Google Disavow Tool and Lessons for Part-Time Entrepreneurs

In this transcript from Episode 044, Mark covers three topics: an update on the Corn Sheller affiliate site case study, a practical guide to Google's Disavow Tool, and his response to Pat Flynn's episode about things he wished he had known as a new entrepreneur.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

How the Google Disavow Tool works and when to use it
Real earnings data from the Corn Sheller affiliate site case study
Five lessons Mark wishes he had known when starting internet marketing
Why embracing competition is more profitable than fighting it

Corn Sheller Site Update

Mark shares updated numbers from his ongoing Corn Sheller case study. The site, built from a keyword suggestion he received while evaluating Keyword Canine, started as a five-page site with a custom header on the Thesis WordPress theme. Total investment was roughly $100 including outsourced articles at $8-10 each and some Fiverr backlink services.

Key metrics: the site earns approximately $50 per month through the eBay affiliate program, with lifetime earnings over $200-300. It receives 200 to 300 page views per day from roughly 60 unique visitors, meaning visitors average four to five page views per session. That low bounce rate signals to Google that the site delivers relevant results.

The challenge: earnings per click are only $0.09 to $0.11 through eBay. Mark considers testing AdSense or other affiliate programs to improve monetization. He also plans to expand the site with YouTube video summaries and fresh content to push toward $100 per month.

The Google Disavow Tool

Mark plays audio from Matt Cutts explaining Google's Disavow Tool, released in October 2012. The tool allows webmasters to upload a file to Google Webmaster Tools listing backlinks they want Google to ignore.

When to use it: If you have received a notification in Google Webmaster Tools about unnatural link activity, first manually contact webmasters to remove spammy links. After exhausting manual removal, use the Disavow Tool for remaining problem links. You can disavow individual URLs or entire domains.

Mark's advice: Most people will never need this tool. If your site has been penalized for bad backlinks, do the manual cleanup work first and see if that helps. If not, try the disavow tool since you have nothing to lose on a site that is already not ranking. Early case studies showed recovery for sites penalized by manual review, with speculation that disavowed links would also be considered during Penguin algorithm refreshes.

Five Things Mark Wishes He Had Known

Inspired by Pat Flynn's SPI Session 53 about things he wished he had known, Mark shares his own list focused on the part-time internet marketer's perspective.

1. Embrace the competition. Pat Flynn, Lynn Terry, Nicole Dean, and other internet marketers in Mark's niche are technically competitors. But Mark has gained far more from helping them succeed than he ever could from trying to beat them. The internet is big enough for everyone in any niche.

2. Work from start to profit. This phrase from Lynn Terry at ClickNewz captures a critical lesson. At one point Mark owned 135 domain names with perhaps 10 producing results. Focus on finishing one project and making it profitable before starting the next. This is especially important for part-time marketers with limited hours.

3. Match offers with buyers. Learned from Jimmy D. Brown: all business is connecting offers with buyers. Understanding this simple framework cuts through complexity and keeps you focused on what actually generates revenue.

4. Stop buying things you are not looking for. If you did not know you needed it before seeing the sales page, you do not need it. If the offer expires tomorrow but you did not know you needed it yesterday, you do not need it. If your website is not built yet, you do not need a traffic course. This is the cure for shiny object syndrome.

5. Work on your business every day. Mark quotes the book ReWork: “You will not be a big hit right away. You will not get rich quick. No one cares about you, at least not yet. Get used to it.” Trade the dream of overnight success for slow, measured growth. The tagline of Late Night Internet Marketing captures it: building internet businesses one night at a time.

Key Takeaways

The Google Disavow Tool is a last resort after manual link removal efforts have been exhausted
A $100 affiliate site can produce $50 per month in passive income, but earnings per click matter
Embrace competitors as potential collaborators rather than adversaries
Finish one project before starting the next, especially as a part-time entrepreneur
Consistent daily effort over months and years is the only reliable path to success

What's Changed Since This Episode

Mark recorded this in January 2013. The business advice remains timeless; the technical tools have evolved.

Google's Disavow Tool is still available through Google Search Console (formerly Webmaster Tools) but is rarely needed. Google has stated their algorithms are now sophisticated enough to ignore most spammy links automatically. The tool is primarily used for recovering from manual penalties or cleaning up after negative SEO attacks.

The eBay Partner Network has changed significantly. Commission structures and cookie windows have been repeatedly adjusted. Many affiliate marketers now prefer Amazon Associates, ShareASale, or direct brand partnerships over eBay for product affiliates.

The five business lessons are more relevant than ever. Shiny object syndrome, failure to finish projects, and the trap of buying courses instead of doing the work remain the most common failure modes for aspiring internet marketers. The explosion of online courses, tools, and platforms since 2013 has only made these temptations stronger.