How to disavow backlinks

Introduction

Backlinks are supposed to help your website grow. They tell search engines that your site is trustworthy, authoritative, and worth ranking. But sometimes, not all backlinks are created equal. Some can drag your rankings down, damage your reputation, or even trigger manual penalties from Google. That is when the dreaded task comes into play: disavowing backlinks.

Many website owners ignore the issue until their rankings drop like a stone. Then they panic and start searching for solutions. I know because I have been there, staring at analytics charts that looked like the downhill slope of a roller coaster. The truth is, disavowing backlinks is not glamorous, but it is necessary if you want to protect your SEO.

What is disavowing backlinks?

Disavowing backlinks simply means telling Google, “Hey, these links pointing to my site are not mine, and I do not want credit for them.” In other words, you ask Google not to consider certain backlinks when evaluating your website.

The idea is simple but powerful. Imagine a shady directory or spammy forum linking to your site. If you leave those links unchecked, they can hurt your trustworthiness. By disavowing them, you protect your site’s reputation. Think of it like telling your boss you had nothing to do with that office prank.

Of course, Google says to use the disavow tool only as a last resort. They claim their systems are smart enough to ignore most bad links. But let’s be honest, would you trust robots to always clean up your mess? I still prefer to grab a broom and handle things myself.

Why you might need to disavow backlinks

Not every suspicious backlink is dangerous. In fact, many harmless ones exist, and you do not need to obsess over every single referring domain. But there are cases where disavowing becomes essential.

You received a manual action from Google related to unnatural links.
You bought cheap backlinks in the past and now regret that decision.
Negative SEO attacks targeted your website with spammy links.
Your backlink audit revealed a huge number of toxic links from irrelevant or adult sites.
You notice sharp ranking drops that correlate with suspicious link growth.

I once inherited a client’s site that had thousands of backlinks from Russian gambling sites. None of them were relevant, and the site’s traffic had tanked. Cleaning up and disavowing those links took weeks, but the recovery was worth it.

How to identify harmful backlinks

Before you can disavow anything, you must identify which links are actually harmful. That requires some detective work. Tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz can help you analyze your backlink profile.

Look for patterns that stand out. Does one domain send hundreds of links with exact-match anchor text? That is suspicious. Are there backlinks from unrelated industries like pharmaceuticals or casinos? Probably toxic. Is there an unusually high volume of links from blog comments, forums, or foreign sites you never contacted? Add them to your list.

The challenge here is not to overdo it. You do not want to disavow natural backlinks that might look odd but are actually helping. It is like cleaning your fridge. Throw away the expired milk, but maybe keep that half-finished jar of pickles unless you really hate pickles.

Preparing your disavow file

Once you have your list of suspicious backlinks, you need to prepare a disavow file. This is a plain text file that tells Google which domains or URLs you want ignored.

The format is simple:

To disavow a specific URL, you write the full link.
To disavow an entire domain, you add “domain:” before the domain name.

You can also include comments in the file by starting a line with a “#” symbol. These comments are for your own reference and will not affect anything. Trust me, you will thank yourself later when you wonder why you disavowed a particular site six months ago.

Here’s a small example:

That’s it. Keep it clean and straightforward.

Submitting your disavow file to Google

Now comes the nerve-wracking part: submitting your file to Google’s Disavow Tool inside Search Console. You will need to select the correct property and upload the text file. Once submitted, Google processes it, though it may take weeks before changes reflect in rankings.

Do not expect immediate miracles. Disavowing links does not guarantee instant recovery. It is more like preventive medicine. You are stopping further damage and signaling to Google that you take your backlink profile seriously.

When I submitted my first disavow file years ago, I checked the rankings every single morning like a nervous parent waiting for exam results. Nothing happened for weeks. Then slowly, rankings began to stabilize, and traffic returned. Patience really is part of the game.

Common mistakes to avoid

Disavowing backlinks sounds simple, but people make plenty of mistakes. Let me save you the trouble.

Over-disavowing: Some webmasters panic and disavow half their backlink profile. That is dangerous. You may accidentally throw away valuable links.
Ignoring manual removals: Always try contacting the site owner first to remove bad links. Disavow should be the backup, not the first move.
Not updating regularly: A disavow file is not “set it and forget it.” Monitor your backlinks often and adjust as needed.
Confusing URLs with domains: If you disavow a single spammy page but leave the rest of the toxic domain, you might miss the bigger problem.

I once saw someone disavow Wikipedia links because they thought too many exact matches looked unnatural. That was like throwing away free gold because it looked too shiny.

Step by step: how to disavow backlinks safely

Let’s put everything together in a structured approach:

Collect all backlinks from Google Search Console and third-party tools.
Analyze them for patterns, spammy anchors, and irrelevant domains.
Create a list of potentially harmful links.
Try contacting webmasters to remove those links manually.
Prepare your disavow text file with the correct format.
Submit the file in Google’s Disavow Tool.
Monitor your rankings and adjust if needed.

If you follow these steps, you reduce the risk of mistakes. Plus, you will sleep better at night knowing that shady backlinks are no longer haunting your site.

Should you disavow often?

That is a fair question. The answer depends on your situation. If your site is small and you do not engage in risky link building, you probably do not need to disavow often. Once or twice a year might be enough.

For larger sites or those in competitive industries, regular audits are smart. I personally run backlink checks every quarter. It sounds excessive, but I have seen enough sudden attacks to know it is worth the effort. Think of it like locking your door even if you live in a quiet neighborhood.

Disavow vs ignore: what Google actually does

Some SEOs argue that Google already ignores most spammy links, so why bother disavowing? It is true that Google’s algorithms have become better at discounting obvious junk. But they are not perfect.

In my experience, disavowing harmful links helps in two ways. First, it signals to Google that you are proactive. Second, it gives you peace of mind knowing you cleaned your backlink profile. Even if Google ignores half the junk, that other half could still cause issues. Better safe than sorry.

I once ignored a wave of spam links thinking Google would filter them out. Rankings plummeted within two months. After disavowing, the site eventually recovered. That experience taught me not to trust Google’s “we got this” attitude entirely.

Extra tips for handling backlinks

Sometimes, the best way to avoid disavowing is prevention. Build a clean, healthy backlink profile from the start. Do not rely on shady link schemes or shortcuts. Focus on quality over quantity.

Here are a few extra tips:

Regularly audit your backlinks to catch issues early.
Keep records of outreach attempts to remove bad links.
Build more good backlinks to outweigh any toxic ones.
Diversify anchor texts and avoid over-optimization.
Stay updated on Google’s guidelines regarding link practices.

Prevention is always easier than cure. But since nobody is perfect, knowing how to disavow safely is like having an insurance policy for your SEO.

Conclusion

Disavowing backlinks is not the most exciting SEO task, but it is an important one. By identifying harmful links, preparing a clean disavow file, and submitting it to Google, you protect your site’s authority. While it does not bring instant rewards, it keeps long-term SEO efforts on track.

Think of it as housekeeping. If you ignore the mess, it piles up and eventually stinks. But if you clean a little regularly, your website stays in good shape. The process may take patience, but the payoff is worth the effort.

And if you are still unsure whether to disavow, ask yourself this: would you want that sketchy site vouching for your brand? Probably not.

At least with backlinks, you cannot just block them on WhatsApp.