The launch of Google’s much anticipated “Disavow Links” tool on Tuesday brought to my mind a much more interesting question: how on earth did the term “Spam” get pinned to all things unsolicited or repetitious? Watch on … though you may never see spam again without smiling!

It’s easy to see how the term “spam” was spawned from the priceless 1970’s Monty Python skit, Spam, Spam, Spam:
 
 
 

Now that this weightier matter has been settled, here’s the rundown on Google’s Disavow Links:

• What does it do? The tool offers a route for repentant SEO spammers to remove any content-spam or blog-spam links put in place that now hurt rather than help Google rankings. It can even disavow entire domains. If you have never paid for SEO or search engine optimization work on your site, you likely have no spammy links. If you have, the odds are strong that you do.

• Why should you care? Irrelevant, spammy links will negatively affect website rankings and searches, potentially putting you pages behind where you might otherwise be found.

• Won’t reconsideration requests do the same thing? Although Google sends out notices regarding questionable links, reconsideration requests are often denied by Google, who also doesn’t (although they are working on it) provide the links in question. That’s one of the reasons this tool is so important.

• What about “nofollow? According to Pubcon, the disavow link tool is 99 percent the same as adding a “nofollow,” but safer – a novice using it is much more unlikely to remove all reputable links.

• How long does it take? Google takes junk links you submit for removal as a suggestion, and also takes time disavowing them – perhaps as long as a few weeks.

• Where can I find it? The Disavow Links tool can be found here, and looks just like the picture shown above.

For more information on the October 16 Pubcon conference in Las Vegas as well as more details about the Disavow Links tool, go to this page. And, if all this hasn’t satisfied your appetite, you can hear the Disavow Links announcement directly from Google in the video below:

If you are lucky enough to have your only spam problem be the one inhabiting your email inbox, check out the article “17 Stellar Spam Email Solutions” for quick and easy ways to remove it from the menu. In the meantime, brighten someone else’s day by sharing this blog – a little Monty Python humor may be just the thing to do it. It worked for me – how did you like it?

About the author

Marilyn Buckner

Marilyn thrives on the dynamic duo of order and organization. She is the Mary Poppins of operations; pulling from her purse of expertise, Marilyn has countless capabilities ranging from setting up and implementing accounting software to technical writing. A detail-oriented problem solver with experience in HR administration, taxes and business management, Marilyn is well equipped to keep whatever she touches running smoothly. Her hobbies include oil painting, landscape design and gardening, photography, interior decorating and anything involving travel. At the top of her bucket list is scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef.