When to file a Reconsideration Request

[KerryK]

Hi all,

I don't have any manual penalties from Google but do have a unnatural links message from them back in 2012. We have removed some of the spammy links over the last 2 years but we're now making a further effort and will use the disavow tool once we've done this.

Will this be enough once I submit the file or should I / can I submit a Reconsideration Request as well? Do I have to have a manual penalty item in my webmaster account to be able to submit a request?

Thanks everyone!

[OlegKorneitchouk]

Unnatural link messages = manual penalty, so yes. You should submit a RR. I would go through all of your links, disavow all of the bad ones that you weren't able to remove, then submit the RR. If you do it right, you shouldn't have any problems having the penalty lifted (its been a while and you seem to have been doing a lot to remedy the issue)

[KerryK]

Thanks for your reply. So I can't see any items in the manual actions tab under search traffic, so how would I submit the RR?

[OlegKorneitchouk]

My guess is that the penalties expired then. If you received letters, there would be a notification under the "Manual Actions" tab. They expire every year I believe.

If that's the case, I wouldn't worry about it.

EDIT: try accessing your site via https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/reconsideration

[KerryK]

Hi Oleg,

When I click that link google asks me to check for manual penalties and when I do it shows no penalties.

I guess I will disavow links anyway, so I will go ahead with that. Thanks for your help!