Google’s PageRank algorithm is very well known. It’s a reliable and useful way for SEO experts and web designers to use white hat techniques to help their clients improve their ranking. Unfortunately, this also makes it a popular target for spammers, and is often used as part of black hat SEO techniques. Google works hard to fight linkspam by constantly adjusting their search algorithm and, occasionally, taking manual action.
What if Manual Action is Taken Against You?
If your site has fallen victim to linkspam, Google may send you or your web designer a message informing you that they’ve detected “unnatural links” to your website. Unnatural links may include black-hat techniques such as paid links, link schemes, or link exchanges. Basically, any linking that violates Google’s quality guidelines is liable to get flagged and get your site removed from search results.
It’s not hard to imagine what a negative impact this could have on your business. You do have options for getting these unnatural links removed from your site; there are programs that remove links automatically, but they are only moderately successful when you’re dealing with hundreds- or even thousands- of bad links. If the situation is really bad, you should consider the Disavow Tool.
What is the Disavow Tool?
If you’re at the point of shutting down your site and starting fresh with a new domain, this could be your savior. The Disavow Tool is a last-resort option for getting back into Google’s good graces. Keep in mind that it shouldn’t be used until you’ve tried other techniques, and it should only be utilized by a web designer or Search Engine Optimization expert.
Essentially, your web designer gives Google a list of the low-quality links that you’d like them to ignore when evaluating your site. We recommend disavowing entire domains, not just URLs. This is much simpler and ensures that you take out every possible poor-quality page pointing to your site.
If you’ve got enough spammy links to your site, it’s likely that you’ll end up disavowing a few good links along with the bad and the ugly ones. But if you’re in the position to need the Disavow Tool, we think it’s a small price to pay to get back into search results.
Just remember, the Disavow Tool is a complex option that should be handled by a Search Engine Optimization expert.
