Mistakes to Avoid While Using Disavow Tool

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by Guna Nadar - 6/12/2013 6849 Views

Matt Cutt's Machete Approach on the Bad Backlinks

Discussing about the usage of the disavow tool is on the roof, after the new video released by the Head of Google Webspam Team Matt Cutts. The rules are already the same but still there are so many mistakes people commit while requesting and uploading the file for disavowing links. On the recent video, Matt Cutts clearly explains about the Do’s and Don’ts on the usage of the tool. Let’s have a brief look on it.

Disavow Tips

If you find backlink which is irrelevant or from a spammy site and if you are sure to remove it from your site, always send a request to the webmaster of that corresponding site as your initial step. Delaying or on no response, you can rend the help of Google Disavow. Disavow requests are not guaranteed to remove the requested link the very next second but it is openly said by Google that it will take a time span of 45 days. Below are some tips on the usage of Disavow tools for your convenience.

Presentation on Disavow Tips

Video on Disavow Tips

DO's

Use only TextFile .txt (Notepad)
Use # for comments eg: # this is a paid link but i did not pay for it
Single link url per line
Right syntax to remove entire domain - domain: sitename.com
While updating the links, download existing file and append the links

Formating

For removing an individual link

Eg: # Contacted webmaster to remove the link but no response

http://spam.badsite.com/stuff/comment s.html

For removing the Entire Domain

Eg: # Contacted Webmaster but no response

Domain:badsite.com

Domain names are not case sensitive. (Use --> Domain: Badsite.com or domain: badsite.com)
Space is also not considered (domain: badsite.com or domain : badsite.com)

Do not use www or http for removing the entire domain
Eg : Domain:www.badsite.com (or) domain:http.spam.badsite.com

Criteria for identifying unnatural links

Sites that fall under disavowing actions includes, Disavow Tips

Irrelevant sites
Spammy Sites (Network sites)
Pages with too many Outbound Links
Paid Sites
Malware affected Sites
Other Language Sites
Links exchange Sites (Reciprocal Links)
Sites from Same Class C IP’s
Links from sites which has automated tools Eg: seoprofiler.com

Matt Cutts recommends to use the Machete approach instead of scalpel. Machete disavows all bad backlinks from an entire domain whereas Scalpel picks up only the individual backlink. Incase if your competitors posts something bad about your site with a backlink on another site where you are already getting quality links, then use disavow tool to remove only that Specific URL. Before simply disavowing, always analyze the link and only if you feel it to be irrelevant then send requests for removing.

Recommendations:

Frequency of checking the disavow links can be in the span of 2 months (60 days in other words).

Best Practices:

While sending the text file for disavowing links use the below format

# comment the updated date

Append the links

After downloading the links and appending, sending request once to Google is enough.

Video by Matt on Disavow

Infographics on Disavow Tips

Category :

SEO News

Tags :

Disavow Tool, Disavow Tips, how to Disavow links, how to remove bad links, Matt Cutts

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About Guna Nadar

Brief Info about Guna Nadar +

I mostly write technical aspects and not much into creative writing. For the past decade I worked along with top notch SEO & Internet Marketing professionals which naturally lured me into the world of Search Engines. When I am not writing I read from comics to philosophy.Antiques, Fishing, hunting are my passions. Currently I am working on Google Penalty protection and .... more info

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