Archive note (checked 2026-09-10): The original show anticipated a Penguin change before Christmas. The written post later added that the expected timing had shifted. That alone is a useful warning about planning business decisions around an algorithm forecast. This is a historical article, not an announcement of an upcoming update.
Review the evidence before acting
Check Search Console for manual actions and review any link schemes commissioned by the business. Collect link exports with their source and date. Third-party tools and Search Console can report different sets; neither a discovery date nor an unfamiliar domain proves that a link is harmful.
See our backlink review checks and large-list review workflow for how to organise the evidence.
Disavowal is not routine housekeeping
The recording urged owners to upload a file quickly. That was too broad. Google says most sites do not need the tool and warns that incorrect use can harm performance.
Follow Google’s disavow guidance (current as of 2026-09-10 check). Where link-scheme evidence and manual-action risk justify action, pursue removal where appropriate and assess links that cannot be removed. Do not simply delete the links you like from an export and submit everything left over.
Keep the original export, the existing disavow file and a reviewed decision record. Excluding an entire domain is a wider decision than excluding one linking page.
Don’t promise a recovery date
A submitted file does not establish that a traffic problem was caused by links or that previous rankings will return. Check technical faults, demand and other changes alongside the link evidence. Keep the distinction between an observed drop and its suspected cause clear.
For a business-critical issue, bring the evidence to our SEO team. A seasonal deadline is a reason to prepare carefully, not to skip the diagnosis.