Navigating the labyrinth of Search Engine Optimisation can be tricky, and one task you might be facing is disavowing backlinks in Google Search Console. This feature allows you to essentially ‘ignore’ unwanted or harmful backlinks to your website that could be negatively impacting your site’s ranking. This article guides you through the process, breaking down each step to help you sail smoothly through this somewhat complex task. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll be able to manage your backlinks with confidence and see the positive impact on your site’s visibility in search results.
Understanding the Need for Disavowing Backlinks
In the realm of Search Engine Optimisation, your website’s success isn’t merely a measure of the content you produce, but also of the company it keeps. Backlinks, or the line of referral from other locations on the web, play a pivotal role in deciding the fate your website’s rank on search engine results.
Importance of high-quality backlinks for SEO
Your website is evaluated not just based on its own merits, but also by the strength and quality of the websites linked to it. High-quality backlinks work like a recommendation letter – they signal to search engines that your site is trustworthy and contains reliable, high-quality information. Consequently, high-quality backlinks can improve your website’s visibility and ranking on search engine results.
Potential problems with low-quality or spammy backlinks
Just as a glowing recommendation can boost your reputation, associations with bad links can raise red flags. Backlinks from websites that indulge in shady practices like spamming, illicit activity, or simply have poorly optimised content can damage your standing in the eyes of search engines.
How low-quality backlinks can harm your website’s SEO ranking
Low-quality backlinks can result in your website being penalised and slipping down the rankings, or worse, removed altogether from the search results. This is where the process of disavowing backlinks comes in. This can help cleanse your website’s backlink profile, keeping your SEO efforts intact.
Identifying Bad Backlinks
Ascertaining which backlinks are hindering your website’s performance is critical. You need to be careful and thorough in this task as erroneously disavowing beneficial links can lead to a significant drop in traffic and rankings.
Characteristics of low-quality backlinks
Low-quality backlinks generally originate from websites that are not relevant to your own site’s content, websites with low domain authority, link networks created solely for SEO boosting, or sites with thin or plagiarised content. Another tell-tale sign of harmful backlinks is if they are from a website that seems over-optimised with keywords.
How to analyse your website’s backlink profile
Getting an overview of your backlink profile is a critical step towards identifying the negative backlinks affecting your SEO. Tools like Moz, SEMRush, and Ahrefs can help you get a comprehensive list of all the websites linking to your domain.
Using SEO tools to identify harmful backlinks
Using tools like Ahrefs, you can delve deeper into the characteristics of each of your backlinks. These platforms offer you information about the domain rating of the referring website, its place of origin, the anchor text used for the link, and more. Through this analysis, you can select the backlinks that warrant disavowal.
Preparing to Disavow Backlinks
After you have identified potentially harmful backlinks, it’s time to prepare for the disavowal process. Google’s Disavow Links tool is the mechanism for this task when it comes to Google Search, but there are a few things to be wary of before you commence.
Getting familiar with Google’s Disavow Links tool
Google’s Disavow Links tool allows you to inform Google’s crawlers to overlook specific backlinks while evaluating your website. Still, it is a double-edged sword and should be used sparingly and judiciously.
Considerations before disavowing any links
Don’t jump the gun when it comes to disavowing links. Google’s advanced algorithms have evolved to identify and devalue spammy or low-quality links, and they recommend using the disavow tool only in cases where these backlinks are impacting your website’s rankings.
Understanding the potential risks and downsides of using the disavow tool
There’s a real danger tied to using the disavow tool – if beneficial links are mistakenly identified as harmful, the act of disavowing them could lead to a severe drop in your website’s SEO rank. Therefore, always proceed with caution when preparing to disavow backlinks.
Creating a List of Links to Disavow
With a clear understanding of the backlinks hurting your website’s SEO, you’ll need to create a comprehensive list of the offending URLs or domains.
How to organise the links you wish to disavow
You can disavow at the page level or at the domain level if you find multiple damaging backlinks from a single source. Ensure that these links are all compiled into a single .txt document using the right format.
Formatting the list correctly for Google
To disavow a particular URL, simply include it in your text file, one URL per line. When disavowing a whole domain, you should use the format “domain:example.com”. Google provides comprehensive instructions on how to do this on their help page.
Importance of keeping a record of the links you’re disavowing
Remember to maintain a detailed record of the links you disavow, along with the reasons why you chose to do so. This can be invaluable for future reference and is also a useful piece of documentation if you choose to enlist professional help further down the line.
Using Google Search Console to Disavow Links
Google Search Console is the gateway to submitting your disavow file to Google, and navigating its steps accurately is critical.
Accessing the Disavow Links tool through Google Search Console
To access the Disavow Links tool, you need to log in to Google Search Console. You can then navigate to the Disavow Links tool page.
Steps for uploading your disavow file
Once you’re in the tool, choose the correct domain you want to disavow links for, and then upload your .txt file. It’s as simple as browsing and selecting the respective file.
Ensuring your file is correctly processed by Google
You need to validate your upload with Google for it to be successful. Google’s interface will provide confirmation if your file is uploaded properly and accepted for processing.
Receiving Confirmation from Google
There’s a waiting period involved between uploading your disavow file and Google processing it, and you need to be aware of what to expect.
Expected timeline for Google to process your disavow file
After submission, Google takes a few weeks to crawl your website again and apply the disavow directives that you’ve submitted.
How to check that Google has received and implemented your disavow requests
Given that this process is entirely behind-the-scenes, there’s no real way to confirm that your disavow requests have been implemented. All you can do is check for improvements in SEO ranking over time.
Understanding why Google might not action all disavow requests
At times, Google may not act on all disavow requests you make, especially if their algorithms see those links as harmless. Google maintains discretion on implementing disavow requests.
Monitoring the After-Effects of Disavowing Links
Post disavowal, it’s crucial to keep a watchful eye on the impact it’s had on your SEO ranking.
How disavowing links impacts your SEO ranking over time
Disavowing links can have a favourable outcome, and you can expect to see an improvement in your website’s performance gradually.
Using Google Search Console and other tools to monitor changes
Tools like Google Search Console, Moz, or SEMRush can help monitor such changes effectively over a period.
Interpreting the metrics after disavowing links
By looking at metrics like Domain Authority, Page Rank, and organic traffic, you can check how effective the disavowal was and whether you need to repeat the process.
Reconsideration Requests After Disavowing Links
Sometimes, disavowing links might be followed by submitting a reconsideration request to Google.
When to consider submitting a reconsideration request
If your website is handed a manual penalty because of the harmful backlinks associated with it, disavowing these links and then sending a reconsideration request can help get the penalty lifted.
How to submit a reconsideration request via Google Search Console
Within Google Search Console, you can submit a reconsideration request under the ‘Security & Manual Actions’ tab. Make sure to provide clear information about the steps you’ve taken towards improving your website’s link profile.
Expected outcomes from a reconsideration request
Google may take a few weeks to respond to reconsideration requests. If your request is approved, your manual penalty can be lifted, and you may see your website regain its ranks on the search engine results.
Preventive Measures to Avoid Bad Backlinks
While disavowing links is a reactive measure, there are preventative steps you can take to maintain a healthy link profile for your site.
Practices for maintaining a healthy backlink profile
Always strive for organic and meaningful backlinks from high-authority websites. Regularly audit your backlink profile to identify and deal with damaging backlinks promptly.
Proactively managing your website’s SEO through high-quality link building
Creating high-quality original content and working on symbiotic partnerships allows you to manage your website’s SEO proactively, building a roster of valuable backlinks.
Steps for regularly monitoring and analysing your backlink profile
Regularly monitor and analyse your backlink profile using SEO management tools to get a deeper understanding of your website’s link landscape.
Final Thoughts on Disavowing Backlinks
The disavowing backlinks process is a critical, yet relatively advanced aspect of managing your website’s SEO.
The role of disavowing links in a broader SEO strategy
Managing your backlink portfolio is a significant pillar of your overarching SEO strategy. It’s not only about accumulating high-quality backlinks, but also about disavowing the harmful ones promptly.
When to consider seeking professional help for disavowing links
The disavowing process is complex and fraught with potential pitfalls, so you might want to seek help from a professional SEO company. They can offer their expertise and help avoid unnecessary mistakes that could hurt your website’s rankings.
Continuous process of Maintaining and improving SEO ranking via managing backlinks
Remember, SEO is not a set-it-and-forget-it strategy. It requires constant revision and updating, and managing your backlinks is a crucial part of this ongoing process. With careful, regular monitoring and prompt action, you can maintain a healthy backlink profile that only works to boost your website’s SEO ranking.
Hi, I’m Nicholas Bortoluzzi (but people often call me Nico).
I am the Founder and Director at SEO Lynx, an internet marketing agency operating in the UK and servicing clients worldwide.
The article on this page was written and curated by myself.