Why did my Semrush Authority Score go down?

[Henrymini]

Hey everyone, I’ve been using Semrush to monitor my website, and its Authority Score has been holding steady at 19 for the longest time. I checked two days ago, it was still 19, and then today it dropped to 14. Kinda worried here.
So here’s what I’ve been doing lately:
Over the past month, I’ve been focusing on building backlinks, I bought link insertions in some guest posts, some from as far back as 2022, and some that were freshly published this year (2025).
Could this be the reason my AS suddenly dropped?

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改写说明：

 

[tazarbm]

Could this be the reason my AS suddenly dropped?

yes
https://www.semrush.com/blog/semrush-authority-score-explained/

 

[Pro Linkerz]

Your Semrush Authority Score likely dropped because of the recent backlinks you added. When too many paid or low-quality links appear at once, Semrush's system may see it as unnatural and lower your score. Some old links you used might also have lost value if those sites became weak or spammy. Try to build links slowly from real, relevant websites, and your score should improve again over time.

 

[BlackHatZetto]

It could be the backlinks you’ve added. If they’re from low-quality sites or there’s been a recent algorithm update, that might cause the drop.

 

[Henrymini]

Your Semrush Authority Score likely dropped because of the recent backlinks you added. When too many paid or low-quality links appear at once, Semrush's system may see it as unnatural and lower your score. Some old links you used might also have lost value if those sites became weak or spammy. Try to build links slowly from real, relevant websites, and your score should improve again over time.

Thanks. I bought over 30 link insertions from Sept to Oct, and spaced them out by publishing a few each day.

 

[GeeLark AI]

Hey everyone, I’ve been using Semrush to monitor my website, and its Authority Score has been holding steady at 19 for the longest time. I checked two days ago, it was still 19, and then today it dropped to 14. Kinda worried here.
So here’s what I’ve been doing lately:
Over the past month, I’ve been focusing on building backlinks, I bought link insertions in some guest posts, some from as far back as 2022, and some that were freshly published this year (2025).
Could this be the reason my AS suddenly dropped?

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改写说明：

Your drop likely isn’t from the backlinks themselves, but from Semrush re-crawling and recalculating things

It’s normal for AS to jump up or down suddenly.
Focus on real traffic and rankings, not the score.

 

[james seo 7468]

Semrush recalculates scores often focus on traffic and keyword growth instead of small AS drops.

 

[nigunim]

Yes, Semrush may have detected low-quality or paid links, causing a drop. Over time, you'll see your score come back if you get natural and relevant backlinks.

 

[ads studio]

Hey everyone, I’ve been using Semrush to monitor my website, and its Authority Score has been holding steady at 19 for the longest time. I checked two days ago, it was still 19, and then today it dropped to 14. Kinda worried here.
So here’s what I’ve been doing lately:
Over the past month, I’ve been focusing on building backlinks, I bought link insertions in some guest posts, some from as far back as 2022, and some that were freshly published this year (2025).
Could this be the reason my AS suddenly dropped?

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改写说明：

Hey, don't worry too much. There are a few reasons why your Authority Score can drop suddenly that aren't always terrible. Semrush often changes its metrics and backlink evaluations, thus it is possible that older or lower-quality links were looked at again. Instead of buying placements, I suggest that you focus on getting new, relevant backlinks from reliable sites, keep your content strong, and keep an eye on your link profile for any poisonous domains. Your AS will naturally bounce back if you keep doing the same things.

 

[AgedDoms]

I don't think getting paid links affected your score. Check is there any unantural spammy BL created or not via semrush backlink checker. Such as comment backlinks or your're getting links from adult webistes, etc

 

[SERP_Specialist]

Semrush Authority Score can fluctuate when their index updates or when some of your backlinks lose value, get removed, or come from lower quality sources. Buying link insertions might have triggered a drop if those sites aren’t strong or relevant anymore. I’d check the new backlink report in Semrush and focus on earning links from fresh, authoritative sites the score should recover over time.

 

[bonikene]

Yes this is the reason if you add some lower quality links your semrush score may go down is normal based on how they calculate the authority score

 

[LinkFalcon]

SEMrush Authority Score can fluctuate a lot, especially after new link acquisitions. Sometimes older links being re-indexed or losing value can also affect it. I would suggest checking your referring domains’ health and recent toxic score changes.

 

[SiteXpert]

Yes, that could definitely be part of it. Semrush’s Authority Score reacts to shifts in your backlink profile quality, not just the quantity. If some of the new or older links you added came from sites with declining metrics, low engagement, or spammy patterns, it can pull your score down. Also, Semrush updates its link index regularly, so temporary drops can happen when links are re-evaluated or removed. Keep focusing on relevant, high-quality placements and a balanced anchor text profile, the score usually stabilizes once your link profile looks more natural and consistent.​

 

[wksdlsaneh]

It happens sometimes when Semrush updates their metrics or re evaluates backlinks. Some older or low quality link insertions might’ve been devalued. Give it a few days the score often stabilizes after updates.

 

[seo crazy]

Semrush scores often change when their system updates, so a drop usually means it’s rechecking your links, not your site quality.

 

[Oliver Bennett]

Your Semrush Authority Score likely went down due to lost or low-quality backlinks, reduced traffic, higher competition, or SEO issues. Improving content and link quality can help restore it.

 

[Henrymini]

Hey guys, just a quick update. I found a lot of adult websites in my latest backlinks, with Chinese descriptions that are clearly about adult content. How do I clean up these spam backlinks affecting my site? I've obviously never posted anything on those sites, and I haven't even opened them.