Link Spam Update
A link spam update is a Google algorithm update aimed at links created mainly to manipulate rankings, such as paid links, link exchanges and unqualified sponsored or guest post links. Google ran named link spam updates in July 2021 and December 2022, and they mostly work by stripping value from those links.
What link spam updates target
Links between websites act as votes in Google’s ranking systems, which is why link building is so popular and so open to abuse. Google’s spam policies define link spam as links intended to manipulate rankings. Typical examples include:
- Paid links that pass ranking credit without being marked as paid.
- Excessive link exchanges (“link to me and I’ll link to you”).
- Large-scale guest posting campaigns with keyword-rich links.
- Links from private blog networks built only to link out.
- Automated or low-quality directory and comment links.
The 2021 and 2022 updates
Earlier efforts against link spam include the Penguin update, launched in 2012.
The July 2021 link spam update focused on affiliate, sponsored and guest post links. Google reminded site owners to qualify these with the right link attributes: rel=”sponsored” for paid or affiliate links and rel=”nofollow” or rel=”ugc” where appropriate. It said sites that failed to do so could see the update take action on those links.
The December 2022 update used SpamBrain, Google’s AI-based spam prevention system, to detect both sites buying links and sites used to pass outgoing links. Google said that unnatural links detected this way would lose their ranking credit.
Neutralise, not penalise
The key idea behind these updates is that Google ignores bad links rather than punishing the site they point to. If you relied on spammy links, you may lose rankings when they stop counting, but that is the removal of an unfair boost rather than a penalty. This differs from manual actions, where a human reviewer applies a penalty that you must fix and request reconsideration for.
How to stay safe
- Mark paid, sponsored and affiliate links with rel=”sponsored”.
- Avoid buying links or joining link schemes, however they are described.
- Focus on earning links through useful content, research and digital PR.
- Review your backlinks occasionally for obvious patterns of paid or network links.
- Use the disavow tool only if you have a manual action or know of a large set of links you built that break Google’s rules.
Common misconceptions
- “Random spammy links will hurt me.” Google has said it generally ignores such links, so most sites do not need to worry about them.
- “Lost traffic means a penalty.” After a link spam update it usually means some links no longer count.
- “Nofollow means no value.” Google treats nofollow as a hint, but you should still use it correctly.
Key Takeaways
- Link spam updates target links built mainly to manipulate rankings.
- Named updates ran in July 2021 and December 2022.
- The December 2022 update used SpamBrain to detect link buying and selling.
- Google mostly neutralises bad links rather than penalising the target site.
- Qualify paid and affiliate links with rel="sponsored".
Related Terms
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