Backlinks, linking domains, and spam score

A backlink is a link from another website to yours, and search engines treat each one as a vote of confidence. This page explains the difference between backlinks and linking domains, what a spam score means, and how stores actually earn good links.

Backlinks vs linking domains

• Backlinks count every individual link pointing at your site. One blog post that links to you five times = five backlinks.
• Linking domains (or “linking root domains”) count how many different websites link to you. That same blog post = one linking domain.

Linking domains is the number that matters more. Ten links from ten different relevant sites signal far more than a hundred links from one site. When you see a large backlink total with a small linking-domain count, most of those links are repeats from the same few places.

Why did my backlink count drop?

Backlink counts move constantly for reasons that have nothing to do with you: sites shut down, pages get deleted, a blog redesign removes an old post, or the link index simply recrawls and prunes stale entries. A drop in raw backlinks with a steady linking-domain count is bookkeeping noise, not lost reputation.

What is a spam score?

Spam score is Moz’s estimate of how much a site’s link profile resembles sites that get penalized by Google — it’s a “shares traits with risky sites” measure, not a report that you’ve been penalized. Nearly every site accumulates a few odd links from scrapers and low-quality directories without doing anything wrong; a small score is normal and not worth acting on.

A rising score is only a concern if it comes with a cause you recognize — like a link-buying campaign or a flood of links from unrelated foreign-language sites. If your rankings and Search Console are healthy, a spam score moving a few points is not a penalty.

Does CataSEO build backlinks for me?

No. CataSEO optimizes your on-page content — titles, meta descriptions, product and category copy — which is the half of SEO you fully control. Link building is outreach and reputation work that no tool can automate safely: services that promise bulk backlinks deliver exactly the low-quality links spam scores measure.

The connection between the two: well-optimized pages that rank and genuinely answer shoppers’ questions are what other sites choose to link to. On-page quality is the raw material links come from.

How do stores earn good links?

The patterns that work for independent stores, roughly in order of practicality:

• Suppliers and brands you stock — many manufacturers maintain “where to buy” or stockist pages. If you carry the brand, ask to be listed.
• Content worth citing — sizing guides, care instructions, comparison pages, and genuine expertise attract links that product pages never will.
• Local and niche press — community sites, niche blogs, and industry roundups link to stores with a story or specialty.
• Time — link profiles compound. A steady trickle from real sites beats any shortcut.

Avoid buying links or joining link exchanges — that’s the one reliable way to turn a harmless spam score into a real problem.

FAQ

Are backlinks still important for SEO? Yes. Links remain one of the strongest signals search engines use to decide which sites to trust, and they’re the main input to authority metrics like Domain Authority. See What is Domain Authority?.

How do I see who links to me? Moz Link Explorer, Ahrefs, and Semrush all show linking domains for any site, with free tiers. Google Search Console lists your top linking sites for free under Links.

Is a link from a big site always better? Bigger helps, but relevant beats big. A link from a respected site in your niche says more about your store than a stray link from a huge unrelated one.

Can bad links hurt me even if I didn’t create them? Almost never. Google says it ignores the routine junk links every site attracts. Disavowing links is only worth considering after a manual penalty notice in Search Console — which is rare.