Links are one of the important components of search engine optimization (SEO). They help search engines discover web pages, understand relationships between websites, and evaluate signals that may influence search rankings. However, not all links have the same attributes or purpose.
If you manage a website, publish blog articles, build backlinks, or run an SEO campaign, understanding the difference between dofollow and nofollow links is essential. Choosing the appropriate link attributes can help you maintain a natural linking strategy, manage sponsored content correctly, and avoid common SEO mistakes.
In this step-by-step guide, you will learn what dofollow and nofollow links are, how they affect SEO, when to use each type, how to check link attributes, and how to build a sustainable link strategy for your website.
Whether you are an SEO beginner, blogger, developer, or digital marketing professional, this guide will help you make better decisions about links.
What Are Dofollow and Nofollow Links?
Dofollow and nofollow are commonly used terms in SEO to describe links and how search engines may treat them.
A dofollow link is the informal name for a standard hyperlink that does not have a special link qualification such as nofollow, sponsored, or ugc.
A nofollow link is a hyperlink that includes the rel="nofollow" attribute, which indicates that the website owner does not want to imply a normal endorsement of the destination.
Both types of links can help people navigate the web. The distinction is primarily about how the links are qualified for search engines.
What is a dofollow link?
A standard HTML hyperlink usually looks like this:
<a href="https://example.com/seo-guide">
Read the SEO guide
</a>This is a standard link without a special rel qualification. SEO professionals commonly call it a dofollow link.
Search engines can use links to discover pages and understand their relationships. A standard link may also contribute to link-related ranking signals, depending on the circumstances.
However, a standard link does not guarantee that the destination page will be crawled, indexed, or ranked higher.
What is a nofollow link?
A nofollow link includes the rel="nofollow" attribute.
For example:
<a href="https://example.com/resource"
rel="nofollow">
Visit the resource
</a>This attribute tells search engines that the link should be treated as a nofollow-qualified link.
Google treats nofollow as a hint rather than an absolute directive for crawling and indexing decisions. Therefore, adding nofollow does not guarantee that Google will ignore the URL or that the destination will never be crawled.
Nofollow is useful in situations where you want to link to a resource without implying the same kind of endorsement as an ordinary editorial link.
Dofollow vs. Nofollow: Key Differences
Understanding the differences helps you select the right link attributes for your website.
| Feature | Dofollow (standard link) | Nofollow link |
|---|---|---|
| HTML attribute | No special qualification required | rel="nofollow" |
| Can users click it? | Yes | Yes |
| Can search engines discover the URL through it? | Yes | Potentially; nofollow is a hint |
| Can contribute to link-related ranking signals? | Yes, depending on context | Google may use it as a hint |
| Implies an ordinary editorial relationship? | May indicate an editorial endorsement | Signals that the usual endorsement is not intended |
| Common use | Relevant editorial references | Links you do not want to qualify as ordinary endorsements |
The most important point is that nofollow does not mean a link is useless, and dofollow does not guarantee an SEO benefit.
A nofollow link may still send relevant visitors to your website, increase brand awareness, and help people discover your content. A standard link may provide little value if it appears on an irrelevant or low-quality page.
The context, relevance, and quality of the link all matter.
How Do Dofollow Links Impact SEO?
Standard links can play an important role in an effective SEO strategy. Here are the main ways they may contribute to your website’s performance.
1. They can contribute to link-related ranking signals
Search engines use links as part of their systems for discovering and evaluating web pages.
When a relevant website links to your content through a standard hyperlink, that link may contribute to the ranking signals associated with the destination page.
For example, imagine a respected web development publication references a detailed guide published on your website. That editorial link may help search engines understand that the guide is relevant to the subject being discussed.
However, not all links have equal value, and no individual backlink guarantees higher rankings.
2. They help search engines discover pages
Standard hyperlinks provide paths that search engines can follow to discover URLs.
If another website links to a new article on your domain, that link may help search engines find the article.
This is one reason why earning relevant backlinks can support a website’s discoverability.
Crawling and indexing still depend on other factors, including whether the destination is accessible and whether search engines decide to index it.
3. They can strengthen your website’s reputation
Relevant editorial links can introduce your content to audiences who already trust the referring publication.
For example, if an established technology blog references a technical tutorial on your website, readers may view that tutorial as a useful resource.
The SEO value depends on the context and other factors, but the referral traffic and exposure can also be valuable independently of rankings.
4. They can generate referral traffic
Backlinks are not only about search engines.
A reader who clicks a relevant link from another website may become a visitor, subscriber, customer, or business lead.
For instance, a software development company might earn visitors when a developer community references one of its technical guides.
This is why a link’s relevance and potential audience should matter when evaluating link opportunities.
5. They can support long-term organic growth
Earning relevant links to genuinely useful content can support your broader SEO strategy.
Useful content that attracts references may continue bringing visitors over time. However, link acquisition should focus on editorial value and legitimate relationships rather than attempts to manipulate ranking systems.
For official guidance, see Google’s SEO Starter Guide.
How Do Nofollow Links Impact SEO?
Nofollow links are often misunderstood because some SEO discussions treat them as if they have no value.
That is not an accurate way to evaluate them.
1. They can still generate referral traffic
A nofollow link is still a clickable hyperlink.
If a popular website includes a nofollow link to your article, interested readers can click it and visit your website.
That traffic may lead to newsletter subscriptions, product purchases, enquiries, or other business outcomes.
2. They can improve brand visibility
Your website may be mentioned in forums, community discussions, news publications, or other online resources.
Even when those links are nofollow-qualified, the mentions can expose your brand to a relevant audience.
Brand visibility and referral visits can be valuable independently of whether a link contributes to ranking signals.
3. They can support a natural linking profile
Websites naturally receive links from different sources and with different attributes.
For example, a business may receive standard editorial links, nofollow links from discussion forums, and sponsored links from paid advertising campaigns.
You do not need to force an artificial ratio between dofollow and nofollow links.
Instead, focus on creating useful content, building legitimate relationships, and earning relevant mentions.
4. Google may treat nofollow as a hint
Since Google changed how it handles link attributes in 2019, nofollow is treated as a hint for crawling, indexing, and ranking purposes.
This means you should not assume that a nofollow link will always be completely ignored.
At the same time, you should not assume that every nofollow link passes ranking value. Google does not guarantee that outcome.
5. They help qualify links appropriately
Nofollow can be useful when you need to link to a resource without implying an ordinary endorsement.
However, paid links and user-generated links have more specific attributes available. Choosing the appropriate attribute makes your linking practices clearer.
What Are the Differences Between Dofollow, Nofollow, Sponsored, and UGC Links?
Modern SEO requires more than understanding only two link types.
Google recognizes several link qualifications that help describe the relationship between a website and the destination.
Dofollow: Standard editorial links
A standard link does not require a special rel attribute.
Use ordinary links when they are appropriate for the context and you do not need a special qualification.
Example:
<a href="https://example.com/technical-seo">
Technical SEO guide
</a>Nofollow: Links without a normal endorsement
Use rel="nofollow" when you want to indicate that you do not wish to imply the usual endorsement associated with the link, and a more specific qualification is not appropriate.
Example:
<a href="https://example.com/resource"
rel="nofollow">
External resource
</a>Sponsored: Paid and compensated links
Use rel="sponsored" for advertisements, paid placements, affiliate links, sponsorships, and other compensated relationships.
Example:
<a href="https://example.com/product"
rel="sponsored">
View the product
</a>This is especially important for publishers, bloggers, and businesses that earn revenue from affiliate marketing or sponsored content.
UGC: User-generated content links
Use rel="ugc" for links within user-generated content, such as comments and forum posts, where appropriate.
Example:
<a href="https://example.com/shared-resource"
rel="ugc">
Shared resource
</a>This helps distinguish user-submitted links from links selected by the website’s editorial team.
Quick comparison
| Attribute | Typical purpose |
|---|---|
No special rel attribute | Ordinary editorial links |
nofollow | Links you do not want to qualify as ordinary endorsements |
sponsored | Paid or compensated links |
ugc | Links in user-generated content |
Google permits multiple values in the rel attribute when appropriate. For example, a paid link in a user-generated area might use rel="sponsored ugc".
For the official rules and examples, consult Google’s documentation on qualifying outbound links.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Check Whether a Link Is Dofollow or Nofollow
You do not need an expensive SEO tool to check the basic attributes of a hyperlink.
Follow these steps to inspect a link on a website.
Step 1: Open the webpage
Visit the page containing the link you want to check.
For example, if you are reviewing a backlink to your website, open the referring page in your browser.
Step 2: Inspect the link
In Google Chrome, right-click the link and select Inspect.
The browser’s developer tools should highlight the relevant HTML element.
You can also right-click the page and select View Page Source, then search for the link’s destination URL. This second method may not show links that are generated dynamically by JavaScript.
Step 3: Look for the rel attribute
Examine the anchor element.
A standard link may look like this:
<a href="https://coderog.com/">
CodeROG
</a>A nofollow link may look like this:
<a href="https://coderog.com/"
rel="nofollow">
CodeROG
</a>A sponsored link may look like this:
<a href="https://coderog.com/"
rel="sponsored">
CodeROG
</a>Step 4: Interpret the result correctly
If the anchor element has no special link qualification, it is commonly described as dofollow.
If the rel attribute contains nofollow, the link is nofollow-qualified. If it contains sponsored or ugc, it has a different, more specific qualification.
A link can have more than one value in its rel attribute.
Step 5: Review the surrounding context
Do not judge a backlink by its attribute alone.
Consider the referring page’s relevance, the quality of its content, whether the link is editorially appropriate, and whether real users might find it useful.
A relevant nofollow link can be more valuable for referral traffic than an irrelevant standard link.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Build a Quality Backlink Strategy
Once you understand link attributes, the next step is building a sustainable strategy for earning relevant backlinks.
The goal is not to collect as many dofollow links as possible. Instead, focus on producing content and resources that other websites have a genuine reason to reference.
Step 1: Identify your most valuable pages
Start by identifying the pages you want people to discover.
These might include:
- Comprehensive educational articles.
- Original research or statistics.
- Useful developer resources.
- Free tools and practical guides.
- Important product pages.
- Core service pages.
For a software company, detailed technical tutorials and useful developer tools may attract links more naturally than ordinary promotional pages.
Step 2: Create content worth referencing
Publish resources that solve specific problems for your target audience.
For example, a development company could publish a practical guide explaining how to use an API, troubleshoot a common error, or improve website performance.
Useful resources give bloggers, developers, educators, and industry publications something concrete to reference.
Step 3: Find relevant websites and publishers
Identify websites that cover topics related to your content.
For example, a technical tutorial may be relevant to software development publications, developer communities, and educational resources.
Review each website’s content and audience before reaching out.
Avoid buying links that pass ranking credit, participating in link exchanges intended to manipulate rankings, or using automated schemes to create backlinks.
Step 4: Build genuine relationships
Reach out to publishers when you have a resource that genuinely improves an existing article or fills an information gap.
Keep your outreach relevant and transparent.
Instead of asking every website for a dofollow backlink, explain why your resource may be useful to their readers.
A publisher should remain free to decide whether to link to your resource and which link qualification is appropriate.
Step 5: Monitor your backlinks
Review the websites linking to your domain and identify important changes over time.
Google Search Console’s Links report can help you explore links Google has found pointing to your website. Third-party SEO tools can provide additional backlink data, although their indexes and metrics may differ.
Look for patterns such as:
- New links from relevant websites.
- Lost links to important content.
- Links pointing to outdated URLs.
- Relevant brand mentions without links.
- Suspicious patterns that may require further investigation.
Do not assume that a website is harmful simply because it has a low third-party authority score or links to you with nofollow.
Step 6: Evaluate link quality, not just quantity
A large number of backlinks does not automatically mean better SEO.
Consider the relevance of the referring page, the context of the link, the quality of the source, and the potential value to readers.
A small number of relevant editorial references may be more useful than thousands of unrelated links.
Step 7: Keep improving your content
Update your best articles, maintain useful resources, and ensure that your important pages remain accessible.
Content that continues to solve real problems can create opportunities for new references and repeat visitors.
Backlink building is an ongoing process, not a one-time task.
How to Audit Dofollow and Nofollow Links on Your Website
If you manage a large website, checking each link manually may be impractical.
A link audit can help you understand how links are used across your website and identify technical or editorial problems.
1. Crawl your website
Use an SEO crawler to collect URLs and inspect the links between pages.
Depending on the tool, you may be able to identify link attributes, broken destinations, redirects, and other technical issues.
2. Review outgoing links
Check the external links on your website and confirm that they point to relevant, reliable resources.
Pay particular attention to paid placements, affiliate links, and user-generated content.
3. Review incoming backlinks
Use Google Search Console or a suitable third-party SEO platform to review backlinks pointing to your website.
Remember that the available backlink data may be incomplete, and different tools may report different results.
4. Check important link attributes
Confirm that links have appropriate attributes based on their purpose.
Do not automatically convert every nofollow link into a standard link. Similarly, do not add nofollow to every external link without a reason.
5. Fix technical problems
Correct broken internal links, update outdated destinations, and review unexpected redirects.
For external links you do not control, update or remove the reference if the destination is no longer appropriate.
6. Record changes and monitor performance
Keep a record of significant link-related changes and review search performance over time.
This helps you evaluate whether the changes improve usability and technical quality without assuming that a particular attribute will directly change rankings.
Common Dofollow and Nofollow SEO Mistakes
Avoid these common misconceptions when planning your link strategy.
Mistake 1: Believing every dofollow link improves rankings
A standard link is not automatically valuable. Relevance, context, and quality matter, and Google does not guarantee a ranking improvement from any individual link.
Mistake 2: Assuming nofollow links have no value
Nofollow links can generate traffic, expose your brand to new audiences, and help users discover your content. Their ranking contribution is not guaranteed, but they should not be dismissed automatically.
Mistake 3: Trying to achieve a perfect dofollow-to-nofollow ratio
There is no universal ideal ratio that every website must follow.
Build a legitimate linking profile by publishing useful content and earning appropriate references.
Mistake 4: Buying dofollow backlinks to manipulate rankings
Buying links intended to pass ranking credit can violate Google’s spam policies.
If you pay for advertising or sponsored placements, qualify those links appropriately instead of treating them as ordinary editorial endorsements.
Mistake 5: Using the wrong attributes for paid links
Paid and affiliate links should generally use rel="sponsored" or another appropriate qualification, such as nofollow where suitable.
Do not disguise paid placements as independent editorial recommendations.
Mistake 6: Ignoring the relevance of the referring page
A link from an unrelated website may have little practical value, even if a third-party tool assigns the referring domain a high authority score.
Prioritize links that make sense for your content and audience.
Mistake 7: Disavowing every low-quality-looking link
Do not disavow backlinks solely because a third-party SEO tool labels them toxic or because they are nofollow.
Google generally handles many ordinary low-quality links automatically. The disavow tool is intended for specific situations involving substantial unnatural link patterns and potential manual action, not routine backlink cleanup.
For more information, read Google’s link spam policies.
How CodeROG Can Help With Your SEO Workflow
Understanding link attributes is only one part of an effective SEO strategy. Website owners also need useful content, technical monitoring, a clear website structure, and efficient tools for managing their digital operations.
CodeROG provides software development and digital solutions, along with resources for businesses and developers.
Explore CodeROG SEO resources and tools
Visit the CodeROG SEO API to explore its available SEO-related capabilities and documentation.
Depending on the supported features, SEO APIs can be incorporated into custom workflows that collect and process website information or help developers build SEO-related applications.
For example, a development team could create a dashboard that combines available SEO data with its own backlink inventory and link audit results. The precise implementation depends on the data sources and endpoints available.
Discover developer utilities
Explore CodeROG API Tools to see the available developer utilities.
Developer tools can be useful when building custom workflows, integrating services, and automating repetitive technical tasks. Check the current documentation to identify the tools relevant to your project.
Build custom digital solutions with CodeROG
Businesses with more complex SEO requirements may need custom dashboards, website integrations, content management workflows, or other software solutions.
Through CodeROG, you can explore software development and web solutions for your business.
For example, a custom application could help a team maintain a content inventory, track backlink information from supported data sources, and organize link audit results in one place.
Such a system would need appropriate data sources and implementation; it would not automatically determine which backlinks Google counts or guarantee improved search rankings.
The best approach is to combine appropriate tools with a sound SEO strategy, high-quality content, and consistent website maintenance.
Dofollow and Nofollow Links: Final Checklist
Before publishing content or reviewing your backlink profile, use this checklist.
- Understand the difference between standard and qualified links.
- Check the
relattribute when inspecting links. - Evaluate backlinks based on relevance and context.
- Use descriptive anchor text.
- Apply
rel="sponsored"to appropriate paid links. - Use
rel="ugc"for relevant user-generated links. - Use
rel="nofollow"when appropriate. - Avoid manipulative link-building schemes.
- Monitor backlinks with suitable SEO tools.
- Avoid arbitrary dofollow-to-nofollow ratios.
- Review Google’s current link spam policies.
- Focus on useful content and sustainable organic growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are dofollow links better than nofollow links?
Not in every situation. Standard links may contribute to ranking signals, while nofollow links can still generate referral traffic and brand exposure. The best link depends on its context and purpose.
Do nofollow links pass link juice?
Google treats nofollow as a hint rather than an absolute directive. It does not guarantee that a nofollow link will pass ranking credit, so you should not rely on it for that purpose.
How can I check whether a backlink is dofollow?
Right-click the link in your browser, select Inspect, and examine its HTML. A link without a special qualification is commonly called dofollow. If its rel attribute includes nofollow, it is nofollow-qualified.
Should all external links on my website be nofollow?
No. Ordinary editorial links generally do not need to be nofollow-qualified. Choose attributes based on the relationship between your website and the destination.
Should I buy dofollow backlinks?
Avoid buying links intended to manipulate search rankings. Paid advertising and sponsorships should be handled transparently and qualified appropriately.
Is there an ideal number of dofollow backlinks?
There is no universal target. Focus on earning relevant, legitimate references instead of pursuing a fixed number.
Can nofollow links help my business?
Yes. They can introduce your brand to new audiences, generate referral traffic, and help potential customers discover your website even when a ranking benefit is not guaranteed.
What is the difference between nofollow and sponsored links?
nofollow indicates that the usual endorsement is not intended. sponsored is specifically intended for paid or compensated relationships, including advertising and affiliate links. Use the most appropriate qualification for the situation.
Conclusion
Dofollow and nofollow links serve different purposes, but neither should be evaluated in isolation.
Standard links can contribute to link-related ranking signals, while nofollow links can still support traffic, visibility, and discovery. Sponsored and user-generated links have their own qualifications, which help websites communicate the nature of those relationships.
Build your strategy around relevance, trustworthy content, appropriate link attributes, and legitimate relationships rather than chasing a particular link ratio or guaranteed ranking benefit.
If you want to improve your website’s SEO workflow, explore the tools and digital solutions available through CodeROG.
Create valuable content, earn relevant links, and build sustainable SEO growth with CodeROG.