In the world of SEO, backlinks are among the most powerful tools to improve rankings. However, not all links are created equal. Understanding the difference between DoFollow and NoFollow links is essential if you want to build a strong and sustainable link-building strategy.
What Is a DoFollow Link?
A DoFollow link is a standard hyperlink that allows search engines to follow the link and pass on what is known as “link juice.” This means that if a reputable site links to your page with a DoFollow link, it can positively impact your site’s domain authority and SEO rankings.
Example:
<a href=”https://yourwebsite.com”>Your Website</a>
There is no attribute here — it’s a default DoFollow link.
Key benefits of DoFollow links:
Improves page and domain authority
Boosts keyword rankings
Increases visibility on SERPs
What Is a NoFollow Link?
A NoFollow link tells search engines not to follow that specific link or pass any SEO value. It’s like saying: “You can go there, but don’t count this link as a vote of trust.”
Example:
<a href=”https://yourwebsite.com” rel=”nofollow”>Your Website</a>
This attribute prevents the transfer of link juice to the target website.
Why websites use NoFollow:
To prevent passing authority to untrusted sources
To reduce spam in user-generated content (e.g. blog comments)
To comply with sponsored or paid links policies
Do NoFollow Links Still Matter?
Yes, even though they don’t directly boost SEO rankings, NoFollow links can still bring benefits:
Traffic: They can still bring visitors to your site.
Brand awareness: Getting mentioned on major platforms builds credibility.
Indirect SEO benefits: Google has hinted that NoFollow links might sometimes be used as hints for ranking.
Where Are These Links Commonly Found?
Platform Link Type
Blog Comments NoFollow
Wikipedia NoFollow
Forum Posts NoFollow
Guest Blog Posts (sometimes) DoFollow or NoFollow
Editorial Mentions (news sites) DoFollow (usually)
How to Build a Balanced Link Profile
A healthy link profile should have both DoFollow and NoFollow links. If your backlink profile looks unnatural — for instance, only DoFollow links from low-authority domains — Google may penalize your site.
Tips:
Get DoFollow links from reputable sites
Diversify your anchor text
Don’t buy links — Google penalizes this
Focus on earning links with high-quality content
Final Thoughts
Understanding the difference between NoFollow and DoFollow links helps you build smarter, safer, and more effective SEO strategies. While DoFollow links carry direct SEO weight, NoFollow links contribute to overall visibility, traffic, and natural link diversity.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Can a NoFollow link become DoFollow later?
Yes, if the site owner removes the rel=”nofollow” attribute.
Q2: Are all social media links NoFollow?
Most major platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) use NoFollow links.
Q3: Can Google ignore NoFollow?
Since 2019, Google may treat NoFollow as a “hint” rather than a directive, meaning it might still follow or index the link in some cases.
Q4: Should I disavow NoFollow links?
Only if they are from spammy or dangerous domains. Usually, NoFollow links pose no SEO risk.
Q5: Which is more important: quality or quantity of DoFollow links?
Quality. One high-authority DoFollow link is better than 100 low-quality ones.
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