How To Reduce Spam Score Of Website?

Website spam score can make or break SEO performance. If its too high, it can lead to costly penalties that are beyond just ranking and visibility. And since a website has low visibility, it also means lower chances of acquiring organic traffic and customers. 

In fact, 45% of websites with high spam scores suffer due to drop in organic traffic within just three months. Fortunately, there are actually a lot of ways to turn this around.

Read on to learn how you can lower your spam score and start generating more traffic and sales on your website.

What Is Spam Score, Anyway?

Spam score’s basically a measure of how likely your website is to be seen as dodgy by search engines like Google. It’s like a little warning light that says, “Hey, this site might be shady.”

Google looks at:

• Your content (keywords, quality, spammy language)

• Your technical setup (SSL, DNS, server configs)

• Your backlink profile (who’s linking to you)

And if too many red flags pop up? Google’s going to assume you’re up to no good, even if you’re not.

Bottom line: low spam score = more trust = better rankings.

The Main Things That Affect Spam Score

Alright, let’s get into the weeds for a sec. Here’s what actually moves the needle on your spam score:

• Keyword stuffing and overusing certain “trigger” words.

• Messy site code that confuses search bots.

• Suspicious backlinks from junk sites.

• Poor SSL/DNS setup that makes your site look untrustworthy.

• Slow-loading pages from bloated images or bad hosting.

• Misleading or exaggerated claims that scream “scam” to search engines.

Know these triggers — that’s half the battle.

How To Reduce Spam Score Of Website?

1) Avoid Spammy Keywords

Words and phrases like “free,” “Viagra,” “casino,” “weight loss” are often associated as spammy content. While this is not always true, make sure to “overly” use these terms as they are often associated as deceptive promotional terms. Using them excessively can trigger spam filters that can negatively impact your spam score. 

Now, we are not saying that you should use these terms. You still can, but make sure to focus on natural languages in titles, headers, and all other content found on our websites. What matters is that you put a balance on using these terms with informative and valuable content.

2) Clean Up Your Website Code

Search engines crawl your code to figure out what your site’s about. If your HTML, CSS, or JavaScript is a tangled mess, that’s a problem.

A few things I usually recommend during audits:

• Remove outdated tags.

• Clean up redundant code.

• Fix broken internal links.

• Check that your site’s mobile-friendly.

I had a client just last year whose mobile site was completely breaking due to a messy script leftover from a 2016 plugin. Cost them rankings until we cleaned it up.

3) Proper Use of Hyperlinks

Something as simple as hyperlinks can also make a huge impact on your website. You need to use it strategically in both terms and function. Avoid using URLs as anchor text, as it is considered a phishing attempt by search engines.

Try to make your hyperlinks descriptive to lead users to trustworthy sources. So instead of using “click here”, try using “read more about our SEO practices.” It is simple but definitely a much better anchor in terms of reliability and credibility. 

4) Use Secure and Verified Domains

A domains reputation is also determined by its spam score and not just its backlink profile. If your website has a poorly configured DNS, then expect to experience high spam scores.  Make sure to keep it properly setup and use SSL certificate to signal search engines that you are a legitimate website.

5) Optimize Image Usage

Images can also influence spam score if not optimized correctly. Uncompressed images or images without proper alt tags can trigger spam filters as they can affect website load speed.

Consider using descriptive image names and ensure that your images are optimized for fast loading times. A balanced ratio of text to images is essential for creating a site that doesn’t appear spammy.

6) Avoid Misleading or Over-Sensationalized Content

Exaggerated claims that and “too good to be true” offers are a big no-no to search engines. It can not only hurt your credibility but also contribute to a higher spam score. Websites have to maintain a transparent and honest tone with no clickbait titles or promises that are not backed by reliable information.

Conduct Regular Audits and Monitoring

1) Spam Score Check Tools

Use tools to regularly monitor your website’s spam score and receive recommendations for improvement. These tools can scan your site for problematic content, broken links, or technical issues that could contribute to a high spam score.

2) Technical Audits

Conduct periodic technical audits to ensure that your DNS settings, SSL configurations, and other server elements are up to date. Keeping your technical infrastructure clean and well-maintained will help keep your spam score low.

3) Content Monitoring

Be mindful of the content and SEO practices you use when updating your website. Continuously conduct weekly or monthly checks to maintain your content quality and spam score.

Conclusion

Reducing spam score is not a one-time process. It requires your effort and consistency in maintaining it alongside your SEO strategies. Along the way, you will see an improved credibility and website performance on your website. Regularly monitor your content to ensure it stays healthy and penalty-free from any spam.