Dofollow and Nofollow Links – What are they?

Bryn Roberts

Links from one website to another, also called “backlinks” are like digital referrals. They’re important in search engine optimisation (SEO) because search engines view them as signals of credibility and authority. There are two main types: dofollow and nofollow. Understanding the differences and is important for building an effective link strategy.

Dofollow Links Explained

A dofollow link is a link that passes on PageRank, or “link juice”, from one site to another. This type of link directly impacts your SEO by contributing to your page’s ranking and authority. When a high-quality, authoritative site links to yours using a dofollow link, search engines recognise that as a vote of confidence, which can lead to improved visibility and ranking over time.

Benefits of Dofollow Links

  1. Passes Authority: Dofollow links allow your site to benefit from the linking site’s authority, boosting your own reputation.
  2. Boost Rankings: Each dofollow link improves your chances of ranking higher in search results, particularly if the linking site is well-regarded and relevant.
  3. Builds Trust: Search engines are more likely to see your site as trustworthy when reputable sites link back to it.

Monitoring PageRank and Authority

To assess how dofollow links are impacting your site’s SEO, you can monitor key metrics using SEO tools. Here’s how:

  • Domain Authority: Tools like Moz and Ahrefs allow you to view your domain authority score, an indicator of your site’s overall strength.
  • Backlink Analysis: Check your backlinks through Google Search Console or SEMrush to see which sites are linking to yours and whether they are dofollow.
  • PageRank: Although Google doesn’t display PageRank anymore, tools that estimate “link equity” can show which pages benefit most from high-quality dofollow links.

Nofollow Links Explained

A nofollow link includes a tag (rel="nofollow") that signals to search engines not to pass authority or “link juice” from one page to another. Originally, nofollow links were introduced to fight spam, especially in blog comments and forums. While they don’t directly contribute to PageRank, nofollow links have indirect SEO value.

Benefits of Nofollow Links

  1. Brand Visibility: Nofollow links on well-known sites still generate visibility, driving traffic to your site.
  2. Traffic: Even without passing authority, a nofollow link can bring in visitors from reputable sites, potentially converting to customers or subscribers.
  3. Trustworthiness: Using nofollow tags on certain links (e.g., ads or sponsored content) helps your site comply with Google guidelines, avoiding penalties.

What is PageRank?

PageRank is one of Google’s algorithms that evaluates a page’s importance through link quality and quantity.

Is PageRank still important?

The principles of PageRank are still relevant, but the algorithm has evolved over time. Modern search engines, like Google, now use many other factors and advanced machine learning to rank pages.

  1. Link Analysis Still Matters: Backlinks remain important, with high-quality links from reputable sites providing greater advantage. Google now evaluates link quality and relevance, penalising spammy or unrelated links.
  2. Context and Relevance Over Link Counts: Google understands content context better, valuing relevant link context and anchor text. Internal linking within sites also help search engines to understand a site’s structure.
  3. Other Signals Outweigh PageRank Alone: PageRank is only part of the equation. Google considers many factors like page speed, mobile-friendliness, HTTPS, and user experience metrics (click-through rate, session duration), which indicate content relevance and quality.
  4. Advanced AI Models: Google’s AI models like RankBrain help understand user intent and content meaning, matching queries to relevant pages even without exact keywords.
  5. Less Transparency and Direct Use: Google no longer shares PageRank scores publicly. Although still part of the ranking system, it plays a lesser role than before.

Key Differences Between Dofollow and Nofollow Links

Understanding the differences between dofollow and nofollow links helps you make strategic decisions:

  • SEO Impact: Dofollow links pass link equity, enhancing SEO impact. Nofollow links do not directly influence rankings but can offer indirect benefits like traffic and brand awareness.
  • Situations for Use: Dofollow links are ideal for high-quality content and relevant resources. Nofollow links are best for sponsored content, user-generated content, or links from less credible sites.

Impact of Nofollow Links on SEO

Nofollow links may not directly contribute to PageRank, but they have other advantages. In 2019, Google updated its policy, treating nofollow links as “hints” for indexing and crawling, which can subtly support SEO.

Indirect SEO Benefits

  • Diverse Profile: A natural backlink profile includes both types of links, which search engines prefer.
  • Brand Building: Being linked to from respected sites, even with nofollow tags, enhances credibility.
  • Referral Traffic: Nofollow links from popular sites can lead to significant referral traffic, indirectly supporting your SEO efforts by increasing engagement.

Why Balancing Dofollow and Nofollow Links Matters

Search engines favour a diverse backlink profile. Relying solely on one type of link can make your site look unnatural or overly optimised, which could negatively impact rankings.

Advantages of a Balanced Profile

  • Organic Growth: A mix of both link types suggests an organic link-building strategy, as natural backlink profiles rarely consist solely of one type.
  • Risk Mitigation: If Google penalises a site for having only dofollow or nofollow links, having a balanced profile can reduce that risk.
  • Increased Credibility: Both types of links from diverse sources help build your site’s credibility and brand reputation.

How to Identify Dofollow and Nofollow Links

To identify the type of links on a webpage:

  1. Inspect the HTML: Right-click on a link and select “Inspect”. Look for the “rel” attribute. If you see “nofollow”, the link won’t pass link juice.
  2. Use SEO Tools: SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz let you analyse your backlinks, indicating whether they’re dofollow or nofollow.
  3. Browser Extensions: Tools like MozBar show link types directly on your browser, allowing quick identification.
Ahrefs result for an article. 1. shows the number of links from a domain (blanked out) linked to the post. 2. shows the amount of dofollow links to the post. 3. example of nofollow links to a post.

Best Practices for Link Strategy

Types of Content to Use for Each Link Type

  • Dofollow Links: Use for high-quality, relevant content such as articles, case studies, and research that enhances your authority. Link to credible sites that add value for readers.
  • Nofollow Links: Use for commercial content, such as sponsored posts, and in areas with high user-generated content, like forums or comment sections.

Commercial vs. Non-commercial Content

  • Commercial Links: Always use nofollow or “sponsored” tags for paid content, like ads or affiliate links. This practice ensures compliance with Google’s policies, protecting your site from penalties.
  • Non-commercial Links: For informative content or guest posts, use dofollow links if they add value to the reader and align with your content.

Conclusion

Using both dofollow and nofollow links strategically can help your site gain authority, visibility, and user trust. Dofollow links build SEO value directly, while nofollow links offer indirect benefits like traffic and credibility. Balancing the two types in your link strategy is good for creating a well-rounded backlink profile.