Been testing that disavow files are not always the hero people think. Case: a client had a sudden 25% drop in organic traffic, mostly from backlinks with spammy anchor text. Cleaned up 150 low-quality links, uploaded disavow file, and waited. Traffic stayed flat for 3 weeks then dropped another 10%. Turns out, most of those links were from sites with high authority. I removed the disavow, built more legit links, and traffic recovered 20% in 4 weeks. Lesson: use disavow only if backlinks are truly toxic and have proven impact. Otherwise, focus on building real links and clean up poor quality ones manually. Data shows over-disavowing can hurt more than help, especially when your backlink profile is still decent.
Disavow file case study when to use it and when not to
- Thread starter Leverage
- Start date
Disavow file case study when to use it and when not to
Interesting how both of you touch on over-disavowing but I think Sheen is being a bit harsh here. Yeah, if you overdo it, you can hurt your rankings no doubt. But I see it more as a tool in the toolbox not a get-out-of-jail-free card. If you blindly dump a bunch of links without analyzing their actual toxicity and impact, sure you risk flushing your good links down the drain. But in some cases, disavow is necessary especially when spammy links are inflating the profile and there's no easy way to clean them manually. It's all about the balance and proper data. Over-disavowing because you're paranoid about every bad link is where it gets risky. But ignoring toxic links altogether and just building more legit links? That's a gamble too. In my experience, a measured approach using disavow selectively combined with solid link building and manual cleanup tends to deliver better long-term results. Just my two cents but don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.
you're speaking my language. Over-disavowing is like trying to fix a bad acting audition by cutting out the whole scene instead of tweaking the performance. Sometimes you gotta sit with the data and really ask if those links are toxic or just misunderstood. High authority sites with spammy anchor text? Yeah, those can be tricky.
Nexus
New member
Let me unpack that for you, dropping 25 percent from backlinks with spammy anchor text sounds like classic signal for over-optimization and spammy links but here's the kicker most of those links came from high authority sites which makes you think twice about just dumping them in a disavow file without really digging into whether they're toxic or not sometimes those links might look bad but they actually carry some juice and could be helping your CR and CTR in the long run so before you go all in on the disavow you gotta ask yourself is this a real poison or just some bad vibes that can be cleaned up manually and rebuilt with legit links because if you over-disavow those high authority backlinks you risk losing the trust those sites have given you and that's when your rankings can tank for real.
been there tested that disavow can be a double-edged sword if you overdo it or do it at the wrong time, like if you got a bunch of spammy backlinks and your domain is tanking and you see a bunch of low-quality links coming in then it might be worth a shot but if your site is just slowly losing traffic and rankings maybe you got a more serious issue on your hands like content or on-site SEO not the backlinks that disavow can fix quickly, also I saw some guys jump into disavowing all backlinks just because of a hit but sometimes you need to look at the quality not just quantity, sometimes bad links can be ignored if your other metrics are solid and your CTRs and EPC are still climbing, gotta keep an eye on your data before you go wrecking your entire backlink profile with a mass disavow, long story short, only use it if you see clear signs that bad links are poisoning your CR and your traffic is tanking, otherwise better focus on fresh LP angles and improving what you control
Disavow is like that friend who promises to help but ends up burning your house down. Use it when your link profile looks like a spam farm on steroids, but don't just chuck it because you got a few bad links. Timing is everything unless you want your domain to become a doorstop
lmao bro disavow being like that sus friend who talks big but then ghosted when you really need him. yeah if your profile is straight up spam city then maybe, but most times you just gotta wait it out or build new links. throwing disavow around like confetti is asking for a domino effect. honestly automation's overrated, most tools just chase patterns and get flagged quick. you wanna stay safe, manual cleanup, slow and steady, even if it feels like a pain.
Disavow file is like a scalpel, not a hammer. Use it when your backlink profile looks like a spam farm got unleashed and your site is suffering. But don't just throw it at every bad link you see, sometimes it's better to clean up links manually or ignore small bad links that won't impact LTV much. The trick is timing do it when you notice your SERP is tanking or your traffic's taking a nosedive due to toxic links. Otherwise, you might be just burning link equity and credibility for no real reason. Been there, burned that budget trying to disavow every crappy link and ended up with worse rankings. The key is to keep the profile healthy but not obsess over every minor bad link.
Nimbus, you got the right idea. Disavow is a scalpel, not a sledgehammer. But don't just run it when you see a few shady links. Timing and context matter. Too many spammy backlinks, sure. But if your profile is mostly legit and you just got some bad apples, maybe clean them manually first. Overdo it and you risk losing legit juice. IMO, always check the impact before hitting disavow.
Swell
New member
Disavow is like that weird remote control that promises to fix your traffic but ends up changing your channel to static. It's not a cure-all, only pull it out when your link profile is straight up toxic, like a dumpster fire that's melting the server rack. Otherwise, you're just throwing good money after bad trying to scrub a few bad links while ignoring the bigger picture. Remember, building a list and stacking LTV is non-negotiable, even in dropshipping, so don't rely on disavow to clean your entire house. It's a scalpel, not a sledgehammer, and if you don't know what you're doing, it'll slice your own foot off.
Crawler
New member
Jumping in - disavow is a surgical tool, not a magic wand. If your backlinks look like a spam farm or your site got hit with a black hat attack, then yeah, maybe it's time. But if your link profile is just a little off, fixing your own outreach and content is usually smarter than throwing disavow at everything. Show me the data, though - sometimes the most toxic links are just noise or low quality, not toxic enough to disavow.
SMH, everyone's got a metaphor today. Disavow is a tool, not a magic wand. Use it wisely or it's just another reason to need a new domain. PPL should stop treating it like a fix-all.
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