How to Fix Spam Score Issues: Build Domain Trust in 2026

What Is Spam Score?

Spam score is a metric developed by Moz that predicts how likely a domain is to be penalized or banned by search engines. It analyzes 27 distinct signals -- from the quality of a site's backlink profile to its content characteristics and technical setup -- and produces a score from 0 to 100. The higher the score, the more closely the domain resembles sites that have been flagged as spam by Google.

Moz developed this metric by studying the common characteristics of domains that Google has penalized or deindexed. By identifying 27 binary flags that spam sites share, Moz assigns each domain a probability-based spam score. It is important to understand that spam score does not mean your site is spam -- it measures how closely your site's profile resembles sites that are.

The three risk tiers are widely accepted across the SEO industry. A score of 0-17% is considered low risk and normal for most legitimate websites. A score of 18-30% is the caution zone, meaning some spam signals are present and should be investigated. Any score above 30% is high risk -- Moz's research shows that domains in this range have a significantly higher rate of being penalized or banned.

The 9 Spam Score Parameters InstaRank SEO Checks

InstaRank SEO evaluates nine key parameters that collectively determine how trustworthy your domain appears. Each parameter is weighted based on its correlation with penalized domains. Here is what each one measures and why it matters.

How Scoring Works

Each parameter contributes a weighted score. The total possible points sum to approximately 120, but the final score is capped at 100. Parameters flagged as "failed" are sorted by severity (critical first, then moderate, then minor) so you can prioritize fixes. A domain with zero failed parameters achieves a perfect 100 trust score, which corresponds to a 0% spam score.

The two most impactful parameters are toxic backlinks and overall spam score percentage. Together they account for over 40% of your total score. This reflects industry consensus: backlink quality is the single strongest signal that separates legitimate domains from spam.

Most Common Spam Score Contributors

Understanding what drives spam scores up is the first step toward fixing them. Based on analysis of thousands of domains, these are the four most frequent contributors to elevated spam scores.

1. Exact-Match Anchor Text Overuse

When more than 15-20% of your backlinks use the exact target keyword as anchor text, it signals manipulation. Natural link profiles have diverse anchor text -- branded terms, naked URLs, generic phrases ("click here", "this resource"), and natural sentence fragments. Moz and Google both treat anchor text concentration as a strong spam indicator.

According to a 2025 Ahrefs study of 100,000 domains, sites with more than 25% exact-match anchors were 3.7x more likely to receive a Google manual action for unnatural link patterns.

2. Links from PBNs and Link Farms

Private Blog Networks (PBNs) are networks of websites created solely to build links to a target domain. Google's SpamBrain algorithm, integrated into core ranking since the March 2024 update, specifically targets PBN links. Even a small number of PBN links can significantly inflate your spam score because these networks share common footprints: similar registration patterns, hosting, content quality, and linking behavior.

3. Thin and Duplicate Content

Domains with a high percentage of pages containing fewer than 300 words, or pages with duplicate content found elsewhere on the web, trigger multiple Moz spam flags. Google's Helpful Content system (merged into core ranking in March 2024) specifically targets sites with "content created primarily for search engines rather than people." Thin content pages dilute your domain's overall quality signals.

4. Excessive Advertising

Pages where advertisements dominate the above-the-fold area or where the ad-to-content ratio exceeds 30% are flagged by both Moz and Google. The Page Layout Algorithm (originally launched in 2012, refined through 2025) penalizes pages that push actual content below the fold in favor of ads. Sites with aggressive monetization across most pages see elevated spam scores.

How to Audit Your Spam Score

Before you can fix spam score issues, you need to understand exactly where your domain stands. Use multiple tools to get a comprehensive picture, since each tool measures slightly different signals.

Reducing Your Spam Score: Step-by-Step

Reducing spam score requires a systematic approach. Address the highest-impact issues first, then work through secondary factors. Here is the proven sequence.

Step 1: Disavow Toxic Backlinks

The disavow tool tells Google to ignore specific links when assessing your site. This is the single most impactful action for reducing spam score. Export your full backlink profile from Moz, Ahrefs, or Semrush, then identify links from domains with spam scores above 30%, domains on known PBN lists, and domains with no real content.

Before disavowing, attempt to contact webmasters and request link removal. Google prefers this approach. Document your outreach attempts -- this evidence strengthens any reconsideration request you may need to file.

Step 2: Diversify Your Anchor Text

A natural anchor text profile looks roughly like this: 35% branded (your company name), 30% natural phrases (sentences or partial sentences), 20% naked URLs, 10% exact-match keywords, and 5% generic ("click here", "visit site"). If your exact-match percentage exceeds 20%, focus on earning links with branded and natural anchors to dilute the concentration.

Step 3: Improve Content Quality

Identify all pages with fewer than 300 words using a site crawler. For each thin page, decide whether to expand (add valuable content to reach 800+ words), consolidate (merge with a related page), or remove (add noindex or delete). Aim for zero thin content pages. Also address duplicate content by implementing canonical tags and rewriting copied sections.

Step 4: Earn Quality Backlinks

The most sustainable way to reduce spam score is to dilute toxic links with high-quality ones. Effective strategies include: publishing original research or data studies that earn citations, contributing expert guest posts to authoritative publications, creating genuinely useful tools or resources that attract natural links, and running digital PR campaigns tied to newsworthy events in your industry.

Link Velocity: Why Sudden Spikes Trigger Spam Flags

Link velocity measures the rate at which a domain acquires new backlinks over time. A sudden spike in new backlinks -- for example, going from 50 new links per month to 5,000 in a single week -- is one of the strongest spam signals. Search engines know that natural link growth is gradual and correlates with content publication, PR events, or viral moments.

There are legitimate reasons for link velocity spikes: a news article going viral, a product launch, or being featured on a major platform. The difference is that legitimate spikes come from diverse, authoritative sources with natural anchor text, while artificial spikes come from low-quality, thematically unrelated domains with over-optimized anchors.

If you detect an unnatural link velocity spike that you did not cause, check whether it is a negative SEO attack. Export the new backlinks, examine their sources, and disavow the entire batch if they are from spammy domains. Then monitor weekly until the velocity returns to normal patterns.

Domain Age and Trust: How History Affects Spam Score

Domain age is one of Moz's 27 spam factors because newly registered domains are disproportionately used for spam. According to Moz's own data, domains registered for less than one year are significantly more likely to be spam than domains with five or more years of consistent history. This does not mean new domains cannot rank -- it means new domains must work harder to establish trust signals.

What matters more than raw age is consistent history. A domain that was registered 10 years ago but has changed ownership three times, gone through periods of being parked or redirected, and had its content completely replaced multiple times will not benefit from its age. In contrast, a 3-year-old domain with consistent ownership, steady content publication, and a growing but natural backlink profile demonstrates trustworthiness.

Building Trust for Newer Domains

• Register for multiple years: A 5-year registration signals commitment. Spam sites typically register for 1 year only.
• Use WHOIS transparency: If privacy permits, non-private WHOIS information signals legitimacy.
• Build a consistent publishing cadence: Regular content updates over months build history faster than publishing everything at once.
• Earn links gradually: Avoid purchasing hundreds of links in month one. Focus on quality over quantity.
• Maintain technical standards: Proper SSL, clean DNS records, and professional hosting all contribute to the server/hosting signals parameter.

Disavow File Guide: Creating and Submitting

The Google Disavow Tool lets you upload a text file listing the links or domains you want Google to ignore when evaluating your site. This is the primary mechanism for removing the negative impact of toxic backlinks.

Step-by-Step Disavow Process

1. 1

   Export your backlink profile

   Download your full backlink list from Moz, Ahrefs, or Semrush. Include referring domain, anchor text, and domain spam score.

2. 2

   Identify toxic links

   Flag links from domains with spam score above 30%, PBNs, link farms, unrelated foreign-language sites, and domains with no real content.

3. 3

   Attempt manual removal

   Email webmasters requesting link removal. Use a professional tone and provide the specific URL. Document every outreach attempt.

4. 4

   Create the disavow file

   Create a plain text file (.txt) listing domains and URLs to disavow. Add comments explaining your reasoning. Use UTF-8 encoding.

5. 5

   Submit to Google Search Console

   Navigate to the Disavow Tool (search.google.com/search-console/disavow), select your property, and upload your file.

6. 6

   Monitor and update

   Check your backlink profile monthly. Add new toxic links to the disavow file and re-upload. Google processes disavow files during regular recrawls.

Recovery Timeline: What to Expect

Spam score recovery is not instant. Google processes disavow files as part of its regular crawling cycle, and Moz updates spam scores periodically. Here is a realistic timeline for different starting points.

These timelines assume consistent effort. The biggest mistake is treating spam score reduction as a one-time project. Ongoing monitoring, regular disavow file updates, and continuous quality link building are essential for maintaining low scores. Set a monthly calendar reminder to re-audit your backlink profile and check for new toxic links.

Frequently Asked Questions