Dofollow vs Nofollow Links: What SEOs Must Know
Learn the technical difference between dofollow vs nofollow links, how Google treats rel=sponsored and rel=ugc, and why your backlink profile needs both.
Dofollow vs Nofollow Links
Google uses link attributes to decide how much ranking power flows from one page to another. Understanding the difference between dofollow vs nofollow links is foundational knowledge for anyone building backlinks or evaluating their link profile.
What Are Dofollow Links?
A dofollow link is simply a standard HTML hyperlink with no special rel attribute restricting how search engines treat it. When a page links to your site with a dofollow link, it signals to Google that the linking page vouches for your content.
Dofollow links pass PageRank (link equity) from the source page to the destination. They are the primary mechanism behind how search engines rank pages based on external signals.
In HTML, a dofollow link looks like any regular anchor tag:
<a href="https://example.com">Example</a>There is no rel="dofollow" attribute. The absence of a restrictive rel value is what makes a link dofollow by default.
What Are Nofollow Links?
The rel="nofollow" attribute was introduced by Google in 2005 to combat comment spam. It tells search engines not to pass ranking credit through the link.
<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Example</a>Originally, Google treated nofollow as a strict directive. The crawler would not follow the link and no PageRank would transfer. In 2019, Google changed nofollow to a "hint" rather than a directive, meaning Google may choose to crawl and even count some nofollow links when it finds them useful for understanding the web.
The Newer Link Attributes: Sponsored and UGC
In September 2019, Google introduced two additional rel attributes to give webmasters more granular control:
| Attribute | Purpose | Example Use Case |
|---|---|---|
rel="nofollow" | General signal that no endorsement is implied | Any link you do not want to vouch for |
rel="sponsored" | Identifies paid or sponsored links | Affiliate links, paid placements, advertisements |
rel="ugc" | Identifies user-generated content links | Forum posts, blog comments, community contributions |
These attributes can be combined. A paid link in a blog comment could use rel="ugc sponsored" to signal both characteristics.
How Google Treats Each Link Type
The ranking implications differ significantly across link types:
| Factor | Dofollow | Nofollow | Sponsored | UGC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passes PageRank | Yes | Hint (sometimes) | Hint (sometimes) | Hint (sometimes) |
| Crawled by Google | Yes | Usually | Usually | Usually |
| Used for indexing | Yes | As a hint | As a hint | As a hint |
| Counts as endorsement | Yes | No | No | No |
| Risk if manipulated | Penalty risk | Low risk | Low risk | Low risk |
The key shift in 2019 was that nofollow, sponsored, and ugc all became hints. Google reserves the right to use these links for crawling, indexing, and even ranking when it determines the signal is valuable. However, you should not expect consistent PageRank transfer from any of these attributed links.
Why Nofollow Links Are Not Worthless
One of the most persistent myths in SEO is that nofollow links have zero value. This is incorrect for several reasons.
Referral traffic. A nofollow link on a high-traffic website still sends visitors to your site. Traffic is traffic regardless of the link attribute.
Brand visibility. Links from major publications, forums, and social platforms build brand recognition even when they carry nofollow tags. Most links from sites like Wikipedia, Reddit, and major news outlets are nofollow, yet these mentions carry significant indirect SEO value.
Crawl discovery. Google uses nofollow links as hints for discovering new pages. A nofollow link from an authoritative site can help Google find and index your content faster.
Natural profile signal. A backlink profile composed entirely of dofollow links looks unnatural. Real websites accumulate a mix of link types organically.
Where Dofollow Links Typically Come From
Dofollow links are most commonly found in:
- Editorial mentions within blog posts and articles
- Guest posts on sites that allow followed links (learn more about guest posting for SEO)
- Resource pages that curate useful tools and references
- Business directories with legitimate editorial review
- Press coverage from news outlets that do not blanket-nofollow
The most valuable dofollow links come from pages with high domain authority, topical relevance to your niche, and real organic traffic.
Where Nofollow Links Typically Come From
Nofollow is the default on most user-generated and large-scale platforms:
- Social media (Twitter/X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Reddit)
- Blog comments on most CMS platforms
- Forum signatures and posts on most discussion boards
- Wikipedia and similar wiki-based sites
- Press releases distributed through wire services
- Sponsored content that follows Google's guidelines
Building a Natural Mix of Link Types
A healthy backlink profile mirrors how real websites accumulate links over time. You do not control which attribute other sites assign to your links, but you can pursue a diverse strategy.
Focus the majority of your active link building efforts on earning editorial dofollow links through quality content and outreach. At the same time, do not avoid platforms simply because they use nofollow. Participating in industry forums, contributing to discussions on Reddit, and getting mentioned on social media all contribute to a natural profile.
When working with publishers through a marketplace like Serpverse, you can review each publisher's link policies and domain metrics before placing an order. This helps you build a balanced portfolio of authoritative links.
How to Check if a Link Is Dofollow or Nofollow
You can inspect any link's attributes using these methods:
- Browser DevTools - Right-click the link, select "Inspect," and look for
relattributes on the<a>tag - SEO browser extensions - Tools like Ahrefs SEO Toolbar or MozBar highlight nofollow links on the page
- Backlink analysis tools - Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz all report the follow status of each backlink in your profile
When running a backlink profile audit, always segment your links by follow status to understand your current distribution.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Ignoring nofollow opportunities. Turning down a mention on a major industry publication because it uses nofollow is short-sighted. The traffic and brand exposure often outweigh the absent PageRank.
Over-optimizing for dofollow. Aggressively pursuing only dofollow links creates an unnatural pattern. Google's algorithms are specifically tuned to detect this.
Misusing sponsored tags. If you receive editorial links that are genuinely earned (not paid), they should remain dofollow. Marking earned links as sponsored sends the wrong signal about the nature of the relationship.
Neglecting internal nofollow. Using nofollow on internal links to sculpt PageRank is an outdated tactic that Google has explicitly said does not work as intended. Keep your internal links clean and dofollow.
Key Takeaways
The dofollow vs nofollow distinction matters for understanding how link equity flows, but it should not be the sole factor driving your link building decisions. Dofollow links from relevant, authoritative sites remain the strongest ranking signal. Nofollow links contribute through traffic, brand awareness, crawl discovery, and profile naturalness.
Build for quality and diversity. A content strategy that earns backlinks naturally will produce a healthy mix of link types without you needing to micromanage every attribute.