When you’re building your website’s SEO strategy, understanding the difference between dofollow and nofollow links is essential. These HTML attributes fundamentally affect how search engines interpret the links on your site and how link equity flows across the web. Let me break down everything you need to know about these crucial SEO elements.
What Are Dofollow Links?
Dofollow links are the default type of hyperlink on the internet. When you create a standard link without any special attributes, it’s automatically a dofollow link. These links pass “link juice” or “link equity” from one website to another, telling search engines like Google that you’re vouching for the destination page.
How dofollow links work: When a search engine crawler encounters a dofollow link, it follows that link to the destination page and passes along some of the originating page’s authority and ranking power. This is why getting dofollow backlinks from authoritative websites is so valuable for SEO—it’s essentially a vote of confidence that can improve your search rankings.
In HTML code, a dofollow link looks like this:
<a href="https://example.com">Anchor Text</a>
Notice there’s no special attribute—that’s because dofollow is the default state of all links.
What Are Nofollow Links?
Nofollow links contain a specific HTML attribute that instructs search engines not to follow the link or pass along link equity. Introduced by Google in 2005 to combat comment spam and paid links, the nofollow attribute serves as a way to link to content without endorsing it from an SEO perspective.
How nofollow links work: When search engine crawlers encounter a nofollow link, they typically don’t follow it to the destination page (though this has evolved somewhat) and don’t pass PageRank or link authority. The link still functions normally for users clicking on it, but it doesn’t contribute to the linked page’s search engine rankings in the traditional sense.
In HTML code, a nofollow link looks like this:
<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Anchor Text</a>
The Evolution: Google’s 2019 Update
In September 2019, Google announced a significant change to how it treats nofollow links. The company introduced two new link attributes and changed nofollow from a directive to a “hint.” Here’s what you need to know:
New attributes introduced:
- rel=”sponsored” – For advertising, sponsored content, or paid placements
- rel=”ugc” (User Generated Content) – For links in comments, forums, or user-submitted content
Google now treats all three attributes (nofollow, sponsored, and ugc) as hints rather than directives. This means Google may choose to consider these links for crawling and ranking purposes, though typically with less weight than dofollow links. The search engine uses these hints to better understand link patterns and discount unnatural links more effectively.
When to Use Dofollow Links?
You should use dofollow links (or rather, not add nofollow attributes) when:
1. Linking to trusted, quality content: If you’re referencing authoritative sources, research, or helpful resources that add value to your content, dofollow links are appropriate. This helps search engines understand content relationships and rewards quality sources.
2. Internal linking: All links within your own website should be dofollow unless there’s a specific reason otherwise. Internal linking with dofollow attributes helps distribute link equity throughout your site and assists with site architecture and navigation.
3. Editorial links to other sites: When you naturally reference another website because it provides value to your readers—whether it’s a case study, data source, or complementary resource—dofollow links are the standard practice.
4. Building partnerships: When you’re collaborating with other reputable websites or brands in a mutually beneficial way, dofollow links can strengthen both sites’ authority.
When to Use Nofollow (or Sponsored/UGC) Links?
You should add nofollow or the more specific sponsored/ugc attributes in these situations:
1. Paid links and advertisements: Any link that you’ve been compensated for—whether through direct payment, free products, or other consideration—should be marked with rel=”sponsored” or rel=”nofollow” to comply with Google’s Webmaster Guidelines and avoid penalties.
2. User-generated content: Links in blog comments, forum posts, testimonials, or any content created by your users should use rel=”ugc” or rel=”nofollow” to prevent spam and protect your site from being associated with low-quality or malicious links.
3. Untrusted or unverified content: If you’re linking to a source you cannot vouch for or haven’t thoroughly vetted, using nofollow protects your site’s reputation and prevents you from inadvertently passing authority to questionable content.
4. Affiliate links: Links that earn you commission or other affiliate compensation should be marked with rel=”sponsored” to maintain transparency with search engines.
5. Login and registration pages: Links to pages like “Sign In” or “Register” often use nofollow since these pages typically don’t need to rank in search results.
The SEO Impact: Why This Matters
The distinction between dofollow and nofollow links significantly impacts your SEO strategy in several ways:
1. Link building value: When you’re earning backlinks to your site, dofollow links from authoritative domains are more valuable for improving your search rankings. However, a natural link profile includes both types, so having some nofollow links is actually healthy and expected.
2. PageRank distribution: Dofollow links help distribute PageRank throughout your website’s internal structure. Strategic internal linking with dofollow attributes ensures that authority flows to your most important pages.
3. Avoiding penalties: Proper use of nofollow/sponsored/ugc attributes helps you avoid Google penalties related to manipulative link schemes, paid links, or spammy user-generated content. This is crucial for maintaining your site’s health in search results.
4. Natural link profile: A completely dofollow link profile looks unnatural to search engines. A mix of dofollow and nofollow links—with dofollow links from quality sources forming the majority—appears more organic and trustworthy.
How to Check If a Link Is Dofollow or Nofollow
You can identify link types using several methods:
1. Inspect the HTML code: Right-click on any link and select “Inspect” or “View Page Source.” Look for the rel attribute in the anchor tag. If you see rel=”nofollow”, rel=”sponsored”, or rel=”ugc”, it’s not passing full link equity. If there’s no rel attribute or it says rel=”dofollow” (rare, since it’s the default), it’s a dofollow link.
2. Browser extensions: Tools like “NoFollow” for Chrome or “NoFollow Simple” for Firefox highlight nofollow links on any webpage you visit, making identification quick and easy.
3. SEO tools: Comprehensive SEO platforms like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz can analyze your backlink profile and show you which links are dofollow versus nofollow, along with other valuable metrics.
Best Practices for Using Dofollow and Nofollow Links
1. Maintain a natural balance: Your website’s link profile should include both dofollow and nofollow links in proportions that reflect natural linking patterns. Don’t obsess over making every link dofollow or nofollow—focus on user experience and authenticity.
2. Follow Google’s guidelines: Always use sponsored or nofollow attributes for paid links, and use ugc or nofollow for user-generated content. Compliance protects your site from penalties and maintains trust with search engines.
3. Prioritize user value: Before worrying about dofollow versus nofollow, ask yourself if the link provides value to your readers. The best SEO strategy is creating helpful content with useful resources, and the technical attributes should support that goal rather than drive it.
4. Don’t nofollow everything: Some webmasters make the mistake of nofollowing all external links to “conserve PageRank.” This outdated practice looks unnatural and doesn’t provide the SEO benefits it once did. Link to quality resources with confidence.
5. Use specific attributes: Instead of defaulting to generic nofollow for everything, use rel=”sponsored” for ads and affiliate links, and rel=”ugc” for user content. This provides clearer signals to search engines about your linking practices.
6. Regularly audit your links: Periodically review your website’s internal and external links to ensure they’re properly attributed. Check that paid partnerships have sponsored tags, that user content areas have ugc attributes, and that your most important pages receive adequate internal dofollow links.
Common Myths and Misconceptions
1. Myth: Nofollow links have zero SEO value. While nofollow links don’t pass PageRank in the traditional sense, they can still drive traffic, increase brand visibility, and may be considered by Google as hints. Plus, a natural backlink profile includes nofollow links, so they contribute to overall link diversity.
2. Myth: You should nofollow all external links. This hoarding approach is outdated and can actually harm your SEO. Linking to quality external resources with dofollow links demonstrates that you’re a helpful, well-connected member of the web community.
3. Myth: Internal links should be nofollow. Almost never. Your internal links should be dofollow to help search engines understand your site structure and to distribute link equity to your important pages.
4. Myth: Adding dofollow to every link helps SEO. You can’t add a rel=”dofollow” attribute to make a link “more dofollow”—it’s already the default. More importantly, strategic use of nofollow/sponsored/ugc where appropriate is part of a healthy, compliant SEO strategy.
The Bottom Line
Understanding dofollow and nofollow links is fundamental to effective SEO, but these attributes should be used thoughtfully rather than obsessively. Dofollow links pass authority and help search engines understand content relationships, making them valuable for link building and internal site structure. Nofollow, sponsored, and ugc attributes serve important purposes in preventing spam, complying with advertising regulations, and protecting your site’s reputation.
The most successful SEO strategies focus on creating valuable content that naturally attracts quality backlinks, using link attributes properly and transparently, and prioritizing user experience over gaming search engine algorithms. When you build your website with these principles in mind, the technical details of dofollow and nofollow links fall into place naturally as part of a comprehensive, sustainable SEO approach.
Whether you’re building backlinks, creating content, or optimizing your site structure, remember that search engines reward authenticity and value. Use dofollow links to support quality content, use nofollow/sponsored/ugc attributes where appropriate for compliance and protection, and always keep your focus on creating the best possible experience for your human visitors.
