What it is
Linking out to spammy or low-quality sites associates your site with them and can hurt trust. I keep outbound links to relevant, reputable destinations. Links to low-quality/spam sites. Can associate your site with bad neighbourhoods. Remove/qualify such links (rel as needed).
Why does outbound links to spam matter for AI search?
Can associate your site with bad neighbourhoods.
How do you fix it?
Remove/qualify such links (rel as needed).
How do you find it on your site?
- Audit outbound links for spammy or irrelevant destinations.
- Remove or nofollow links to untrustworthy sites.
- Keep editorial links to reputable sources only.
- Re-check after changes.
Which ranking and citation factors does it touch?
Outbound links to spam can damage your trust by association. Linking only to reputable sites protects it.
What is the impact?
Low-medium. Direct.
What is the evidence?
Avoid participating in link schemes/bad links. Google Search Central, Spam policies for Google web search
Sources
Frequently asked questions about outbound links to spam
What does "Outbound links to spam" mean?
Links to low-quality/spam sites.
How do you fix outbound links to spam?
Remove/qualify such links (rel as needed).