Introduction to Google’s Link Disavow Tool

Google’s link disavow tool is a feature that allows publishers and SEOs to manage unwanted backlinks that they don’t want Google to count against them. This tool is useful for dealing with unnatural links that an SEO or a publisher is responsible for creating, which can require urgent action. The link disavow tool is accessible via the Google Search Console and enables users to upload a spreadsheet with a list of URLs or domains from which they want links to not count against them in Google’s index.

What is the Link Disavow Tool Used For?

The link disavow tool was created by Google in response to requests by SEOs for an easy way to disavow paid links they were responsible for obtaining and were unable to remove from the websites in which they were placed. Google’s official guidance for the disavow tool has always been that it’s for use by SEOs and publishers who want to disavow paid or otherwise unnatural links that they are responsible for obtaining and are unable to have removed. Google expressly says that the vast majority of sites do not need to use the tool, especially for low-quality links for which they have nothing to do with.

How Google Processes the Link Disavow Tool

A person asked John Mueller, a Google representative, about how Google processed the newly added links to the disavow tool. The person wanted to know if the new domains are treated separately as new additions and if Google reprocesses the whole list when new domains are added. John Mueller answered that the order of the domains and URLs on the list didn’t matter. He stated that Google doesn’t process the file per-se, meaning it’s not an immediate filter of the index, and instead takes it into account when recrawling other sites naturally.

Understanding the Processing Time

The answer provided by John Mueller is interesting because it suggests that Google doesn’t act on the link disavow file immediately. Instead, the data contained in the file is acted upon during the normal course of crawling. This means that the link disavow file doesn’t trigger anything, but the data is used to filter out unwanted links when Google crawls the site again. This process can take some time, and it’s not a instantaneous solution.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the link disavow tool is a useful feature for SEOs and publishers who need to manage unwanted backlinks. While it’s not a solution for dealing with spammy links, it’s useful for dealing with unnatural links that require urgent action. Understanding how Google processes the link disavow tool can help users make the most of this feature. By uploading a list of unwanted URLs or domains to the tool, users can help Google understand which links to ignore, and improve their website’s overall quality and ranking.