Google Link Spam Update (14 December 2022): What Changed and How to Recover

The Google December 2022 link spam update started on 14 December 2022 and finished on 12 January 2023, a 29-day rollout across all languages. It was the first time Google said it was using SpamBrain against link spam, detecting both sites that buy links and sites that exist to pass outgoing links, and removing the credit those links passed. The important point for anyone who lost rankings: this was a devaluation, not a penalty, so the lost link value does not come back when you clean up.

This is one entry in my full list of Google algorithm updates.

What the December 2022 link spam update changed

Google had run link spam updates before, but this was the first time it said SpamBrain, its AI-based spam prevention system, was being used to fight link spam. According to Google, SpamBrain can “detect both sites buying links, and sites used for the purpose of passing outgoing links.”

That second part matters. It was not only about the site receiving the links. Sites that sell links, guest post farms, private blog networks and other domains whose main job is to pass links to others were also being identified. When those sites are identified, the links coming from them stop counting.

Google was blunt about the effect: “any credit passed by these unnatural links are lost.” A site that ranked because of those links loses that support, and its rankings settle at whatever level its remaining, legitimate signals justify.

Devaluation versus penalty

This distinction is the most misunderstood part of link spam updates.

• A manual action is a penalty applied by a reviewer. It shows in Search Console, and you can fix the issue and request reconsideration.
• An algorithmic devaluation, which is what this update did, simply ignores the spammy links. Nothing shows in Search Console. There is nothing to lift, so there is nothing to request.

Timeline

Who was affected

Industry observers reported that sites relying on purchased or unnatural links saw drops as link credit was removed. Google named no sites. From the description, the exposed groups were:

• sites with link profiles built from paid guest posts without rel="sponsored"
• sites that bought links from link sellers or private blog networks
• publishers that sold followed links, whose outgoing links could be neutralised
• local businesses that bought cheap “SEO packages” made up of directory and blog comment links

A site with a link profile built from genuine mentions, press coverage and partner links would have had little to worry about.

How to tell if the December 2022 link spam update hit your site

Two updates overlapped across the holiday period, so the diagnosis is about links first, then timing.

1. Review your link history honestly. Did you or an agency buy links, pay for guest posts, or join a link exchange? If the answer is no, this update is an unlikely cause.
2. Check the Links report in Search Console. Export top linking sites and look for domains that publish posts on every topic, sites with “write for us” pages selling placements, or networks with similar designs and owners.
3. Compare with the right baseline. Look at 13 January to 9 February 2023 against the same period in 2022, as December is a poor comparison month for most sites.
4. Check which pages fell. Link devaluations hit the pages that received the bought links hardest, usually money pages and the homepage. A site-wide drop across content with no links points towards the helpful content update instead.
5. Check Manual actions anyway. If you see an “Unnatural links to your site” action, that is a separate, manual problem.

How to recover from the December 2022 link spam update

Recovery here is about rebuilding, not repairing. The neutralised links will not start counting again, and disavowing them does not give back their value. What you can do is make sure the site is clean and earn new links that do count.

Step 1: Stop the practice

Cancel any link buying arrangements and stop selling followed links. Continuing to buy links after an update like this just adds more links that will be ignored.

Step 2: Qualify the links that should be qualified

If you are a publisher, this applies to your outgoing links. If you paid for placements on other sites, ask them to add the attribute where you can.

Step 3: Decide on the disavow file

For an algorithmic devaluation, Google already ignores the links it has identified. A disavow file is mainly useful if you have a manual action or a large set of clearly paid links you cannot get removed. It does not speed up recovery from this update.

Step 4: Rebuild on earned links

This is the slow part. Create content that other sites want to reference, such as original data, useful tools or local guides, and promote it to people who would genuinely link to it. My off-page SEO service is built around this kind of outreach rather than paid placements.

Step 5: Strengthen what does not depend on links

Content quality, internal linking and relevance still drive rankings. Improving them helps make up for the lost link credit.

Step 6: Read the link spam section of Google’s spam policies

It lists the patterns Google considers link spam. Train anyone working on your site, including agencies, on what not to do.

Is it still relevant today?

Yes. The December 2022 update established SpamBrain as Google’s tool against link spam, and the approach of neutralising links rather than penalising sites has continued since. Anyone selling “high DA backlinks” today is selling the kind of link this update was designed to ignore.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Google Search Central Blog
• Search Engine Journal: Google algorithm history
• Keywords Everywhere

If your rankings fell between mid-December 2022 and January 2023 and you suspect old link building, request a free audit. My SEO audit service includes a backlink review that separates links worth keeping from links Google is likely ignoring.