What Is Spam Score? A Guide for Marketers & Website Owners

In the world of emails and websites, you might have heard the term “spam score.” But what is spam score, and why should you care? Simply put, a spam score is a number that shows how likely your email or website is to be flagged as spam. If your spam score is high, your emails might land in the junk folder, or your website could drop in search rankings. This can hurt your ability to reach people.

This guide will explain what a spam score is in clear terms. We’ll look at how it works for emails and websites, why it matters, and how you can keep your scores low. Whether you send newsletters or run a blog, understanding spam scores can make a big difference. Let’s get started.

Table of Contents

Why Spam Scores Matter

Before we dig into the details, let’s talk about why spam scores are important. For emails, a high spam score means fewer people see your message. That’s bad news if you’re trying to sell something or share updates. For websites, a high spam score can push you down in search results, making it harder for people to find you. In both cases, a good spam score keeps your efforts on track.

Now, let’s break it down into two parts: email spam scores and website spam scores.

Part 1: What Is Spam Score for Emails?

How Email Spam Scores Work

When you send an email, it doesn’t always go straight to the inbox. Email providers like Gmail or Outlook use filters to catch spam. These filters give your email a spam score based on several things. The higher the score, the more likely your email ends up in the spam folder.

Think of it like a test. Your email gets graded on how trustworthy it seems. If it passes, it reaches the inbox. If it fails, it’s marked as spam. But what goes into this grade?

Things That Affect Your Email Spam Score

Email filters look at a few key factors. Here’s what they check:

Sender Reputation: This is about your history. If you’ve sent emails that people marked as spam before, your reputation takes a hit. A bad reputation raises your spam score.
Subject Line: Words like “free,” “win,” or “urgent” can set off alarms. These are common in spam emails, so filters watch for them.
Email Content: The body of your email matters too. Too many links, all caps, or lots of exclamation points can make it look spammy.
Recipient Behavior: If people open and reply to your emails, that’s good. If they delete them or mark them as spam, it’s bad for your score.
List Quality: Sending to old or bought email lists often leads to bounces or complaints. This can hurt your score fast.

All these pieces add up to your email spam score. It’s not one single thing but a mix of signals.

Tools to Check Your Email Spam Score

You don’t have to guess if your email might be spam. There are tools to help you check before you send. Here are a few:

Mailchimp: If you use Mailchimp, it has a spam checker built in. It scans your email and gives you a heads-up.
GlockApps: This tool tests your email across different providers. It shows you where it lands and why.
Litmus: Litmus has a spam test feature. It tells you what might trigger filters.

Using these tools lets you fix problems before your email goes out.

How to Keep Your Email Spam Score Low

Good news: you can lower your email spam score with some simple steps. Here’s how:

Start with a Clean List: Only email people who signed up. Don’t buy lists or use old contacts who forgot about you.
Write Clear Subject Lines: Skip the salesy buzzwords. Make it short and honest about what’s inside.
Keep Content Simple: Write like you’re talking to a friend. Avoid too many links or big, flashy images.
Ask for Engagement: Add a question or a call to action. If people interact, it helps your score.
Set Up Authentication: Use tools like SPF and DKIM. These prove your email is legit and not a fake.

Small changes like these can keep your emails out of the spam folder. Over time, they build trust with email providers.

Part 2: What Is Spam Score for Websites?

How Website Spam Scores Work

For websites, a spam score is about how search engines like Google see your site. It’s a way to measure if your site looks trustworthy or if it’s doing things that seem spammy. Tools like Moz give websites a spam score from 0% to 100%. A low score is good, while a high score means trouble.

Explore Moz community forum about How I can Reduce Spam score of my website.

Unlike emails, Google doesn’t share an official spam score. But tools like Moz use clues to guess how risky your site might be. They look at things that often lead to penalties from search engines.

Things That Affect Your Website Spam Score

So, what makes a website look spammy? Here are the main factors:

Low-Quality Content: Thin pages with little value can raise your score. Copying content from other sites is even worse.
Bad Backlinks: Links from shady or unrelated sites hurt you. Too many low-quality links signal spam.
Overuse of Keywords: Stuffing the same word over and over looks unnatural. It can get you flagged.
Technical Problems: Broken links, slow loading, or sneaky redirects make your site seem unreliable.
No Contact Info: Legit sites usually have a way to reach them. Missing details can raise red flags.

Moz, for example, checks 17 different signs of spam. The more issues your site has, the higher your score climbs.

Google’s Rules on Spam

Google has clear rules to stop spam from showing up in search results. Breaking these can lead to penalties. Here’s what they watch for:

Hidden Tricks: Showing one thing to Google and another to users is a big no-no.
Copied Content: Taking someone else’s work without adding value gets you in trouble.
Link Games: Buying links or swapping them just to rank higher is risky.
Sneaky Redirects: Sending users somewhere unexpected can lead to a penalty.

Google uses both algorithms and human reviews to catch these. If your site gets hit, it can disappear from search results.

Tools to Check Your Website Spam Score

Want to know your site’s spam score? Try these tools:

Moz: Moz’s Spam Score is easy to use. It’s part of their Link Explorer tool.
Google Search Console: This free tool from Google shows penalties or security issues.
Ahrefs: Ahrefs checks your backlinks and flags anything sketchy.

Checking regularly helps you spot problems early.

How to Lower Your Website Spam Score

If your score is high, don’t worry. You can fix it. Here’s what to do:

Check Your Links: Use Ahrefs or Moz to find bad backlinks. Then use Google’s Disavow Tool to tell Google to ignore them.
Improve Your Content: Write useful, original pages. Make sure they’re worth reading.
Use Keywords Wisely: Add your main words naturally. Don’t force them in.
Fix Technical Stuff: Test your site for speed and broken links. Keep it running smoothly.
Earn Good Links: Get links from trusted sites by sharing great content.

These steps take time, but they can turn things around.

Also, Learn What Is Ongoing SEO?

Real Examples of Spam Scores in Action

Email Spam Score Example

Imagine a small shop sending out weekly deals. They used words like “FREE” and “HURRY” in every subject line. Soon, their emails stopped reaching customers. A spam checker showed their score was too high because of those words and an old email list.

They switched to subject lines like “This Week’s Deals” and removed inactive subscribers. Their spam score dropped, and more people started seeing their emails again.

Website Spam Score Example

A blogger noticed their traffic tanked after a Google update. Moz showed their spam score at 50%. The problem? They had tons of links from low-quality directories and barely any real content.

They rewrote their posts to add value and disavowed the bad links. A few months later, their score fell to 15%, and traffic picked back up.

These stories show how spam scores affect real businesses—and how fixing them pays off.

Tips You Can Use Today

Here are some quick ideas to manage your spam scores:

For Emails: Test every campaign with a spam checker. Clean your list every few months.
For Websites: Run a link audit twice a year. Keep your content fresh and helpful.

Little habits like these keep your scores low and your results strong.

Final Thoughts

So, what is spam score? It’s a way to measure how trustworthy your emails and websites seem. For emails, it decides if you hit the inbox or the spam folder. For websites, it affects how well you rank on Google. Either way, a low spam score helps you reach more people.

By understanding what raises your spam score and how to fix it, you can stay ahead. Use the tools and tips in this guide to check your scores and make improvements. It’s worth the effort to keep your marketing and online presence in good shape.

What’s your next step? Try running a spam check on your latest email or website today. You might be surprised at what you find—and how easy it is to fix.