues on your websites, you can fix them and then resubmit your websites to Google for reindexing.

                            .
                            Warm Regards
                            Rahul Gupta
                            Suvidit Academy
                            Digital Marketing Course and Training

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • saifullahsaif
                              saifullahsaif @rohit.c last edited by

                              Check the profiles of the recently added links. What are their Spam Scores? I believe you will find the answer.

                              Make a List of the websites with the highest spam scores, and then disavow them.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • skchad13j
                                skchad13j last edited by

                                A sudden increase in spam score for two websites, especially after an ABC link exchange campaign, can be concerning and may indicate potential issues with the backlinks or other factors affecting the websites' credibility. Here are some possible reasons for the increase in spam score:
                                (study abroad)
                                Low-Quality Backlinks: Even if you mentioned that the links were built on high-quality sites with DA40 and above, it's possible that some of these sites have questionable link profiles themselves or may have become spammy over time. Check the quality of the backlinks closely to identify any potential issues.
                                best education consultants in Kerala
                                Unnatural Link Patterns: If search engines detect unnatural link patterns or a sudden influx of backlinks, it can raise red flags. Make sure the links acquired during the link exchange campaign appear natural and not manipulative.

                                Irrelevant or Unrelated Links: If the links obtained are not relevant to the content or industry of your websites, it can negatively impact your spam score. Ensure that the links you've acquired are contextually relevant to your websites.
                                best digital marketing agency
                                Algorithm Changes: Search engines like Google frequently update their algorithms. An algorithm update may have affected the way they evaluate and calculate spam scores, causing an increase in spam score for your websites.

                                Previous SEO Practices: If there were any questionable SEO practices or backlinks from spammy sources in the past, these could have caught up with your websites, even if you've improved your SEO efforts recently.

                                To address this issue and reduce the spam score:

                                Review Your Backlink Profile: Analyze the backlinks pointing to your websites, especially the ones acquired during the link exchange campaign. Identify and disavow any low-quality or irrelevant links.

                                Monitor Future Link Building: Be cautious about the links you acquire in the future. Ensure they come from reputable and relevant sources.

                                Improve Content Quality: Focus on creating high-quality, relevant, and valuable content on your websites to attract natural backlinks.

                                Regularly Audit Your Websites: Perform regular audits to ensure your websites comply with search engine guidelines and best practices.

                                Submit a Reconsideration Request: If you believe your websites have been wrongly flagged as spammy, you can submit a reconsideration request to search engines explaining the steps you've taken to rectify the issue.

                                It's essential to remember that addressing an increased spam score may take time, and it's crucial to follow ethical SEO practices to maintain a healthy online presence. Consider consulting with an SEO expert for a more in-depth analysis and tailored recommendations for your specific situation.

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • Pkarnadhar
                                  Pkarnadhar last edited by

                                  Hello,

                                  The sudden increase in the Spam Score for both of your websites, is concerning. Several factors could contribute to this unexpected spike in the Spam Score despite your adherence to high-quality link-building and on-page SEO strategies. Potential reasons for the increase could range from algorithmic changes to potential issues with the linking websites or the hosting platform.

                                  1. Algorithmic Changes:
                                  Search engine algorithms are constantly evolving, and updates can sometimes impact Spam Scores. It's important to stay informed about recent algorithmic changes and their potential effects on website metrics.

                                  2. Link Quality and Diversity:
                                  Despite the high DA of the linking sites, the sudden influx of links from a specific type of site, such as SaaS sites, might trigger spam signals. Diversifying the types of linking sites and ensuring their reputability is key.

                                  3. Link Velocity:
                                  The rapid acquisition of backlinks within a short time can raise spam suspicions. A sudden link surge, even from high-quality sites, may be viewed suspiciously by search engines.

                                  4. Hosting Platform Influence:
                                  Being hosted on GoDaddy may inadvertently share server space with spammy or flagged sites, affecting your site's Spam Score. Consider exploring if any such associations exist.

                                  5. Link Exchange Campaign:
                                  Even if the link exchange was one-way (without reciprocity), the sheer volume and speed at which links were built might have triggered spam signals.

                                  To address this issue, consider reviewing and diversifying your link-building strategy, evaluating the linking sites, and monitoring the hosting environment. Additionally, closely follow industry updates to adapt to any algorithmic changes that might affect your website's Spam Score.

                                  Best regards.
                                  Prateek Karnadhar
                                  CEO
                                  ClearHolidays

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • 1 / 1
                                  • First post
                                    Last post

                                  Browse Questions

                                  Explore more categories

                                  • Moz Tools

                                    Chat with the community about the Moz tools.

                                  • SEO Tactics

                                    Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers

                                  • Community

                                    Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!

                                  • Digital Marketing

                                    Chat about tactics outside of SEO

                                  • Research & Trends

                                    Dive into research and trends in the search industry.

                                  • Support

                                    Connect on product support and feature requests.

                                  • See all categories

                                  Related Questions

                                  • Roycd

                                    Google not listing website correctly

                                    google listing seo website submission

                                    have a domain that was unused for a while and displayed the "parked by Gandi" domain message. Recently, I decided to set up a fully working website on that domain, but I'm struggling to get it to rank correctly on Google. Google isn't updating the http://domain.com to the correct https://www.domain.com, and I have tried everything. The http://domain.com redirects to https://www.domain.com if you click on it. I managed to get the correct version, https://www.domain.com, to show up, but after a couple of days, it reverted to the old version and has stayed that way. This has been going on for a few weeks now. Additionally, I had an old version of the site using .com, and I forwarded that to the .co.uk, but the old .com will not be removed from Google. it was just one page without much content. At the moment, Google's search results look very messy and out of date. I have submitted the URL in the Google Search Console using the URL inspection tool and requested indexing and reindexing. I have also submitted sitemaps, but nothing is really working. Any ideas?

                                    SEO Tactics | | Roycd
                                    0
                                  • zlbvasgabc

                                    improve my da

                                    seo domain authority page authority

                                    hello
                                    i work on my site fore 2 mounth and i still cant increase my DA
                                    how can i increase that?
                                    its my site:
                                    https://bandolini.ir/

                                    SEO Tactics | | zlbvasgabc
                                    0
                                  • webdropyyc

                                    Need help with Meta tags generator

                                    meta tags seo

                                    Hello, I am doing SEO for my business website. I am trying to generate Meta Tags here
                                    https://webdrop.ca/seo-tools/meta-tag-generator What should I enter for "Search engines should revisit this page after ". We are not going to change content on daily basis. 7 Days or 30 days are good enough?

                                    On-Page Optimization | | webdropyyc
                                    0
                                  • netcomsia

                                    block primary . xxx domain with disavow tool

                                    search results spam spam score disavow seo audit

                                    Hi friends I discovered spam url attack on top sites with good google positions for specific keyword. Can I block primary domain like .xxx with disavow tool? There is hundreds of different domains but primary domain is always the same. for example like this domain:xxx? Thanks

                                    Intermediate & Advanced SEO | | netcomsia
                                    0
                                  • Manny32

                                    How do I increase my Trust Score?

                                    How Do I Increase my Trust Score?

                                    Technical SEO | | Manny32
                                    1
                                  • melen

                                    Staging site and "live" site have both been indexed by Google

                                    While creating a site we forgot to password protect the staging site while it was being built.  Now that the site has been moved to the new domain, it has come to my attention that both the staging site (site.staging.com) and the "live" site (site.com) are both being indexed.  What is the best way to solve this problem?  I was thinking about adding a 301 redirect from the staging site to the live site via HTACCESS. Any recommendations?

                                    Technical SEO | | melen
                                    0
                                  • GAZ09

                                    How to increase your Domain Authority

                                    Hi Guys, Can someone please provide some pointers on how to best increase your Domain Authority?? Thanks Gareth

                                    Technical SEO | | GAZ09
                                    0
                                  • GriffinHansen

                                    What are the pros and cons of moving one site onto a subdomain of another site?

                                    Two sites. One has weaker sales. What would the benefits and problems for SEO of moving the weak site from its own domain to a subdomain of the stronger site?

                                    Technical SEO | | GriffinHansen
                                    0

                                  Get started with Moz Pro!

                                  Unlock the power of advanced SEO tools and data-driven insights.

                                  Start my free trial
                                  Products
                                  • Moz Pro
                                  • Moz Local
                                  • Moz API
                                  • Moz Data
                                  • STAT
                                  • Product Updates
                                  Moz Solutions
                                  • SMB Solutions
                                  • Agency Solutions
                                  • Enterprise Solutions
                                  • Digital Marketers
                                  Free SEO Tools
                                  • Domain Authority Checker
                                  • Link Explorer
                                  • Keyword Explorer
                                  • Competitive Research
                                  • Brand Authority Checker
                                  • Local Citation Checker
                                  • MozBar Extension
                                  • MozCast
                                  Resources
                                  • Blog
                                  • SEO Learning Center
                                  • Help Hub
                                  • Beginner's Guide to SEO
                                  • How-to Guides
                                  • Moz Academy
                                  • API Docs
                                  About Moz
                                  • About
                                  • Team
                                  • Careers
                                  • Contact
                                  Why Moz
                                  • Case Studies
                                  • Testimonials
                                  Get Involved
                                  • Become an Affiliate
                                  • MozCon
                                  • Webinars
                                  • Practical Marketer Series
                                  • MozPod
                                  Connect with us

                                  Contact the Help team

                                  Join our newsletter
                                  Moz logo
                                  © 2021 - 2025 SEOMoz, Inc., a Ziff Davis company. All rights reserved. Moz is a registered trademark of SEOMoz, Inc.
                                  • Accessibility
                                  • Terms of Use
                                  • Privacy

                                  Looks like your connection to Moz was lost, please wait while we try to reconnect.