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
      • SEO Q&A
      • Webinars, Whitepapers, & Guides
    • Blog
    • Why Moz
      • Agency Solutions
      • Enterprise Solutions
      • Small Business Solutions
      • Case Studies
      • 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.

      NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic
      Moz Pro

      NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic

      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.

      What is your Brand Authority?
      Moz

      What is your Brand Authority?

      Check yours now
    • 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.

      • SEO Q&A

        Insights & discussions from an SEO community of 500,000+.

      Unlock flexible pricing & new endpoints
      Moz API

      Unlock flexible pricing & new endpoints

      Find your plan
    • Blog
    • Why Moz
      • 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.

      • Case Studies

        Explore how Moz drives ROI with a proven track record of success.

      • 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
    • 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. Link Building
    4. Moz API Spam Score - Backlinks

    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.

    Moz API Spam Score - Backlinks

    Link Building
    wordpress backlinks website optimization
    6
    6
    141
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as question
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with question management privileges can see it.
    • RejinKayastha
      RejinKayastha last edited by

      Hi, everyone I am trying to get my website DA up. I have analyzed my competitors and thanks to Moz I have idea and insights of how my competitors get backlinks. But, some of them are old school techniques. Also my website has some PBNs no follow backlinks does it affect my website ranking? Their spam score is 10-40. But other competitors has them as well.

      Does anyone know indepth on this topic?

      johnsmithappdev Sandrawright23 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • Sandrawright23
        Sandrawright23 @RejinKayastha last edited by

        @RejinKayastha said in Moz API Spam Score - Backlinks:

        Hi, everyone I am trying to get my website DA up. I have analyzed my competitors and thanks to Moz I have idea and insights of how my competitors get backlinks. But, some of them are old school techniques. Also my website has some PBNs no follow backlinks does it affect my website ranking? Their spam score is 10-40. But other competitors has them as well.
        Does anyone know indepth on this topic?

        PBN backlinks, especially those with higher spam scores, can potentially harm your rankings if search engines view them as manipulative. If competitors are using similar strategies and haven't been penalized, it doesn't guarantee safety—it may just be a matter of time.

        1. Modern Link-Building Strategies
          Instead of relying heavily on old-school methods or risky PBNs, focus on building high-quality, natural backlinks:

        Content Marketing: Create valuable, shareable content (e.g., blogs, infographics, or videos).
        Outreach: Build relationships with industry-specific bloggers, influencers, and publications for guest posts or mentions.
        Broken Link Building: Find broken links on relevant websites and suggest replacing them with your content.
        Directory Submissions: Ensure you're listed in relevant, high-quality directories.
        4. Competitor Analysis
        While learning from competitors is great, prioritize strategies that align with Google's guidelines. High-risk techniques might provide short-term gains but could backfire long-term.

        Would you like a step-by-step guide to creating a diverse backlink strategy?

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • jamesrobert43
          jamesrobert43 last edited by

          @RejinKayastha said in Moz API Spam Score - Backlinks:

          Hi, everyone I am trying to get my website DA up. I have analyzed my competitors and thanks to Moz I have idea and insights of how my competitors get backlinks. But, some of them are old school techniques. Also my website has some PBNs no follow backlinks does it affect my website ranking? Their spam score is 10-40. But other competitors has them as well.

          Hi there! I’m facing a similar issue with my website. I've noticed some PBN no-follow backlinks with spam scores between 10-40, just like your situation. It’s tricky since competitors also have similar backlinks, but I'm focusing on diversifying my link profile with more high-quality, organic links to avoid any potential risks. Let’s keep an eye on it and aim for natural link-building strategies moving forward!

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • Alex1aqq
            Alex1aqq last edited by

            It’s great that you’re analyzing competitors to improve your website’s DA! Regarding PBNs and no-follow backlinks, while they might not directly pass link equity, their presence can still impact rankings if seen as spammy or manipulative by search engines. As for Nulls Brawl PC, much like SEO, it's essential to maintain a clean and fair environment for a game’s growth. Just as manipulating backlinks can hurt a website, unfair tactics in gaming can negatively affect the community and experience. Focus on sustainable, organic strategies for both!

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • johnsmithappdev
              johnsmithappdev @RejinKayastha last edited by

              Hey RejinKayastha!

              Great that you're focusing on improving DA.

              PBNs & No-Follow Links:
              PBNs: Google can detect PBNs, and using them can lead to penalties, especially if they’re low-quality.
              No-Follow Links: They don’t directly affect rankings but still help diversify your backlink profile.
              Spam Score (10-40):
              A score in this range could be risky. It’s important to focus on high-quality backlinks to improve your profile over time.

              Tips:
              Disavow harmful backlinks via Google’s tool.
              Build white-hat links through guest posts and content marketing.
              Monitor your backlink profile regularly with Moz, Ahrefs, or SEMrush.
              Hope that helps! Let me know if you need more info.@RejinKayastha

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • Mudasir_Qayyum01
                Mudasir_Qayyum01 last edited by

                Regarding your question, nofollow backlinks, including those from PBNs, don’t directly pass link equity to your site, but having too many spammy links, even nofollow ones, can still hurt your overall trustworthiness in search engines.

                Here’s the breakdown:

                Spam Score Impact: While Moz’s spam score doesn’t directly affect rankings, a high concentration of backlinks from sites with spam scores in the 10-40 range can raise red flags. Search engines might view your site as risky if the pattern seems unnatural.

                Competitor Strategies: Some competitors might be getting away with PBNs or spammy links now, but this is risky. Algorithms like Google’s Penguin are designed to catch such tactics, and penalties can follow.

                What You Can Do: Focus on acquiring quality, natural backlinks from authoritative sources through guest posting, content marketing, and relationship building. Also, review and clean up your link profile regularly—use Google’s Disavow Tool for any toxic links that could harm your SEO.

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

                Got a burning SEO question?

                Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.


                Start my free trial


                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

                • HFM97

                  Unsolved How can I improve SEO for my auditing firm’s website?

                  website website optimization

                  Hi Moz community! I run aauditing.com, offering audit, tax consulting, and accounting services in the UAE. I’m looking for effective SEO strategies to boost visibility and attract clients. Any tips on content optimization, backlinks, or local SEO would be appreciated!

                  Getting Started | | HFM97
                  2
                • aprase

                  How to Diminish the spam score of the site?

                  spam spam score spam backlinks

                  I AM HERE TO DISCUSS MY PROBLEM AFTER THE GOOGLE CORE UPDATE OF OCTOBER MONTH MY WEBSITE SPAM SCORE IS INCREASING RAPIDLY HOW TO CONTROL THIS PROBLEM PLEASE HELP ME ASAP MY WEBSITE NAME IS EGYPT DIRECT

                  Link Building | | aprase
                  1
                • Abdul_Gaffar

                  Please tell me my website DA is Fake or any effect my ranking.

                  domain authority link building backlinks backling issue da

                  A few days ago I bought a DA increaser package from Fiverr for my Mobileinfo website. and after 15 days I see my DA-3 to Jupm on DA-54 this is a Majic. but a few days later I feel this was very bad practice on my website, and there was no benefit. Now Problem is I don't know what is my real DA and PA. and I want to remove this redirect backlink from my domain.! Please help me! DA Chart
                  Screenshot_18.png links
                  Screenshot_19.png

                  Link Building | | Abdul_Gaffar
                  0
                • JCN-SBWD

                  Unsolved Inaccurate backlinks being listed in Moz campaign

                  backlinks campaign details

                  Moz keeps saying that these websites (amongst others)... https://toolszap.com/
                  https://www.findwallpaperhd.com/
                  https://onlinecoursesschools.com/
                  https://www.tonzo.com/ ...are linking to one of my client sites at https://www.scamblermusic.com The websites in question clearly aren't related and aren't linking to the site, and there's no reference to Scambler Music anywhere in the source code. Why does Moz keep listing backlinks that simply don't appear to exist?

                  Moz Tools | | JCN-SBWD
                  0
                • p4pakao

                  DA not increased as backlinks generated...

                  Hi,
                   I would like to discuss my issue as my site's some backlinks are generated but DA is still there. Can anyone make me understand the reason?

                  Link Building | | p4pakao
                  0
                • PangeaLangs

                  Backlinks from translated content

                  Hello, We have quite a few articles "out there" that give us backlinks. We were thinking of also translating the content and submitting it to local content websites, so it can provide us with more backlinks. The main questions here, will this content be recognized as the same content as the English version? Also, being in another language, some of the anchor text might not hit the English keyword. Not sure how Google sees it. Any advise on the matter? thx!!

                  Link Building | | PangeaLangs
                  0
                • CleanEdisonInc

                  Ways to remove spammy backlinks

                  Hello everyone, I got hit with an algorithm penalty and need to start removing old backlinks ASAP. Does anyone have any good resources on how best to ask webmasters for removal? Are there any other ways to remove bad back links besides the disavow tool? (An SEO consultant I talked to said that they had a proprietary software that can remove them - is that possible?) Thanks all,

                  Link Building | | CleanEdisonInc
                  1
                • clickangel

                  Changing backlinks anchor text

                  Hi, I've read a few blog post here that suggests the strength of building links using your brand as an anchor text. This supposedly gives the site authority. Currently a chunck of the back links to my homepage are on generic terms i'm trying to rank for which doesn't seem to be working very well. I was thinking of contacting the various webmasters to change the anchor text to that of the site brand name but wondering if this will signal a manipulation of links to the search engines and potentially could be flagged as paid links? Has anybody done this before and what is the danger of doing this? Thanks Duke

                  Link Building | | clickangel
                  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
                Free SEO Tools
                • Domain Authority Checker
                • Link Explorer
                • Keyword Explorer
                • Competitive Research
                • Brand Authority 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.