Hey there, WordPress user! Have you ever been happily browsing the web, only to land on a "blog" that just doesn‘t seem quite right? Maybe the content is pure gibberish, or every other word is a link to some sketchy looking site. Chances are, you‘ve stumbled upon a dreaded "splog".
But what exactly is a splog? How can you spot one in the wild? And most importantly, how can you keep your own WordPress site from getting mistaken for a splog by search engines? Never fear – we‘ve got you covered with this in-depth guide to all things splog-related. Let‘s dive in!
What is a Splog?
"Splog" is a portmanteau of "spam blog". Basically, it‘s a blog that‘s been created for the sole purpose of manipulating search engine rankings and funneling traffic to affiliated scam websites.
Splogs have been around almost as long as blogging itself, with the term being coined way back in 2005 by Mark Cuban. But while splogs may be old news, they‘re still a major headache for legitimate website owners and internet users alike.
Just how widespread are splogs? It‘s hard to pin down an exact number, but estimates suggest that as many as 25% of all new websites created are spam blogs. And according to WordPress security plugin Akismet, they blocked over 15 million spam comments and form submissions per month in 2022. Yikes!
Why Do Splogs Exist?
So what‘s the point of going to all the trouble of creating a spammy fake blog? Simple: money. Splogs exist to game search engine algorithms and artificially boost the rankings of affiliated scam websites.
Here‘s how the typical splog scam works:
- The splogger creates dozens or even hundreds of fake blogs targeting specific long-tail keywords
- They populate the splogs with scraped or spun content vaguely related to those keywords
- They add links from the splogs to their scam websites using keyword-rich anchor text
- The scam websites enjoy an inflated (if temporary) rankings boost and increased traffic
- Unwitting searchers click on the scam websites in the search results and get suckered into whatever scheme the splogger is promoting – pills, porn, poker, you name it.
Rinse and repeat to the tune of millions of dollars in ill-gotten affiliate commissions and ad clicks. It‘s an ugly business.
How to Spot a Splog
Spotting a splog is usually pretty simple if you know what to look for. Here are some of the most common characteristics of spam blogs:
1. Nonsensical or Barely Readable Content
The "content" on splogs tends to be barely comprehensible at best, and utter word salad at worst. That‘s because it‘s usually generated using automated article spinning tools that simply grab content from other sites and swap in synonyms.
For example, check out this splog post I found targeting the term "best WordPress hosting":
[Screenshot of splog post with unnatural, keyword-stuffed text]I mean, what does "The web hosting for WordPress that sparkles achievement is significant" even mean? No legitimate blog with an actual human author would publish content like this.
2. Keyword Stuffing
To attract those all-important search engine bots, splogs often engage in comically aggressive keyword stuffing. You‘ll see the target keyword repeated over and over again in the post title, headers, and body content, far beyond what would sound natural to a human reader.
3. Spammy or Irrelevant Links
The whole point of a splog is to link out to other scammy websites, so if a blog post is littered with spammy looking links using affiliate tracking codes, you can bet it‘s a splog.
[Screenshot of splog post with spammy links highlighted]Often these links will be clumsily shoehorned in regardless of whether they fit the context of the content.
4. Lack of Original Insight or Opinions
Splogs by definition do not contain any original ideas, reporting, or analysis. The content is simply recycled from other websites with maybe a few keywords swapped out. If a blog post doesn‘t contain any unique perspectives or insights, and sounds like it could have been written by a bot, it probably was.
5. No Meaningful "About" or Author Info
Splogs rarely contain any genuine information about who‘s behind the blog, for obvious reasons. There may be a generic "About" page, but it will be full of fluff and filler rather than real details about the blog author or purpose.
[Screenshot of a vague splog About page]6. Blocking of Copy/Paste
Because sploggers don‘t want their hard-"written" content getting reused on other spam blogs, many splogs use Javascript tricks to block visitors from copying and pasting the text. If you try to highlight the content and nothing happens, that‘s a big red flag you‘re on a splog.
[Gif of trying and failing to copy splog content]How to Keep Your Website from Getting Flagged as a Splog
Now that you know how to identify a splog, let‘s talk about how to prevent your legitimate WordPress blog from getting mistakenly flagged as spam by search engines or human visitors.
1. Publish High-Quality, Original Content
The single best way to not get pegged as a splog is to consistently publish original, high-quality, genuinely useful content. Search engines are getting better and better at recognizing legitimately valuable content, so focus on creating blog posts that provide real insights and advice.
As Andrey Lipattsev, Search Advocate at Google Ireland puts it:
"Creating compelling and useful content will likely influence your website more than any of the other factors."
So before publishing a new blog post, ask yourself:
- Is this post addressing a real need or question my target readers have?
- Does it contain original ideas, advice, or analysis that can‘t easily be found elsewhere?
- Is it well-written, well-researched, and designed to provide maximum value to readers?
If you can answer yes to all of the above, chances are you have a quality post on your hands that will be seen as valuable by both search engines and human visitors.
2. Be Thoughtful About Links
While linking to relevant, high-quality external websites is a normal part of blogging and can boost your credibility, too many dubious outbound links can quickly make your site look spammy.
Carefully vet any site you‘re considering linking to and ask:
- Is this a reputable website with quality content?
- Is the link relevant and useful in the context of my blog post?
- Does the site engage in shady link schemes or SEO tactics?
You can use tools like Ahrefs‘ free backlink checker to get a sense of the site‘s backlink profile and look for red flags like lots of links from foreign-language or spammy-looking domains.
[Screenshot of spammy backlink profile in Ahrefs]3. Avoid Paid Links and Link Schemes
On a related note, never participate in link buying, selling, or trading schemes in an attempt to game search rankings. These schemes may provide a temporary boost but will almost certainly get your site penalized or even banned from search engines when you get caught. It‘s not worth the risk.
As the Google Search Central documentation puts it:
"Any links intended to manipulate PageRank or a site‘s ranking in Google search results may be considered part of a link scheme and a violation of Google‘s Webmaster Guidelines."
Stick to earning high-quality backlinks the right way – by creating link-worthy content and conducting genuine blogger outreach.
4. Keep Your WordPress Site Updated and Secure
Splogs are often created by hacking into legitimate but vulnerable WordPress sites and inserting spam content and links. In fact, GoDaddy research found that over 15,000 WordPress sites are hacked each day, many of which are then turned into splogs.
To avoid falling victim to this common splog tactic, be sure to:
- Keep your WordPress installation, plugins and themes updated to the latest versions
- Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication
- Implement WordPress security best practices like limiting login attempts and disabling file editing
- Regularly monitor your site for signs of hacking like new admin users or suspicious content
5. Monitor Your Backlink Profile
Even if you‘re not actively participating in link schemes, unscrupulous sploggers may create spammy links to your site without your knowledge or consent. Too many of these low-quality links pointing to your site can hurt your search rankings.
That‘s why it‘s important to regularly audit your backlink profile using tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or SEMRush and look for any suspicious links from splogs or spam sites.
[Screenshot of spammy backlinks in Google Search Console]If you do find spammy links, you can try reaching out to the linking site and asking them to remove the links. If that doesn‘t work, you can disavow the links using Google‘s Disavow Tool as a last resort.
6. If Flagged as a Splog, File a Reconsideration Request
In the unlikely event that your website does get incorrectly flagged as a splog and penalized or deindexed by Google, don‘t panic. You can file a reconsideration request to have a human reviewer at Google manually check your site and reinstate it if everything looks above board.
In your reconsideration request, be sure to clearly explain why your site is not a splog and point to the quality content and legitimate backlinks that demonstrate your site‘s value. It may take a few days or weeks, but if your site is indeed legitimate you should be back in the search rankings soon enough.
Putting It All Together
Splogs may be the cockroaches of the internet – ugly, dirty, and unfortunately persistent. But by knowing what to look for and taking some proactive steps to differentiate your legitimate WordPress site, you can avoid getting lumped in with the sploggers and keep your hard-earned search traffic safe.
Just remember:
- Create original, high-quality content that provides real value
- Be judicious about the sites you link to (and get links from)
- Keep your WordPress site properly maintained and secured
- Monitor your backlink profile for any suspicious links
- If mistakenly flagged as a splog, file a reconsideration request ASAP
Do all that, and you‘ll be well on your way to maintaining a splog-free reputation and sailing to the top of the search results. Happy blogging!
