Our forum links are redirecting to high spammy & NSFW sites: Any impact on main website?

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Hi all,

We have a discussion forum like subdomain.website.com. Some spammers have created many links with our subdomain URL which are redirecting to high spammy and NSFW sites (Not sure how they did). We are trying to stop the redirects.

So far many visitors and bots have recorded visits to these spammy sites with our URL.

Will this impact our website anyhow ? I noticed that our website spam score has been increased and not sure if this is coincidental or penalized. Ranking even dropped without manual actions.

I wonder how much of this subdomain activity will impact main website?

Please advise.
#forum #high #impact #links #main #nsfw #redirecting #sites #spammy #website
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris-
    My guess is that it will impact your domain, because I would think that Google and the others would include your sub-domain activity in your domain score.

    So yes, ban the spammers, remove all the spam links, find ways to prevent them from continuing to do that etc. etc.

    Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author expmrb
    Usually sub-domains are considered as separate domains so people don't get penalized by them. But in your case I can't suggest anything. First of all you start by identifying and purging those spammers.
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  • Profile picture of the author KylieSweet
    Do you already visit your search console? for some visible issue/s message from Google.
    Does it really affects your website's daily transactions or engagements?
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  • Profile picture of the author filauc
    I'm no expert, but making sure that all the URLs in your forum are set to nofollow is probably going to help you and reduce spam if it's not like that already.
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  • Profile picture of the author codyhay
    Better eliminate those spammers and reevaluate the member subscription process just in case to reduce further spam registration.
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  • Profile picture of the author dave_hermansen
    I recommend a zero tolerance policy that is well known from the beginning ... spam once and you're out.

    Of course, somebody is going to need to review every link that is placed and see if it is truly spam. Even though people sometimes link to their own stuff, if it is related to the thread and beneficial, it is not spam.

    Finally, as filauc suggested, make sure that all links are automatically no-follow. Not only will that keep them from impacting the subdomain negatively (and the main domain), it SHOULD deter link builders from targeting your forum for spam.

    (I emphasized the word, "should" because anyone who knows what they are doing would never be spamming a forum in the first place, thinking those links will help their pages rank better. The problem, however, is that there are still a whole lot of stupid people out there that think that links from forums are going to help their rankings - you see many of them on a weekly basis here on this forum).
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    • Profile picture of the author expmrb
      Originally Posted by dave_hermansen View Post

      I recommend a zero tolerance policy that is well known from the beginning ... spam once and you're out.

      Of course, somebody is going to need to review every link that is placed and see if it is truly spam. Even though people sometimes link to their own stuff, if it is related to the thread and beneficial, it is not spam.

      Finally, as filauc suggested, make sure that all links are automatically no-follow. Not only will that keep them from impacting the subdomain negatively (and the main domain), it SHOULD deter link builders from targeting your forum for spam.

      (I emphasized the word, "should" because anyone who knows what they are doing would never be spamming a forum in the first place, thinking those links will help their pages rank better. The problem, however, is that there are still a whole lot of stupid people out there that think that links from forums are going to help their rankings - you see many of them on a weekly basis here on this forum).

      Zero tolerance is a good policy if people know you and your forum.


      I personally lets off any member once, just by giving a warning.
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      • Profile picture of the author dave_hermansen
        Originally Posted by expmrb View Post

        Zero tolerance is a good policy if people know you and your forum.


        I personally lets off any member once, just by giving a warning.
        99% of the spam we get is the very first post from someone who just signed up that day - you know, the "check out the totally irrelevant thing that I'm selling" kind of thing.. No loss, as far as I am concerned, especially considering that the policy is clearly displayed at the top of the forum - you really have no excuse for not knowing about it.
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        • Profile picture of the author expmrb
          Originally Posted by dave_hermansen View Post

          99% of the spam we get is the very first post from someone who just signed up that day - you know, the "check out the totally irrelevant thing that I'm selling" kind of thing.. No loss, as far as I am concerned, especially considering that the policy is clearly displayed at the top of the forum - you really have no excuse for not knowing about it.

          They are one kind that's for sure.
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