Definition
SpamBrain is Google's primary anti-spam system, based on artificial intelligence and officially announced in 2018. This system uses machine learning to automatically detect spammy sites, low-quality auto-generated content, and manipulative links. SpamBrain can not only identify sites producing spam but also detect sites buying links and those selling links to manipulate rankings. Regular spam updates continuously strengthen its detection capabilities.
Key Points
- Google's primary anti-spam system based on machine learning
- Detects spam sites, link buyers, and link sellers
- Regularly updated via Google Spam Updates
Practical Examples
Link seller detection
A formerly legitimate site that begins massively selling links in its articles is identified by SpamBrain, resulting in a devaluation of all outgoing links from the domain.
Spam network neutralized
SpamBrain detects a network of 500 auto-generated sites with scraped content and deindexes them in bulk during a spam update.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow Google's webmaster guidelines: avoid buying and selling links for manipulative purposes, don't generate content automatically without supervision, and ensure your SEO practices provide value to users.
Like any automated system, false positives are possible. If your site is wrongly impacted, submit a reconsideration request via Google Search Console.
Go Further with LemmiLink
Discover how LemmiLink can help you put these SEO concepts into practice.
Last updated: 2026-02-07