What is a Nofollow Link?

A nofollow link is a backlink with a special HTML attribute (rel="nofollow") that tells search engines not to pass link juice or ranking credit to the linked page. It's a way of linking to something without vouching for it.

Search engines treat nofollow links as hints rather than absolute directives. Google may still consider them for indexing and discovery, but they typically don't help your rankings the way dofollow links do.

When They're Used

User-generated content like blog comments and forum posts are typically nofollowed to prevent spam. Paid links and sponsored content must be nofollowed to comply with Google's guidelines.

Links in social media posts are usually nofollow. Wikipedia uses nofollow for most external links. Any situation where the site owner doesn't want to vouch for the destination typically uses nofollow.

Why They Matter

Nofollow links won't directly boost your rankings, but they still have value. They drive traffic, build brand awareness, and can lead to dofollow links when people discover your content.

A natural backlink profile includes both nofollow and dofollow links. If every single link to your site is dofollow, that can look suspicious to Google. Some nofollow links from social media, comments, or forums are normal.

Common Misconceptions

Nofollow doesn't mean worthless. A nofollow link from a major publication still drives traffic and credibility, even if it doesn't pass ranking power.

You shouldn't obsess over whether links are nofollow or dofollow. Focus on earning links from relevant, high-traffic sources. If they happen to be dofollow, great. If not, you still benefit from the exposure and potential referral traffic.