Why Your Website Redesign Isn’t Causing Spam (and What to Do If It Feels Like It)
A client emails you after a fresh website launch: “I’m getting more spam since the redesign.”
It sounds logical… new site = new spam. But in reality? That’s almost never the case. Spam is sneaky, and while a redesign may look like the trigger, it’s usually just a matter of timing, visibility, or outside sources.
Let’s break down why this happens, where spam really comes from, and what you can do to cut it down.
Why It Feels Like the Redesign Caused Spam
Timing coincides. Bots send spam in waves. If your redesign went live at the same time a bot found your email or form, it feels like cause and effect. In reality, it’s just unlucky timing.
New forms or tools. Adding a refreshed contact form, an embedded newsletter signup (ConvertKit, Mailchimp, etc.), or more places for visitors to leave their info means more possible entry points. Bots test those too.
More visibility. A redesigned site often improves SEO, user experience, and shareability. The good news: more real visitors. The downside: sometimes more unwanted attention from spambots too.
Other sources. Your info may already exist elsewhere — directories, mailing lists, even past vendors — and spam can originate there, not from your shiny new website.
Where Spam Actually Comes From
Contact Forms: Even with reCAPTCHA, bots can bypass client-side protection and post spam directly.
Email Scraping: If your email address is written in plain text (like info@yourdomain.com), bots can harvest it.
Third-Party Services: Newsletter tools like ConvertKit or Mailchimp, if not set up with double opt-in, may allow fake signups.
Leaked Info: If your business email has ever been exposed in a data breach or shared on another site, it can get recycled by spammers forever.
Best Practices to Reduce Spam Without Losing Leads
✔️ Keep contact info in your footer. This is best practice for SEO, usability, and trust. If scraping is a concern, obfuscate it (name [at] domain [dot] com or use a protected format).
✔️ Use server-side CAPTCHA validation. Bots often bypass standard reCAPTCHA, but server-side or alternatives like Cloudflare Turnstile are stronger.
✔️ Add a honeypot field. A hidden form field traps bots without affecting real users.
✔️ Validate emails. Block disposable or suspicious addresses at form submission.
✔️ Enable double opt-in for newsletters. Tools like ConvertKit allow you to confirm real humans before adding them to your list.
✔️ Use filters. Block by keyword, IP, or submission rate limits.
✔️ Monitor your logs. Check hosting or form logs to see patterns — repeated IPs or instant submissions are usually bots.
How to Check if It’s Really the Redesign
Look at email headers of the spam — see if they’re from form submissions, newsletter signups, or random outside senders.
Test the contact forms yourself to make sure reCAPTCHA and honeypots are working.
Review your newsletter signups — are fake emails slipping into ConvertKit or Mailchimp?
Check if your business email shows up in a data breach database (like HaveIBeenPwned.com).
The Bottom Line
Your redesign didn’t “cause” the spam. If anything, the update likely improved your website’s structure, SEO, and usability. Spam just found its way in because bots are always evolving.
The solution isn’t to hide your contact info or undo your site improvements. It’s to add smarter filters, protect your forms, and keep the focus on the real visitors who matter.
