Dofollow vs Nofollow Links: What's the Difference?
A dofollow link passes ranking signals from one page to another, while a nofollow link tells search engines not to pass that authority. Dofollow is the default state of any hyperlink; nofollow is created by adding rel="nofollow" to the link tag. Google uses nofollow, along with rel="sponsored" and rel="ugc", as hints to distinguish editorial links from paid, user-generated, or untrusted ones. Both link types can still send real visitors, so nofollow is not wasted; it simply withholds the endorsement that helps pages rank.
- Dofollow
- The default link; passes PageRank and anchor-text signals to the target page
- Nofollow
- Adds rel="nofollow"; treated as a hint, not a directive, since 2020 (Google Search Central)
- Related values
- rel="sponsored" for paid links and rel="ugc" for user content (Google Search Central)
- Still useful
- Nofollow links pass no authority but can send referral traffic and brand awareness
- Policy origin
- Nofollow was introduced in 2005 to fight comment spam (Google Webmaster Blog)
What dofollow and nofollow actually mean #
A dofollow link is an ordinary hyperlink that search engines are free to follow and count as a vote of confidence for the destination page. There is no literal rel="dofollow" attribute; dofollow simply describes the default behavior of any link that carries no restricting value. A nofollow link is an ordinary link with rel="nofollow" added, signaling that the linking site does not want to pass ranking credit. Google reads this as a hint rather than an absolute command. The distinction matters because links are one of the strongest ranking factors, so where authority flows shapes which pages rise in results. If you invest in earning coverage through /services/seo-services or /services/content-marketing, knowing whether those links are dofollow helps you gauge their SEO value. Both link types are legitimate parts of a healthy backlink profile, and a natural site mixes them without any manual tinkering on every link. In short, dofollow is the endorsing default and nofollow is the polite way to link without vouching, and both belong in a healthy, credible site.
Why nofollow exists #
Nofollow was created by Google, Yahoo, and MSN in 2005 to combat blog-comment and forum spam, where people dropped links purely to manipulate rankings. By letting site owners mark untrusted links, search engines could ignore spammy votes without penalizing the host site. Over time the attribute took on a second job: disclosing paid or sponsored links so they do not artificially inflate rankings, which keeps sites compliant with search-engine guidelines. Advertorials, affiliate links, and press releases are common cases where nofollow or sponsored is expected. Without it, buying links would be a cheap path to the top and results would degrade. Nofollow also protects your own site: when you allow user-generated links in comments or profiles, marking them nofollow or ugc stops spammers from riding your authority. Understanding this history explains why nofollow is not an insult to a link but often a correct, guideline-following label. A clean /tools/broken-link-checker audit pairs well with reviewing which outbound links deserve nofollow.
How dofollow links help rankings #
Search engines treat a dofollow link roughly like a recommendation: the more relevant, authoritative pages that link to yours, the more trustworthy your page looks. Two things travel across a dofollow link. First is authority, historically called PageRank, a measure of link equity that flows from the linking page. Second is anchor text, the clickable words, which give context about what the target page is about. A dofollow link from a respected industry publication using descriptive anchor text can meaningfully lift a page's ability to rank for related terms. This is why earning editorial coverage, guest features, and genuine citations sits at the heart of off-page /services/seo-services. Not all dofollow links are equal, though: relevance, the linking site's own authority, and placement within the content all affect how much weight passes. One strong, topical dofollow link often outperforms dozens of weak directory links, so quality beats raw quantity every time.
When nofollow is the right choice #
Nofollow is appropriate whenever a link should not read as your editorial endorsement. Use rel="sponsored" for paid placements, advertisements, and affiliate links, because passing authority through paid links violates search-engine guidelines and can trigger penalties. Use rel="ugc" for user-generated content such as comments and forum posts, where you cannot vouch for every link. Plain rel="nofollow" fits general cases where you link to a source you do not fully trust or simply do not want to endorse. Applying these labels protects your site and keeps the wider web honest. Many high-authority platforms, including major social networks and Wikipedia, nofollow outbound links by default, which is why links from them rarely move rankings even though they can drive real traffic. For a small business running /services/content-marketing, the practical rule is simple: mark paid and untrusted links, and let genuine editorial references stay dofollow so your recommendations carry proper weight. Applied consistently, these labels keep you on the right side of search-engine guidelines while still letting every link send interested visitors on to their destination.
The rel attribute in code #
Nofollow, sponsored, and ugc are all expressed through the rel attribute on an anchor tag. You can combine values with a space when a link fits more than one category, such as a sponsored user link. Here are the common patterns you will see in real HTML.
<!-- Default dofollow link (no rel needed) -->
<a href="https://example.com">Editorial link</a>
<!-- Nofollow: withhold ranking credit -->
<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Untrusted link</a>
<!-- Sponsored / paid or affiliate link -->
<a href="https://partner.com" rel="sponsored">Ad link</a>
<!-- User-generated content, e.g. a comment -->
<a href="https://user-site.com" rel="ugc">Commenter link</a>
<!-- Combine values when both apply -->
<a href="https://partner.com" rel="sponsored nofollow">Paid + not endorsed</a>Hints versus directives after 2020 #
In March 2020 Google changed how it treats nofollow, sponsored, and ugc: instead of a strict directive that always blocks crawling and equity, they became hints. This means Google may choose to consider a nofollow link for crawling and indexing purposes when it judges that useful, though it still generally will not pass ranking authority. The practical effect for site owners is small but real. You should no longer rely on nofollow to hide pages from being discovered; use robots.txt or a noindex tag for that. You also should not obsess over nofollowing internal links to sculpt PageRank, a tactic that stopped working years ago. Instead, use the attributes for their intended disclosure purpose. Bing and other engines have broadly aligned with treating these as signals rather than commands. The takeaway is to label links honestly and let search engines interpret them, rather than trying to micromanage crawl behavior through link attributes alone.
Building a natural link profile #
A believable backlink profile contains a mix of dofollow and nofollow links, because that is what genuine popularity produces. A brand mentioned across the web naturally collects nofollow links from social posts, comments, and directories alongside dofollow editorial links from blogs and news. A profile that is almost entirely dofollow, especially with keyword-rich anchor text, can look manipulated and invite scrutiny. So rather than chasing only dofollow links, focus on being genuinely link-worthy: publish useful resources, earn press, and build real relationships. The nofollow links that come with visibility still deliver referral traffic, brand searches, and discovery, all of which support rankings indirectly. Tools that audit your backlinks will label each link's rel status so you can see the balance. If you work with a partner on /services/seo-services, ask them to report link quality and relevance, not just raw counts, and to keep anchor text varied and natural rather than stuffed with target keywords.
Common myths and practical advice #
Several persistent myths cloud this topic. One is that nofollow links are worthless; in reality they can drive qualified traffic, spark brand searches, and often precede natural dofollow coverage. Another is that you should nofollow internal links to funnel authority, a debunked idea that only wastes effort. A third is that any single link, dofollow or not, will transform your rankings overnight; link building is cumulative and slow. The practical advice is straightforward. Let editorial links you earn stay dofollow, mark paid and affiliate links as sponsored, and mark user content as ugc. Do not buy dofollow links, since that risks penalties that are expensive to recover from through a /services/website-rescue effort. Periodically audit outbound and inbound links, fix broken ones with a /tools/broken-link-checker, and prioritize relevance over volume. Handled this way, the dofollow-versus-nofollow decision becomes routine hygiene rather than a source of anxiety, and your link profile stays both effective and guideline-compliant.
Auditing your links regularly #
Because links change over time, a periodic audit keeps your profile healthy. Review your outbound links to confirm paid and affiliate ones carry rel="sponsored" and that user-generated links use ugc, so you never accidentally endorse spam. Scan inbound links, using a backlink tool that labels each link's dofollow or nofollow status, to spot toxic or spammy domains pointing at you. If you find a pattern of paid or manipulative links you did not build, Google's disavow tool is a last resort, though most sites never need it. Fix broken outbound links with a /tools/broken-link-checker, since dead links waste crawl budget and frustrate visitors. Track whether the editorial links you earn through /services/seo-services are genuinely dofollow, as those are the ones that move rankings. Keep anchor text natural and varied rather than stuffed with keywords, which can look manipulative. A quarterly review of this kind turns link management into routine hygiene, catching problems early and ensuring the authority flowing to your pages comes from clean, relevant, guideline-compliant sources.
FAQ
Do nofollow links help SEO at all?
Nofollow links do not pass ranking authority, but they still help indirectly. They can send referral traffic, build brand awareness, and often lead to natural dofollow coverage later. Search engines also treat nofollow as a hint since 2020, so a nofollow link is far from wasted even though it will not directly move your rankings.
Is there a rel="dofollow" attribute?
No. Dofollow is simply the default behavior of any link with no restricting rel value, so there is nothing to add. You only mark links you want to restrict, using rel="nofollow", rel="sponsored", or rel="ugc". Leaving a link untouched already makes it a dofollow link that can pass ranking signals.
Should I nofollow my affiliate links?
Yes. Google expects affiliate and paid links to carry rel="sponsored" (or nofollow), because passing ranking credit through paid links breaks its guidelines and risks a penalty. Marking them properly keeps your site compliant while still letting visitors click through and letting you earn commission normally.
How do I check if a link is dofollow or nofollow?
Inspect the link's HTML and look at its rel attribute. If it contains nofollow, sponsored, or ugc, it withholds authority; if there is no rel value, it is dofollow. Browser extensions and backlink audit tools can highlight this automatically across a whole page or your entire backlink profile.
Does nofollow stop a page from being indexed?
Not reliably. Since 2020 Google treats nofollow as a hint, so it may still crawl and index a nofollowed URL. To keep a page out of search results, use a noindex meta tag, and to block crawling use robots.txt. Nofollow is about ranking credit, not indexing control.
Can too many dofollow links hurt me?
A profile that is almost entirely dofollow with keyword-heavy anchor text can look manipulated and draw scrutiny. Natural sites collect a mix of dofollow and nofollow links with varied anchors. Focus on earning genuine, relevant links rather than forcing every link to be dofollow, and the balance will look organic.
How Local Web Advisor checks this for you
Is your own website getting technical seo right?
Our free AI audit scans your site and tells you — in plain English — exactly what to fix for technical seo and seven other areas, with the business impact and the fix for each. No login needed to start.
Run my free website audit →Was this helpful?