Building links is an important step in search engine optimization (SEO). For decades, search engines have relied on links to measure a website’s authority and popularity. Simply put, more high-quality links mean better rankings. For example, a site with 1,200 links from credible, relevant sources will likely outrank one with just a few dozen low-quality links from untrustworthy sites.
When building links for your website, however, it’s important to understand the difference between dofollow and nofollow. While both types of links look and function the same for visitors, they are treated differently by search engines.
What Are Dofollow Links?
Dofollow links are the standard type of link that pass authority, also known as “link juice,” to the linked page. Search engines follow these links, which is why they’re called “dofollow.”
For example, when Google crawls a site and finds a dofollow link, it follows it to the linked page. In this process, Google treats the link as a vote of confidence. As a result, the linked page may see a boost in search rankings.
There isn’t a specific attribute used to define dofollow links. Rather, all links are dofollow by default.
Here’s an example of a dofollow link in HTML:
< a href="dofollow-links-example.html">Dofollow Link Example< /a>
When to Use Dofollow Links for Search Engine Optimization
Dofollow links are the standard type of link that pass domain authority (also known as “link juice”) to the linked page. Search engines follow these links, which is why they’re called “dofollow.”
For example, when Google crawls a site and finds a dofollow link, it follows it to the linked page. In this process, Google treats the link as a vote of confidence. As a result, the linked page may see a boost in search rankings.
Creating dofollow outbound links to pages of questionable legitimacy trigger a filter in Google’s or Bing’s ranking algorithm. They’ll associate your website with the low-quality linked page, which could drive down your site’s search rankings.
What Are Nofollow Links?
Nofollow links contain the nofollow HTML attribute, which tells search engines not to follow or factor them into rankings. Google introduced this attribute in 2005 to fight blog comment spam. At the time, spammers were flooding blog comment sections with links to manipulate rankings.
Before nofollow, blog comment links heavily influenced rankings. Webmasters could simply spam comment-enabled blogs to boost their SEO. In response, Google developed the nofollow attribute, changing how search engines treat these links. Initially, nofollow links passed no link juice to the linked page.
However, in 2009, Google updated its algorithm to include nofollow links in PageRank distribution. For example, if a page had eight links, and four were nofollow, PageRank would still be split among all eight.
In recent years, Google has been quiet about how it handles nofollow links. However, its Search Console support portal states that Google generally doesn’t follow them or transfer PageRank. Bing takes a similar approach, ignoring nofollow links and reducing their SEO impact.
Here’s an example of a nofollow link in HTML:
When to Use Nofollow Links with the Nofollow Attribute
Since most search engines ignore nofollow links, they don’t directly boost SEO or improve search rankings.
That said, they can indirectly help by increasing website exposure, driving direct traffic, and encouraging natural backlinks from other webmasters.
For example, Wikipedia citation links are always nofollow. However, getting a link on Wikipedia can boost credibility, leading other sites to link to you naturally.
When choosing between a dofollow or nofollow backlink, always prioritize dofollow. Only dofollow links pass link juice, making them far more valuable for SEO.
For outbound links, use the nofollow attribute in the following cases:
- Visitor comments
- Forum posts
- Guest blog posts or articles
- Ads or sponsored content
- Links to untrustworthy websites
Benefits of Nofollow Links
While nofollow links don’t pass link juice or directly impact rankings, they still offer key benefits:
- Preventing Spam & Manipulation – They discourage spam in comments, forums, and user-generated content, keeping search results clean.
- Linking Without Passing Link Equity – Webmasters can link to untrusted or low-quality sites without boosting their SEO.
- Indicating Sponsored Content – Nofollow tags mark paid links, ensuring compliance with search engine guidelines.
- Driving Referral Traffic – They can still bring valuable visitors and boost visibility.
- Raising Brand Awareness – Even nofollow links from reputable sites can enhance credibility.
- Maintaining an Organic Growth Pattern – A natural mix of dofollow and nofollow links signals healthy link-building strategies and prevents penalties.
How to Tell If a Link is Dofollow or Nofollow
As you explore backlink opportunities, you may wonder how to tell if a link is dofollow or nofollow. There are a few easy ways to check:
- Inspect the HTML code – In Chrome or Firefox, right-click an empty area and select “View page source.” Use Ctrl + F to find the link. If it includes rel=”nofollow”, it’s a nofollow link. If not, it’s dofollow.
- Use a browser extension – Tools like MozBar, NoFollow, or NoFollow Simple (for Chrome) outline nofollow links. Firefox users can try NoFollow or SEO Nofollow Links Highlighter.
To most users, nofollow and dofollow links look the same. They function identically, with the only difference being the nofollow attribute in the HTML.
But the presence of the nofollow attribute changes the way in which search engines handle links. When Google or Bing find a nofollow link, they’ll ignore it.
Therefore, you should focus on building dofollow backlinks to improve your website’s performance in the search results.
Marketers prioritize dofollow links: While dofollow links are highly sought after, 48% of marketers also incorporate nofollow links into their strategies, acknowledging their indirect SEO benefits.
Balancing Dofollow and Nofollow Backlinks
Achieving a balanced backlink profile is key to SEO success. While dofollow links pass link juice and boost rankings, a natural backlink profile should include both dofollow and nofollow links. This mix helps search engines see your site as trustworthy and credible.
A combination of dofollow and nofollow backlinks shows that your site is attracting links from various sources, such as user-generated content, social media, and reputable websites. This enhances credibility and reduces the risk of penalties for unnatural link-building.
By strategically using both types of links, webmasters can build a strong, resilient SEO strategy that maximizes the benefits of each.
Impact of Nofollow Links on SEO
Although nofollow links do not directly impact SEO by passing link equity, they still play a significant role in a website’s overall online presence. Nofollow links can drive traffic to a website, increasing its visibility and potential for user engagement. This increased exposure can lead to more organic backlinks, which do contribute to SEO.
Moreover, nofollow links can enhance a website’s reputation and authority by being associated with reputable sources. For instance, a nofollow link from a high-authority site like Wikipedia can signal to users and other webmasters that the linked content is credible, potentially leading to more dofollow backlinks in the future.
In summary, while the direct SEO impact of nofollow links is limited compared to dofollow links, their indirect benefits in terms of traffic, visibility, and reputation are invaluable.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding the differences between dofollow and nofollow links is essential for effective search engine optimization. Dofollow links pass link juice, contributing to higher search engine rankings and facilitating the discovery of new content. Nofollow links, while not directly influencing SEO, still play a crucial role in driving traffic, increasing visibility, and enhancing a website’s reputation.
Maintaining a healthy balance of both types of backlinks is key to a comprehensive and effective SEO strategy. By leveraging the strengths of both dofollow and nofollow links, webmasters can create a robust and resilient online presence that appeals to both users and search engines.
Get in touch with our SEO Agency to get your Link Building campaign started.
