Nofollow Link – Full Guide in Simple Words
What is a Nofollow Link?
A nofollow link is a type of link on a webpage that uses the code rel=”nofollow”. This small tag tells search engine that they should not count this link for ranking. In easy words, a nofollow link does not give SEO power like normal links.
When a site gives you a dofollow link, it passes something called “link juice” or “PageRank”. But a nofollow link does not pass this. So mostly, a nofollow link does not help in ranking your site higher.
Still, a nofollow link is very common and has many uses in SEO and online world.
Nofollow Link vs Dofollow Link
The main difference is very small in code. A dofollow link has no special tag but a nofollow link has that rel=”nofollow” tag.
For normal users, both look the same. You can click, copy, or use both types of link in same way. You cannot see with your own eyes if it is dofollow or nofollow.
But for SEO, the difference is big.
- Dofollow links help ranking in Google.
- Nofollow links mostly do not pass ranking value.
Search engines count only dofollow links in their main algorithm. Google even says that nofollow link do not pass PageRank. So, when building backlinks, dofollow is more useful.
Example of Nofollow Link and Dofollow Link
Let’s say you have two backlinks:
- From a big authority site homepage, but with a nofollow link.
- From a small blog, but with a dofollow link.
Which one helps ranking?
The second one, because dofollow passes SEO value. Even for a small site, the dofollow link gives more help than a nofollow link from a strong site.
How to Check If a Link is Nofollow
It is easy to see if a link is nofollow.
- Right click on the page and choose “view source”.
- Search the link code in HTML.
- If you see rel=”nofollow”, then it is a nofollow link.
There are also tools. For example, Chrome extension “Strike Out Nofollow Links”. This tool shows a line over nofollow link so you no need to check code.
Why Search Engines Made Nofollow Link
In early days, blog comment spam was a very big problem. Spammers put many links in comments to push their site up in Google. Bad sites start ranking higher, while good sites lose place.
In 2005, Google and other search engines made nofollow link tag. If comment or other user content use nofollow link, spammers do not get SEO value. Soon Bing and Yahoo will also start using it.
Where You See Nofollow Links
Any link can be nofollow if it has a tag. But mostly, these places give nofollow link:
- Blog comments
- Social media post and bio (like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram)
- Forum post or user content
- Many big blogs and news sites
- Widgets links
- Press release links
- Paid links (ads, banner, sponsored post)
Big websites like Wikipedia, Quora, Reddit, YouTube, Medium, Twitch make almost all their outbound links nofollow.
Google also says if you pay for a link, it must be nofollow (or use sponsored tag). If you do not do this, your site can get penalty.
Do Nofollow Links Help SEO?
Here is one big question: Do nofollow links really help SEO?
Some say no, they are useless. Others say yes, they help a little.
Google says “in general we don’t follow them”. But the word “in general” means maybe in some cases they do count.
There are many case studies. Example: one SEO expert buys many nofollow link with anchor text “backlink software”. After that, his site jumped from number 19 to number 1 in Google for that keyword.
Another test shows that Google bot actually follow a nofollow link and index a page that was not in index before.
Also, industry studies find that both dofollow and nofollow backlinks have some impact in ranking.
So maybe nofollow link not strong, but they still give some SEO value. Especially if they are from a related site.
Benefits of Nofollow Links
1. Can Help SEO a Bit
Even if weak, many tests show nofollow link sometimes improve ranking.
2. Bring Traffic
A nofollow link from social media, blog comment or forum can send visitors. Even if it does not help SEO, the traffic is useful. Example: a Facebook post with nofollow link can still send thousands of visitors to your site.
3. Can Lead to Dofollow Links
One nofollow link from a popular site can make other bloggers discover you and give you a dofollow link later. For example, if Forbes gives you a nofollow link, many other blogs may link you with dofollow later.
4. Natural Link Profile
Google likes natural link profiles. If all your links are only dofollow, it looks spam. Having nofollow links makes your profile safe. Many big sites like YouTube have around 20–25% nofollow link. So having them is normal and healthy.
Nofollow vs Noindex
Sometimes people confuse nofollow with noindex. They are different:
- Nofollow link tells Google “do not follow this link”.
- Noindex tag tells Google “do not index this page”.
So if you don’t want a page in search, use noindex, not nofollow link.
How to Add Nofollow Links on Your Site
It depends on your platform.
- In WordPress, comment links are nofollow by default.
- You can also use a plugin to make all external links to nofollow.
- Or add rel=”nofollow” manually in link code.
If you run other CMS or custom sites, you may need a developer to help.
Final Words on Nofollow Link
A nofollow link is not always useless. True, they do not pass PageRank like dofollow. But they still give value: bring traffic, keep link profiles natural, and sometimes even help in ranking.
If you do SEO, you should not ignore nofollow link. Use them together with dofollow. The best SEO profile always has a mix of both.
FAQ
Q1. What is a nofollow link?
A nofollow link is a link that tells Google not to count it for ranking.
Q2. Do nofollow links help SEO?
Mostly no, but sometimes they give small help.
Q3. How to check if a link is nofollow?
See the code, if it has rel=”nofollow”, then it is a nofollow link.
Q4. Where do we see nofollow links?
We see them in blog comments, social media, forums, and ads.
Q5. Why use nofollow link?
It stops spam, brings traffic, and makes link profiles look natural.