Follow vs. Nofollow Links: What’s the Deal?

Not all backlinks are made equal, and understanding the distinction between follow and nofollow links is crucial for your SEO strategy. Follow (or dofollow) links transfer link juice, boosting your website's rankings. Conversely, nofollow links contain a special attribute, instructing search engines not to pass authority or influence to the linked site.

Dofollow links are standard links without any additional attributes in the HTML code. They look like this: <a >Example anchor text</a>. Conversely, nofollow links include the rel="nofollow" attribute, signaling search engines not to transfer authority or anchor text influence. Their HTML code appears as: <a rel="nofollow">Example anchor text</a>.

In addition to standard nofollow links, there are two other types introduced by Google in 2019: sponsored links and user-generated content (UGC) links. Sponsored links, marked with rel="sponsored", indicate a compensated arrangement and don't pass link juice. Similarly, UGC links, denoted by rel="ugc", identify user-generated content and serve as a signal for potentially lower quality.

While follow links are valuable for SEO, actively avoiding or disregarding nofollow links is unwise. Nofollow links are a natural part of a diverse backlink profile and can contribute positively to SEO. Avoiding them entirely can appear unnatural to search engines and potentially result in penalties.

Although actively pursuing nofollow links may not be necessary, acquiring them organically can contribute to a balanced backlink profile. Additionally, obtaining nofollow links from high-traffic and reputable sites can be beneficial. Utilizing tools like Ahrefs or Semrush can help identify both follow and nofollow links pointing to your site.

In summary, while follow links are advantageous, nofollow links still hold value in SEO. Balancing both types within your backlink profile is essential for long-term success in search engine rankings.