Why should we disavow links and what are the benefits of doing so
Google has a tool that is called the Google disavow tool, this is a tool that is meant to protect your website from any sort of link related penalties. Simply put, this tool allows you to inform Google regarding the backlinks it should ignore for ranking purposes. This process is a rather simple one to go about, all you have to do is accumulate all the links you want to disavow into a text file and send it through via Google Search Console. The aim and goal of this process is to discourage spam link building.
It could be helpful to think of this whole process as a link detox.
It is also important to mention that the disavowing process is definitely not one that should be taken up frequently, the first and the most essential step that needs to be taken is deciding whether a link calls for disavowal or not.
Why should we disavow links in the first place?
Google’s disavow tool is seen as a tool that is meant to be used as a last resort and it is recommended to be used as little as possible. The disavow tool should be used only when you require to clean your website’s backlink profile and flush out all the spammy and low quality links (the links that you think will contribute to your rankings detrimentally ).
This has been said before and it bears repeating but this step should be given a lot of consideration because there is a high chance that Google might end up penalizing you if you happen to (by accident or on purpose) disavow any satisfactory links that were not bringing down your rankings.
A good navigating entity you can use in situations like this is the manual action message in the google console, if you happen to get a message there then it is definitely time to consider disavowing some of the spammy backlinks you have accumulated.
To evaluate your backlink profile you can always make use of the “Links to your site” option in the google search console. This will let you view all the websites that are linking to your website, based on this you can gauge which ones are spammy and detrimental and do the needful.
Some link types you should definitely consider disavowing are as follows:
- Comment as well as forum spam links
- Domain links that have expired
- Sites that have low quality content
- Paid links
- Private Blog network lines
Benefits of disavowing links:
- Gets rid of detrimental links that are sinking your ratings (primary motive behind using the disavow tool).
- A simple tool with very effective results.
- A free tool that requires no form of patent.
Disadvantages of disavowing links:
- The disposing of links is not always guaranteed (Google only allows you the opportunity to request removal, reserving the right on the final word of whether or not it does get removed).
- The process of determining which link is detrimental and which one is not is a rather laborious task.
- To determine the quantity of detrimental links is also a task.
- The disavow tool must be used with caution and is not meant for every website there exists.
How to use the disavow tool:
- Download a text file of all the links perceive as detrimental and have the intention of Download a text file of all the links perceive as detrimental and have the intention of disavowing.
- Create a new text file populated with such links and present them in a format that is described in your webmaster tools disavow links tab.
- Upload the said text file.
- Google will then process the information you have submitted and get back to you in a few weeks.
On a concluding note it would make sense to inform you that the disavowing of links is an important aspect of running a successful website but the tool must be used in caution lest it prove more detrimental than the links in question. A link audit should only be considered and carried out once in 12 months (this of course is ultimately dependent on the size and credibility of your website).