During the Search Central NYC event, Google’s John Mueller addressed the role of the disavow tool, highlighting that its routine use is unnecessary for standard website upkeep and should be reserved for specific situations involving problematic backlinks.
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Managing Backlinks Without Relying on the Disavow Tool
Mueller provided insights into how Google handles backlinks and the specific circumstances under which the disavow tool becomes relevant for website owners.
The Origin and Purpose of the Disavow Tool
The disavow tool was introduced to help address issues arising from unnatural link-building practices that could harm a website’s ranking.
Google’s disavow tool enables website owners and SEO professionals to inform Google to disregard certain backlinks. This functionality became crucial following the Penguin update in 2012, which targeted sites that engaged in buying links to artificially boost their search rankings.
Instead of manually removing these paid links, SEOs advocated for the disavow tool as a more efficient solution to eliminate the negative impact of such links.
When questioned about alternatives in case the disavow tool becomes unavailable, Mueller dismissed the concept of ‘toxic backlinks,’ clarifying that it is a term created by SEO tool providers rather than by Google itself.
The Disavow Tool is Not Part of Standard Site Maintenance
Mueller emphasized that the disavow tool should not be used as a regular maintenance practice but rather in response to specific issues related to link manipulation.
He stressed that typical website management does not require the use of the disavow tool. Its primary purpose is to address situations where a site has engaged in purchasing links and faces manual penalties as a result.
Without halting the acquisition of such links, simply using the disavow tool will not alleviate the penalties imposed by Google.
The Bottom Line
Relying on the disavow tool for everyday backlink management is ineffective and unnecessary.
Google recommends utilizing this tool only when dealing with deliberate link buying and manual penalties, underscoring the importance of cultivating a natural and high-quality backlink profile to maintain strong search engine performance.
