Big yikes for today’s episode, guys! My website was recently backlink bombed. In this episode, I’m sharing my backing bombing SEO experience and what it means for my website?
What is backlink bombing? If you’re like I was a week ago, you don’t even know what this means. It sounds like some kind of WWI tactic, and honestly, it feels like that too.
Basically, backlink bombing is a blackhat SEO practice. It’s when you hurt a competitor’s search ranking by purchasing spammy backlinks on sketchy sites. Because your search engine ranking is affected by your quality of backlinks, this can really do a number on a website’s ranking.
That being said, the web has come a long way. Google is smarter than ever. How much do these spammy backlinks really matter? According to Google, not so much nowadays.
Of course, that doesn’t help me feel better about my situation. You can hear the entire story of how it all went down in this week’s episode. Listen anywhere you find podcasts or with the player below.
What To Do If You’re Backlink Bombed?
What do you do if you find yourself with hundreds (or in my case thousands!) of spammy backlinks on your website?
First, don’t panic. Google isn’t that concerned about these things nowadays, and it likely won’t index these scummy sites anyway. That’s a huge relief!
From there, it’s a good idea to research the Disavow Tool to determine if it’s the right fit for you. Don’t use it lightly! It can’t be undone. If you’re not sure, it’s better to hold off. Essentially this tool is your way of letting Google know you don’t want those links to be noticed. Whether it pays attention to your suggestion is up to Google!
Episode Resources
I mentioned a few new freelance writer resources on this podcast, as well as resources for the Disavow Tool. Check them out below:
- How to Use the Disavow Tool
- How Much to Charge as a Freelance Writer Based on Experience
- 20 Websites That Pay Writers
- How to Create a Freelance Writer Website
Now that you know everything you can know about the disavow tool and checking your website for spammy links, make sure you stay vigilant! It’s better to stay safe than sorry. Or in my case, it’s better to be aware than unaware!
Be sure to listen to the full episode to hear how all of this came about. Trust me, I didn’t do anything sketchy! It was a freak incident, but one that hopefully won’t define my website’s progress.
