How necessary is it to disavow links in 2017? Doesn't Google's algorithm take care of determining what it will count or not?

[vtmoz]

Hi All,

So this is a obvious question now. We can see sudden fall or rise of rankings; heavy fluctuations. New backlinks are contributing enough. Google claims it'll take care of any low quality backlinks without passing pagerank to website. Other end we can many scenarios where websites improved ranking and out of penalty using disavow tool.

Google's statement and Disavow tool, both are opposite concepts. So when some unknown low quality backlinks are pointing and been increasing to a website? What's the ideal measure to be taken?

[GastonRiera]

Why would porn site links have to be bad links? Of course, if a porn link goes to a kitchen website, there is a problem there.

The idea behind this, at least for me, is that when you spot links that you analyze and determine that are bad links, whatever the reason, those links should be disavowed. Under your own criteria there will be good links that Google might consider bad links and vice-versa.

My advise is to do not leave all that work just to Google. No one better than you to take care (when you know exactly what you are doing) of your site.

Keep in mind that all of these are my opinions and what i I'd do in this certain position.
Best luck.
GR

[vtmoz]

Hi GR,

Thanks for your answer. But things doesn't really look transparent here. If really disavow is mandatory now; again the confusion goes with deciding whether a link is good or bad. As you said, if one website is getting bad backlinks and getting dropped in rankings, what sense it makes being penalised for no mistake from their end? As per your experience, how far tools like Moz will help to conclude about quality of link based on different metrics like spam score, etc.

Google once stated that even backlinks from porn sites don't affect a website. That's a wrong statement then.

[GastonRiera]

Hi,

I you discover low quality backlinks (and your experience and expertise say are bad links for that site) they should be disavowed. It doesn't care that those links are improving your ranks, disavow them anyway. Sooner or later will harm the rankings. Think that if there is no need to disavow, then why Google would keep the tool online?

Google and it's messages were always ambiguous and sometimes opposite. They will never ever tell you the whole story behind the algorithm.

Best luck

GR