What are disavowed backlinks?
Disavowed backlinks are links pointing to your website that you request search engines to disregard when evaluating your website’s SEO value. Here’s a deeper look at disavowed backlinks:
Why Disavow Backlinks?
Not all backlinks are created equal. While backlinks from high-quality, relevant websites are beneficial for SEO, backlinks from low-quality or spammy websites can hurt your website’s ranking and visibility. Here are some reasons to disavow backlinks:
- Low-Quality Websites: Links from websites with irrelevant content, excessive ads, or a history of spam can be seen negatively by search engines.
- Sudden Influx of Backlinks: A sudden surge in backlinks from unknown websites is a red flag and could be a sign of manipulative link-building tactics used against your website.
- Unnatural Anchor Text: An unnatural distribution of anchor text in your backlinks, especially with keyword stuffing, can be a sign of manipulation.
How Does Disavowing Work?
You can’t directly remove backlinks from the internet. However, you can disavow them using a tool provided by search engines like Google. By submitting a disavow file listing the links you want to disavow, you essentially tell search engines to ignore those links when evaluating your website’s SEO.
Important Considerations:
- Disavow Should Be a Last Resort: Disavowing backlinks is a serious action and should only be done after careful consideration. It’s generally recommended to attempt removing backlinks by contacting the webmaster of the linking website first.
- Accurate Disavow File Creation: The disavow file needs to be formatted correctly to be effective. Including incorrect information can have unintended consequences.
- Disavowing Doesn’t Guarantee Removal: Submitting a disavow file doesn’t guarantee search engines will disregard the backlinks entirely. However, it indicates your stance and helps search engines make a more informed decision about the link’s value.
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When to Seek Professional Help:
Disavowing backlinks can be a complex process, especially if you have a large number of backlinks to review. If you’re unsure whether you need to disavow backlinks or are hesitant about creating a disavow file yourself, consider consulting an SEO professional for guidance.
Here are some additional resources you might find helpful:
- Google Search Console Help – Disavow links to your site: https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/2648487?hl=en
- Semrush – Disavowing Your Backlinks: [invalid URL removed]
By understanding disavowed backlinks and following proper procedures, you can protect your website from the negative impacts of low-quality backlinks and maintain a healthy SEO profile.