As with anything else Google, there may or may not be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and this is certainly the case with their disavow tool. In the right hands, it could help protect your site from being penalised by spammy backlinks. In the wrong hands, it could cost you valid links that could very well gain that coveted page rank in the Google SERPs. Are you familiar with the disavow tool and have you thought of using it to rid your site of those unwanted links that ‘might’ be keeping your rank low? If so, before you go another step further, please read the following information carefully.
Before you use the disavow tool, there are steps you can take to see if this is your best course of action. You should know that there are other, less drastic, actions you might be able to take which may be the smartest move. If you still decide to run with the disavow tool, make absolutely sure you know what you are doing. Here is some well-founded advice:
Suggested Analytics to Run to Identify Problem Backlinks
It is suggested that the first step you take should be to utilise a tool such as URL Profiler to analyse link data on a domain level, using sources such as Ahrefs, Majestic and Moz. However, this is only the beginning because it points to top level (domain level) links to your site for you to further analyse. If you see high ranking sites that have established a position of authority, you may want to be careful disavowing any backlinks from that site. However, if you come across sites that are notoriously spammy and extremely low ranking, these are the sites that you should focus on for your disavow file.
Have You Tried Contacting the Webmaster to Have Them Removed?
Once you have identified the problem links, the first thing you should always do is to try to contact the webmaster of that site. It is better to ask to have those links removed on a number of levels. Of primary importance is the way in which Google handles disavowing those backlinks. It could take weeks or months before they are handled by the search giant and secondly, over-use of the disavow tool (or improper use) could cost your rankings dearly.
Here is where we get into the number one problem with the disavow tool where many people make critical mistakes. Incorrectly formatted disavow files can remove wanted backlinks from the search engine which may cost you more than leaving a questionable link or two to your site.
Beware the Disavow Site Trap
As mentioned above, high ranking sites of authority should be handled with extreme care. Altogether too many unsuspecting website owners have unwittingly disavowed entire sites. You never, ever want to disavow an entire site of authority for one simple post that slipped by them and went live. Imagine all those backlinks you ‘could’ be getting from their site but aren’t because you disavowed the entire domain.
If you must disavow a backlink from a site of authority, disavow the page and not the domain. Unwitting disavowal of an entire domain can, and does, happen when using the tool before you understand how to fine tune it. In fact, even Google warns that this tool is ‘advanced’ and should be used with extreme ‘caution.’ In the wrong hands, it could pose serious problems with ranking going forward.
At Ink Elves, we are constantly in communication with webmasters facing problems with spammy backlinks that they would like removed. It is not as cut and dry or straightforward a process as many would like it to be. Of course, with Google’s algorithms constantly in flux, nothing is really ever simple. If you need help identifying problem backlinks and having them disavowed correctly without causing a bigger problem for your site, we can help. For further information on the wide range of professional SEO services offered by Ink Elves, contact us today.
