Simple Steps to Fix SEO Spam on Your WordPress Site

Want to fix SEO spam on WordPress? Sneaky spambots are like internet bugs, creeping onto busy WordPress websites to drop spammy links, spam pages, and malicious code. They’re trying to boost their search engine results while messing up your website’s rankings.

A 2023 study found that over 42.22% of websites had some form of SEO spam, making it the third most common malware on compromised websites.

That’s a constant barrage targeting website owners like you! You might notice odd Japanese keywords in Google Search Console or weird redirects—ugh! “Life is like Wi-Fi; the trouble’s invisible until it slows you down.” For website owners, that’s SEO spam infection.

This guide makes it easy to spot and clean up a hacked site. We’ll walk you through kicking out suspicious links, fixing Japanese keyword hacks, and using security plugins to delete malicious code. 

You’ll protect your site files, stop brute force attacks, and keep your website’s reputation safe. Soon, Google can re-index your fresh, spam-free site. Let’s get started!

Understanding SEO Spam and How It Affects Your Website

SEO spam is a malicious tactic used by hackers to manipulate search engine rankings by injecting spam content, spam pages, and spam links into a website. This type of attack is often carried out by hacked websites that unknowingly host malicious code designed to boost the rankings of illegitimate sites.

Hackers exploit security vulnerabilities in WordPress websites by creating new pages filled with plagiarized content, injecting spammy keywords, or using link injection to redirect visitors to malicious websites. 

One common type of SEO spam attack is the Japanese keyword hack, where Japanese keywords appear in search results, making it clear that a website has been compromised.

Why SEO Spam is a Serious Problem

SEO spam negatively impacts both website owners and users. Here’s why it’s a big issue:

• Hurts Your Search Engine Rankings – Search engines like Google and other search engines penalize sites affected by SEO spam infections, causing a drop in organic traffic.
• Damages Your Website’s Reputation – Visitors who see suspicious links, spammy keywords, or redirects to malicious websites will lose trust in your site.
• Affects Site Performance – Hackers may insert malicious traffic or suspicious code, slowing down your website.
• Causes Google Search Console Warnings – If Google detects spam attacks, your site may be flagged as a hacked website, reducing your SEO value and visibility in search engine results.
• Puts User Security at Risk – If your site unknowingly hosts spam pages or harmful links, visitors could be redirected to dangerous sites that steal their personal information.

Spam link injection can silently harm your website’s SEO and reputation by inserting hidden links to malicious websites. If you suspect your site is affected, check out our detailed guide on How to Find and Remove Spam Link Injection in WordPress to clean up your site and protect your rankings

Tips and Tricks to Find the Cause of SEO Spam on Your WordPress Site

Finding the root cause is the first step to fixing the problem. Here are some simple yet effective ways to track down SEO spam infections on your site.

Check Access Logs for Suspicious Activity

Your server’s access logs record every visit to your website. By checking these logs, you can spot unusual login attempts, malicious traffic, or suspicious IP addresses that might be responsible for injecting spam content into your site.

Look for repeated failed login attempts, as these could indicate brute force attacks trying to gain access. Identify traffic from unknown or foreign IPs, especially if they’re visiting odd URLs. 

Your hosting provider may offer access logs through cPanel or a similar dashboard. If you’re unsure, ask them for help.

Monitor New User Registrations for Fake Accounts

Hackers often create spammy user accounts to inject malicious code, manipulate search engine rankings, or insert harmful links into your website. If you allow user registrations, check for a sudden increase in new user registrations from suspicious email addresses.

Also, look out for strange usernames or account names that don’t match normal patterns and users assigned administrator or editor roles when they shouldn’t be. 

Search Your Database for Spammy Keywords or Links

SEO spam often hides deep in your WordPress database, injecting spammy keywords, Japanese SEO spam, or harmful links into site content, comments, or even PHP files. 

You can search for these by using phpMyAdmin (available in cPanel) to look for unusual keywords or outbound links.

Search for “Japanese keywords,” “spam pages,” or “suspicious links” in the database tables, especially in the wp_posts and wp_options tables. If you find anything suspicious, don’t delete it immediately. 

Scan Your WordPress Files for Malicious Code

Hackers can modify WordPress core files, theme files, or plugins to inject malicious code. Some key files to check include:

• wp-config.php – Look for unexpected code insertions.
• htaccess file – Hackers often modify this to redirect users to malicious websites.
• Theme and plugin files – Check for suspicious code or harmful scripts in your active theme’s functions.php file.

A security plugin like Solid Security (formerly iThemes Security), Wordfence, or Sucuri can help you automatically scan and detect any suspicious code or malware infections in your site files.

Ask Your Hosting Provider or a Web Security Expert for Help

If you’re struggling to find the root cause of your SEO spam attack, reach out to your hosting provider for assistance. Many premium hosting providers, including DreamHost, Kinsta, Hostinger, and  WP Engine, offer real-time threat detection and malware removal services.

Alternatively, you can consult a web security expert to conduct a thorough scan of your site and remove malicious code safely. Investing in robust security measures now can help prevent future attacks and protect your website’s reputation and SEO efforts.

Discover: Best WordPress White-Label Hosting Provider

Simple Steps to Fix SEO Spam on WordPress

Whether your site has been injected with spammy links, hidden pages, or malicious code, following these steps will help you clean up the mess and strengthen your website security to prevent future threats.

Step 1: Remove Malicious Code & Spammy Links

The first step in fixing SEO spam on WordPress is identifying and removing any malicious code or spammy links injected into your site. Hackers often hide spam content within your WordPress core files, plugins, and themes, making it essential to perform a thorough scan.

If you find infected core files, replace them with fresh copies from the official WordPress repository. However, be cautious when handling your files—always back up your site before making changes.

Step 2: Clean Up Unwanted Redirects & Hidden Spam Pages

Hackers often manipulate the htaccess file and wp-config.php to insert harmful redirects, sending users and search engine crawlers to spammy or malicious websites. This can severely impact your SEO rankings and damage your website’s reputation.

To fix this, check your htaccess file for any unauthorized modifications. If you spot suspicious redirects, remove them and reset the file. Similarly, inspect your wp-config.php file for injected malicious code.

Once detected, delete these spam pages from your WordPress dashboard or directly from your database if necessary.

Step 3: Strengthen Security Measures

Once your site is clean, it’s time to reinforce your security to prevent future SEO spam infections. The best way to do this is by ensuring your WordPress core, plugins, and themes are always updated. 

Next, audit your installed plugins and themes. Delete any unused or suspicious plugins, especially those that haven’t been updated for a long time. 

Strengthen your login security by using strong passwords and enabling two-factor authentication (2FA). Also, limit login attempts and use CAPTCHA on login pages to block automated bot attacks.

Step 4: Remove Spammy Backlinks

If your site was compromised, chances are hackers have also created spammy backlinks pointing to or from your site. These harmful links can further damage your SEO strategy and cause search engine penalties.

To address this, use Google Search Console to check for suspicious backlinks leading to your site. If you find harmful links that you didn’t create, use Google’s Disavow Tool to request their removal. Additionally, you can reach out to webmasters of sites linking to yours and request a manual removal of these unwanted links.

Step 5: Submit a Reconsideration Request to Google (if needed)

If your site was penalized or de-indexed due to an SEO spam infection, you’ll need to submit a reconsideration request to Google after completing the cleanup process.

Before submitting, ensure that:

• All malicious code, spam pages, and harmful links are removed.
• Your site is secured with strong security measures.
• You have re-crawled your site in Google Search Console to confirm that everything is back to normal.

Once everything is set, submit a request to Google explaining the steps you’ve taken to remove SEO spam and secure your site. Google will review your site and, if everything checks out, restore your rankings and remove any penalties.

Discover “Best Managed SEO Service Providers”. 

Preventing Future SEO Spam Attacks on Your WordPress Site

Keeping your WordPress website secure is essential to maintaining its search engine rankings, protecting your site performance, and ensuring a safe browsing experience for users. To safeguard your WordPress website and prevent future SEO spam infections, follow these crucial steps:

Conduct Regular Security Audits to Detect SEO Spam Early

Routine security audits help website owners identify suspicious links, hidden spam pages, and injected spammy keywords before they cause significant harm. Signs of SEO spam attacks include:

• Unusual search engine results, such as your site appearing for Japanese keywords or unrelated queries
• Sudden drops in organic traffic, which may indicate a hacked website
• Spam content injected into existing pages, often disguised as legitimate text
• Suspicious redirects to malicious websites

Install real-time threat detection tools to scan for malicious code and prevent unauthorized changes to your site files, PHP files, and htaccess files.

Learn More About: Best Website Audit Tools for SEO

Install Security Plugins for Extra Protection

A security plugin adds an extra layer of defense against brute force attacks, spam attacks, and link injections. These plugins:

• Monitor your website’s code for any injected malicious code or spammy keywords
• Block suspicious traffic and prevent automated bots from attacking your site
• Remove malicious code automatically from compromised pages
• Scan site files to detect any unauthorized modifications

Regularly updating and configuring these plugins ensures your WordPress core remains safe.

Choose a Secure Hosting Provider for Better Website Security

Many hacked websites result from insecure hosting environments that fail to block SEO spam attacks. A secure hosting provider should offer:

• Built-in malware protection to prevent SEO spam infections
• Automated backups to restore your website’s content if it gets compromised
• SSL certificates to encrypt data and improve SEO. 

Choosing a reputable hosting provider ensures your site’s performance remains intact, even in the event of an attempted spam attack.

Enable Automatic Updates for WordPress Core, Plugins, & Themes

Hackers often exploit outdated software to inject malicious code, spam pages, and suspicious links into WordPress websites. Keeping your WordPress core, plugins, and themes up to date helps:

• Patch security vulnerabilities before they can be exploited
• Prevent brute force attacks that target login credentials
• Block harmful links and malware injection attempts

Enable automatic updates whenever possible to ensure your site remains protected against spam content and SEO spam attacks.

Strengthen Website Security with Robust Measures

Taking proactive steps to enhance website security is key to preventing future spam attacks. Implement the following robust security measures:

• Use a firewall to block malicious traffic and brute force attacks
• Scan site files for suspicious code regularly
• Disable XML-RPC to prevent external access to WordPress websites
• Restrict file permissions to prevent unauthorized changes

By staying ahead of security vulnerabilities, you ensure that your site’s content and organic traffic remain unaffected.

Final Reading: How to Add WordPress reCAPTCHA for Website Security

Conclusion

SEO spam can seriously damage your WordPress site’s search engine rankings, credibility, and user experience. Fortunately, by taking the right steps, you can identify and remove SEO spam, fix harmful redirects, and clean up spammy links to restore your site’s integrity.

Beyond removal, it’s essential to strengthen your website security to prevent future attacks. If you’re struggling to remove SEO spam or want expert assistance to secure your WordPress site, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Need help? Contact our WordPress support team today, and let us handle the cleanup while you focus on growing your website!