The search engine is reportedly taking additional steps to control unwarranted SEO practices.
Google is reportedly set to take steps to control unwanted, or negative SEO. The search giant is expected to unveil a new feature that will facilitate the reporting of incoming web site links that are bad. The practice, referred to as disavowing links, is anticipated to be put into practice within the next few months according to a prominent member of Google’s search quality team.
Many are of the consensus that in the aftermath of the Penguin update, negative SEO has increased in occurrence. For websites that are too frequently targeted with negative SEO, the following information may be helpful in understanding how the disavow tool can work for their benefit.
What it meant by disavow?
Disavowing links is the process of alerting the search engine (Google) of a link’s unsavory characteristics. Links that are spam, inoperable, or come with ill intentions for one’s website would fall into the category of those that are deemed “bad.”
How would one decipher which links should be disavowed?
Being familiar with the source of any backlinks to one’s site is important. Look for relevancy in the host text, with regards to how good a link is as a backlink for one’s site. Those that come from webpages that do not possess a high quality or come from sources that are completely unrelated to one’s site are examples of backlinks to look out for. A quality backlink checking tool can help one weed out the good from the bad.
How can bad links be reported?
Google has a reporting form through which spam reports can be submitted.
Raw vs. Exact Match
Raw or natural links are those that should be aimed for. Those with exact match anchor text are not. It is advisable to check a link profile for natural based qualities such as organic URLs and plentiful brand links.
A Clearer Picture
The development of the new tool for many will be beneficial in the aforementioned and other ways for those who have found themselves hurt by negative SEO, providing a clearer picture for users in terms of where they can go to be directed to what they are looking for.
