Should I use the Disavow Tool at this point?

[UnderRugSwept]

After Penguin, our site: www.stadriemblems.com jumped up to #1 for the keyword "embroidered patches." Now, months later, it's at the top pf page two. I'm pretty sure this is because we do have a few shady links (I didn't do it!) that perhaps Penguin didn't catch the first time around, but now Google is either discounting them or counting them against us.

My question is, since I'm pretty sure those links are the reason we are gradually declining, should I submit them to Google as disavowed, even though technically, we're not penalized . . . yet?

I have done everything possible to get them removed, and it's not happening.

[TomRayner]

Hi Marisa

Unless you've received a notification in your WMT saying you've received a penalty, then I wouldn't use the disavow tool. Google has been quite insistent that it should only be used as a last resort at trying to remove links as part of a reconsideration request. I don't believe it should be used a precautionary measure, nor would it have any effect unless your site is under a penalty.

I'd actually be quite optimistic about this. What I think we've seen over the last month is Google getting a lot better at discounting links as the algorithm updates.  This post put over on Inbound explains it quite well - it looks as though Google is aiming towards continuous devaluation of links.  I'm wondering whether this is the case for your site.

What could have happened is that the algorithm has looked at some of the links pointing towards your homepage (as that's the page ranking for that term) and seen a few links and thought "nah, these are crap. Gonna remove their value". With it being a homepage link, this might be a fair old few of older, spammier links the previous SEO put in place.  This is consistent with what I've seen with a few sites in the UK - a quite sharp (but not huge) drop, all for keywords ranking for a particular page (usually the homepage).

Now, if this is the case, then I'd say it's a great leap forward by Google  Devaluing links on the fly could lead to less dramatic drops and clean ups in the future.  I'm fairly sure you wouldn't have had a penalty, so therefore removing those few bad links you have would probably have been futile anyway - but especially so now if Google has devalued them.

All I'd recommend Marisa is continuing with the quality links you've been putting in place already.  You may have lost the value of a certain few recently, but all in all it's a good thing as they were probably a bit spammy anyway.  I certainly wouldn't waste time disavowing if you haven't experienced a penalty.

Just my 2 copper, but I hope it helps!

[UnderRugSwept]

Tom,
Thanks for your advice. It seems logical, and now I think I remember reading that somewhere. it kinda sucks, though, because now all I can do is watch my rankings steadily decline and be powerless to stop it. I guess I need to hope I earn enough good links to drown the rest of those out.

[ske11]

I would not be disavowing your links at this stage, you do not say if you received a notification from Google or not in your WMT.

If you did then take action to remove and then disavow if they can not be removed, but if you have not received the notification / warning then keep the links in place.

Build some good quality links and add new content.

I hope this helps

Sean

[TomRayner]

Totally feel your pain, Marisa. It's frustrating to see the decline because of someone else's shoddy work. However, it's probably a better fate then a full-blown penguin penalty, plus it shows that your other links must be great if the page has only dropped to #11.  What a great feeling it will be too when you hit back to #1 - knowing that everything you've done, Google loves.

And plus, just checked your rank again and you've bopped back to #10 on my SERP, so the comeback is underway!

[UnderRugSwept]

No, I've not received a notification. Thanks, Sean.