SEO
What is a dofollow vs nofollow link?
What Is a Dofollow vs Nofollow Link?
In SEO, backlinks are links from one website to another. Search engines like Google use these links to understand trust, authority, and relevance.
There are two major types of backlinks:
- Dofollow links
- Nofollow links
The main difference is whether the linking website passes SEO authority (often called “link juice”) to the target website.
What Is a Dofollow Link?
A dofollow link is a normal hyperlink that allows search engines to:
- Follow the link
- Crawl the target page
- Pass authority and ranking signals
These links help improve SEO rankings.
Example of a Dofollow Link
<a href="https://example.com">Best SEO Agency</a>Since there is no special attribute added, search engines treat it as a dofollow link by default.
Why Dofollow Links Matter
Dofollow backlinks are important because they can:
Improve Search Rankings
Quality backlinks from trusted websites can help pages rank higher in search results.
Increase Domain Authority
Backlinks from strong websites improve your website’s authority over time.
Help Search Engines Discover Pages
Search engines crawl links to find new pages and content.
Pass “Link Juice”
SEO value flows from one website to another through dofollow links.
Example:
- A major Indian news site linking to your business website can positively impact SEO.
What Is a Nofollow Link?
A nofollow link tells search engines:
“Do not pass SEO authority through this link.”
It uses a special HTML attribute:
rel="nofollow"Example of a Nofollow Link
<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">SEO Services</a>This means search engines may crawl the link, but they usually do not pass full ranking value.
Why Nofollow Links Exist
Nofollow links were introduced to reduce:
- Comment spam
- Paid link manipulation
- Untrusted links
- Spammy SEO practices
Websites use nofollow links when they do not want to “endorse” another website.
Common Sources of Nofollow Links
Social Media Platforms
Most social media links are nofollow.
Examples:
Blog Comments
Most modern blogs use nofollow on comments to prevent spam.
Forums
Many forums add nofollow automatically.
Sponsored or Paid Links
Paid advertisements should usually use:
nofollowsponsored
according to Google guidelines.
Dofollow vs Nofollow: Key Differences
| Feature | Dofollow | Nofollow |
|---|---|---|
| Passes SEO authority | Yes | Usually No |
| Helps rankings directly | Yes | Limited |
| Search engines follow link | Yes | Sometimes |
| Default link type | Yes | No |
| Used for paid/untrusted links | Rarely | Common |
| Valuable for SEO | Very High | Moderate |
Are Nofollow Links Useless?
No.
Nofollow links still provide value.
They Can Drive Traffic
A nofollow link on a popular website can send real visitors.
Example:
- A viral Reddit discussion
- A Quora answer
- A LinkedIn post
They Build Brand Awareness
People may discover your business through nofollow links.
They Create a Natural Backlink Profile
A website with only dofollow links may look unnatural.
Healthy backlink profiles include:
- Dofollow links
- Nofollow links
- Brand mentions
- Social signals
Google Treats Nofollow as a “Hint”
Google has stated that nofollow is now treated more as a hint rather than a strict rule.
This means some nofollow links may still contribute indirectly to SEO.
Other Link Attributes
Google introduced additional attributes:
Sponsored Links
Used for paid promotions.
Example:
rel="sponsored"UGC Links
UGC = User Generated Content
Used for:
- Forums
- Comments
- Community posts
Example:
rel="ugc"Which Is Better for SEO?
Dofollow Links
Better for:
- Rankings
- Authority
- Organic SEO growth
These are usually the most valuable backlinks.
Nofollow Links
Better for:
- Brand visibility
- Referral traffic
- Natural link diversity
They still matter in a complete SEO strategy.
What Makes a Good Dofollow Link?
Not all dofollow links are valuable.
A quality backlink should be:
Relevant
A healthcare backlink helps medical websites more than unrelated niches.
From a Trusted Website
Links from respected websites carry more authority.
Natural
Avoid spammy link schemes.
Contextual
Links inside article content are usually stronger than footer links.
Example in India
Suppose a Delhi real estate company gets:
- A dofollow backlink from a respected property blog
- A nofollow mention on social media
- A news mention on an Indian portal
Together, these signals help:
- SEO
- Branding
- Traffic
- Authority
How to Check if a Link Is Dofollow or Nofollow
Method 1: Inspect HTML
Right-click → Inspect
Look for:
rel="nofollow"If absent, the link is generally dofollow.
Method 2: Use SEO Extensions
Popular browser tools:
- Ahrefs SEO Toolbar
- MozBar
- SEOquake
These highlight nofollow links automatically.
Best SEO Practice in 2026
Modern SEO should focus on:
- High-quality content
- Natural backlinks
- Relevance
- Authority
- User trust
Avoid:
- Buying spammy backlinks
- Excessive exact-match anchors
- Link farms
- PBNs
Search engines are smarter now and can detect manipulation more easily.
Final Thoughts
A dofollow link passes SEO authority and helps rankings directly, while a nofollow link tells search engines not to pass full ranking value.
Both types of links are useful:
- Dofollow links help SEO growth
- Nofollow links help traffic, branding, and natural link diversity
The best SEO strategy is to build a healthy mix of:
- Quality content
- Relevant backlinks
- Trusted mentions
- Natural link profiles
In modern SEO, quality and relevance matter far more than simply collecting large numbers of links.