How to Disavow Backlinks in Ahrefs – Step-by-Step SEO Guide

This document serves as a concise guide to analyzing backlinks using Ahrefs' Site Explorer.
Follow these steps to navigate the tool effectively, filter backlink data, and export your results for further analysis.
If your site has been hit by toxic or spammy backlinks, it’s important to disavow them to prevent SEO penalties. While Ahrefs doesn’t have a built-in disavow button, it’s incredibly useful for identifying which links need to be removed or disavowed.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Identify Harmful Backlinks in Ahrefs

• Open Ahrefs Site Explorer
  Enter your domain and head to the Backlinks tab.

• Filter for Bad Links
  Sort by low Domain Rating (DR), irrelevant content, foreign language spam, or suspicious anchor texts.

• Mark Toxic or Irrelevant Sources
  These might include low-quality directories, spammy blogs, or PBNs. Look for patterns—same IPs, exact-match anchors, etc.

• Optional: Try Manual Removal First
  Reach out to webmasters and request link removal. It’s not always successful, but worth a try.

2. Export and Prepare Your Disavow File

• Export From Ahrefs
  Use the export feature to download a CSV of your selected backlinks.

• Create a Disavow File (.txt format)
  Open a plain text editor (like Notepad) and list the URLs or domains to disavow.

  Format:

  Use domain: to disavow all links from a domain
  Use full URLs to disavow specific links
  Keep it UTF-8 encoded and save as .txt

3. Upload the File in Google Search Console

• Open the Disavow Tool
  Go to Google's Disavow Tool (must be logged into the GSC account for your property).

• Choose Your Property
  Select the verified website you want to disavow links for.

• Upload the .txt File
  Click "Upload" and submit your disavow file.

• Confirm Submission
  Once uploaded, Google will begin processing it—no need to resubmit unless you make changes later.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Disavow Backlinks in Ahrefs

Step 1

In the Site Explorer search bar, enter the domain name you want to analyze.

Step 2

Then Click on the search button.

Step 3

Go to the backlink profile and click on "Backlinks."

Step 4

Find and select the "Best Links" option.

Step 5

In the drop-down menu, choose "Executive Best Links."

Step 6

Click on the "DR" column to sort the list in ascending order, ensuring that the links with the lowest Domain Rating (DR) appear at the top.

Step 7

Proceed to the export option and click on it to prepare your data for download.

Step 8

Finally, click on export again to download your backlink data.

Pro-tips for disavowing backlinks in Ahrefs

1. Identify toxic or spammy links using Ahrefs Backlink Profile and Spam Score.

2. Disavow links that violate Google’s guidelines to prevent ranking penalties.

3. Regularly audit your backlinks to maintain a healthy link profile.

Common pitfalls & how to avoid them while disavowing backlinks in Ahrefs

1. Disavowing good backlinks – Analyze the link quality carefully before adding it to the disavow file.

2. Not updating the disavow file – Regularly review and update your file in Google Search Console.

3. Ignoring manual outreach – Try reaching out to webmasters to remove bad links before disavowing them.

Common FAQs for disavowing backlinks in Ahrefs

1. How do I create a disavow file?
   Collect the bad links, format them in a text file (.txt), and upload it to Google Search Console’s Disavow Tool.

2. Can I remove a link after disavowing it?
   Yes, you can update your disavow file anytime by removing the link and re-uploading the file.

3. Does disavowing backlinks improve SEO?
   Yes, removing harmful backlinks can prevent penalties and help maintain a strong link profile.

4. How long does it take for Google to process a disavow file?
   It can take a few weeks for Google to process and reflect changes in rankings.

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