Spam links in spam analyses tool: Referral page doesn't exist anymore

[DPA]

Hi,

I have the following problem: The spam analyses tool in MOZ gives me a few links with a spam score of 10 and 9. I want to remove those links and try to contact the webmaster before disavowing the links. I read about being careful with too much disavowing. Unfortunately removing the links isn't possible because three different reasons:

1. The page/subdomain of one referring website that should have a link to my website doesn't exist anmymore (compliance.ikkiesvoorverandering.nl/). The website http://ikkiesvoorverandering.nl does exist, but is almost empty and there is no possibility to contact the webmaster. What do you guys recommend to do in this situation? Any experience with this problem?
2. On another website (with again no contact option) there is a link who directs to a former website, which has a redirect to my current website. I have no Google search console on that old website anymore. Does that make it impossible to disavow the link? What are other option to remove this link?
3. The website that comes up in the spam analyses tool is pretty much empty (http://veensma.jouwbegin.nl/). How can I delete a link from an empty website? Any thoughts?

I hope someone can help me with this, Would be glad to here from you

Lars

[RobCairns]

Hi Lars,

My first questions is whether or not a disavow is strictly necessary. It is absolutely normal for websites to showcase a small amount of spam in their link profile and in many cases I have seen a link profile that is "too clean" merits as much skepticism as a website with spammy links.

The purpose of the tool is to alert you to potentially spammy or harmful links, but this does not mean it is causing your website, rankings or traffic any harm. The first thing I would do would be to determine exactly how problematic this issue is based on your overall link profile rather than focusing your efforts on a few spammy links.

Additionally, it is worth determining whether the links you are referring to are follow or nofollow, since a disavow merely creates nofollow tags instead of removing the links entirely. If they are already nofollow links, then there's no point in conducting a disavow.

If you are dead set on removing them, however, here would be my process for your 3 questions:

1. If the page featuring the link to your page no longer exists, then the link no longer exists. At the very least it is not providing you with any metric-enhancing data and won't have a follow attribute. Nothing to worry about here.

2. This is a disavow situation if you don't have access to Webmaster Console.

3. Same as 1) above - if the page linking to you doesn't exist, then the link doesn't exist. If the page exists and you have no option for removing it or contacting the webmaster, then you have to run the disavow here as well.

Again, I will stress that disavows should be treating as a last-ditch effort when facing a ton of spammy follow links. If you are not meeting these criteria, then it's probably not worth going that route.

Hope this helps - if you have any other info that might help feel free to get in touch and I'll help as best I can.

Cheers,

Rob