Optimising a refusal file for SEO: What is Disavow file optimisation?

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Disavow file optimization

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Over the years, SEO has become an essential component of online success.

However, certain practices can damage a site's reputation and lead to penalties from search engines, such as Google.

One solution to these problems is Disavow file optimization, which allows webmasters to ask Google to disregard certain incoming links.

In this article, we'll look at the 10 key points for understanding and optimising a refusal file for SEO purposes.

1. Refusal file: What is it?

The term "Disavow" literally means "to deny" or "to refuse". It is a tool offered by Google that allows webmasters to report inbound links that they think could cause them problems in terms of referencing. The instructions given by webmasters are then used by Google's algorithm to determine which sites should be ignored when calculating the ranking of the site concerned.

2. Why create a refusal file?

Creating a refusal file is above all a preventive measure designed to avoid Google penalties. Among the many factors taken into account by Google's algorithm are inbound links to a website. If these links come from poor quality sites or are considered spam, this can damage the reputation of the site concerned and lead to it being penalised. By creating a refusal file, webmasters can tell Google that they do not want these links to be taken into account.

3. How do you create a refusal file?

Creating a refusal file is quick and easy. All you have to do is open a text editor and list the URL the sites whose links you wish to disavow. Each line must contain a single URL and is It is important to specify whether you wish to disavow all links from a domain or only certain pages.. Once the file is complete, it must be saved in .txt format with a encoding UTF-8 or 7-bit ASCII.

4. When and how do I submit a refusal file?

It's best to submit a refusal file as soon as possible after noticing SEO problems or receiving a penalty alert from Google. To do this, go to the Google Search Consoleselect the site in question, then access the " Link disavowal ". You can then upload your file in the section provided.

5. Can an existing refusal file be modified?

Yes, it is it is perfectly possible to modify an existing refusal file. To do this, simply download the file from the Google Search Console, open it with a text editor to make the desired changes and then import it back into the console. Don't forget to check that the format and encoding are still correct.

6. How long will it take Google to take this into account?

There is no precise time limit for Google to take a refusal file into account. It can vary from a few days to a few weeks depending on the case. The best thing to do is to be patient and monitor the site's ranking regularly to see if the changes have had the desired effect.

7. Mistakes to avoid when creating a refusal file

• Do not include comments Comments: contrary to what you might think, comments do not have to be included in a refusal file. Google recommends only listing links on each line of the file.
• Respecting syntax It is crucial to follow the syntax requested by Google when creating the file. An error in the wording of the URLs or the domain(s) to be disavowed can lead to an error when the file is processed by Google.
• Check incoming links Before creating a refusal file, it is important to analyse all the incoming links to your site and only disavow those that are considered harmful. Do not disavow quality links, as this could have a negative impact on your SEO.

8. Can Disavow file optimisation harm SEO?

If the opt-out file is correctly created and submitted to Google, there should be no negative consequences for the site's SEO. However, if errors are made when creating the file or if quality links are also disavowedThis can have a negative impact on the site's ranking. Hence the importance of being vigilant and precise when optimising the refusal file.

9. Is this enough to solve the penalty problems?

Although submitting a refusal file is an effective solution for resolving certain penalty problems related to backlinks, it's not a miracle cure. It is often necessary to implement other actions, such as removing bad links from their source or improving the quality of the content, in order to completely restore the site's good ranking.

10. Should I only follow Google's recommendations?

The answer is no. It is important to remember that each search engine has its own algorithms and criteria for evaluating websites. For example, although Google is the most widely used search engine in the world, it is advisable to find out about SEO criteria and best practice for other search engines such as Bing or Yandex. This will optimise the site's visibility and referencing on an international scale.