Before finalizing your disavow file, be sure to double check to make sure strong domain names are not in the mix with the poor ones! Be sure to carefully check each domain name to make sure, it is in fact, a weak and unnatural link.
So before hitting that submit button, give the file one last scan; some of the strong domain names that made the list can be easily noticed and removed right away. But for some links, it can be very difficult to tell them apart from weaker, unnatural links.
Here’s a list of strategies you can use to sift out the good links from the bad links before you hit the submit button:
- Remove first, Disavow later: Instead of jumping to the disavow tool right away, see if you can remove the obvious links. If you can remove these bad links, you don’t even have to worry about the disavow tool. So instead of working at the domain level, you will be working at the link level.
- Highlight the Obvious Domains: When reviewing the disavow file, highlight the domains that are obviously unnatural and detrimental to your SEO strategy. Then, mark the powerful domains as safe, and remove them from the disavow file.
- Review Spam Scores: You can use Moz and Majestic to check the amount of spam associated with your site. These sites can help you determine which domains require more investigation before you decided to either disavow them, or to leave them.
When you’re investigating links, using the disavow file should be your absolute last resort! You would hate to disavow domains that are high powered; losing more than one of these high powered domains can really damage your search results.
So when going through these unnatural links, be careful where you make the cuts, deleting a strong and natural domain name, can really damage your SEO campaign!