Dofollow vs Nofollow Links: What’s the Difference and When to Use Each

In the world of SEO, the links pointing to your site are among the most important ranking factors. However, not all links are treated equally by search engines. The distinction comes down to link attributes—specifically, dofollow vs. nofollow. Understanding these attributes is fundamental for anyone involved in link building and content marketing.

Google introduced the nofollow attribute back in 2005 to help webmasters control spammy links, particularly in blog comments. Since then, the landscape has become more nuanced. In 2019, Google added two new attributes: sponsored and UGC. These signals allow site owners to label their links more accurately, giving search engines better context about the relationship between pages.

In this article, we’ll demystify dofollow and nofollow links, dive into the sponsored and UGC attributes, and offer practical advice on when to use each. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to configure your links for optimal SEO performance.

What Are Dofollow and Nofollow Links?

A link’s attribute tells search engines how to treat it. By default, all links are “dofollow,” meaning search engines will follow the link and pass link equity (often called “link juice”) to the target page. This flow of equity is a key factor in how search engines determine the authority of a webpage. For more on how backlinks work, see our guide on what is a backlink.

A nofollow link, on the other hand, includes the attribute rel="nofollow". This instructs search engines to not follow the link for ranking purposes. The nofollow attribute does not pass any link equity, and the target page gains no direct SEO benefit from that link.

Nofollow was originally created to discourage spam in blog comments and forum posts. By making links in user-generated content nofollow, site owners could avoid vouching for potentially low-quality external sites. Today, nofollow is used in paid links, untrusted content, and in many other scenarios where you don’t want to endorse a page with your site’s authority.

It’s important to note that nofollow links still have value. They can drive traffic, increase brand visibility, and lead to natural backlinks from others. A healthy backlink profile includes a mix of dofollow and nofollow links.

The Evolution of Link Attributes: Sponsored and UGC

In September 2019, Google introduced two new link attributes to provide more specific classification: rel="sponsored" and rel="ugc".

• rel="sponsored": Use this attribute to identify links that are part of an advertisement, sponsorship, or other paid arrangement. This includes affiliate links, sponsored posts, and paid link placements. Adding this attribute helps Google understand the commercial nature of the link, without violating its guidelines.

• rel="ugc": UGC stands for User Generated Content. This attribute should be applied to links within content created by users, such as blog comments, forum posts, and message boards. It signals to search engines that the link may not have been editorially vetted.

These attributes are not mandatory, but they give site owners a way to more accurately describe their links. Previously, many webmasters used nofollow for all these scenarios. Now, using the specific attribute provides extra context. Google has stated that these attributes are treated as hints rather than directives, meaning the search engine reserves the right to ignore them if deemed unnatural.

When to Use Dofollow, Nofollow, Sponsored, and UGC

Choosing the right attribute keeps your site compliant with search engine guidelines and ensures your link equity is passed where intended. Here’s a quick reference:

In practice, consider these guidelines:

• Editorial backlinks: If you’re linking to a resource because you genuinely find it valuable, use a dofollow link. This is the default and helps the linked page’s SEO.
• Paid links: Whether you’re paying for a guest post or running affiliate offers, always use rel="sponsored". This avoids violating Google’s webmaster guidelines, which prohibit passing PageRank through paid links.
• User-generated content: Apply rel="ugc" to links in comments, forum signatures, and other areas where site visitors contribute. If you don’t use UGC, a nofollow is acceptable.
• Affiliate links: These fall under sponsored, as they involve a financial incentive. Many affiliate programs now recommend using rel="sponsored" to be transparent.
• Untrustworthy links: If you’re linking to a site you don’t fully vouch for, but you still want to provide the link as a reference, use rel="nofollow". This is also common for links in guest posts on your own site if you aren’t sure about the source.

Remember, even nofollow, sponsored, and UGC links can still drive traffic and confer indirect SEO benefits such as increased brand awareness and referral traffic. For building your own backlink profile, you should aim for a natural mixture. Learn more about identifying quality backlinks to focus your efforts.

How to Check and Manage Link Attributes on Your Site

If you maintain a website, you should periodically audit your links to ensure they are labeled correctly. Here’s how:

1. Use browser developer tools: Right-click on a link and select “Inspect” or “Inspect Element.” Look for the rel attribute in the anchor tag.
2. Use SEO tools: There are many backlink checkers that report the percentage of dofollow vs. nofollow links. For guidance on analyzing your profile, see our post on how to check backlinks.
3. Check plugins: If you use a CMS like WordPress, plugins often let you set default attributes for link categories (e.g., automatically add nofollow to external links).

Regular audits help you maintain a healthy link profile and avoid potential penalties. For example, if you find that many of your editorial links are accidentally set to nofollow, you could be losing link equity that could benefit your own pages.

The Impact of Modern Link Attributes on SEO

Some SEO professionals worry that using nofollow or sponsored links will hinder their link building efforts. However, it’s important to understand that search engines view these attributes as recommendations. A link with the sponsored attribute should not be treated as an endorsement, and Google expects compliance.

Moreover, even nofollowed links can indirectly help your SEO. They can attract views, generate brand searches, and ultimately lead to citations and dofollow links from other sites. A natural backlink profile includes links of all types. Over-optimizing with only dofollow external links may appear manipulative.

For those looking to acquire authoritative links professionally, it’s wise to work with a reputable service. For instance, tanjen.net Guest Post service can help you secure high-quality editorial backlinks that are naturally dofollow.

Conclusion

To recap, link attributes are crucial signals that tell search engines how to treat the links on your site. Dofollow links are the default and pass link equity, while nofollow links do not. Google’s introduction of sponsored and UGC attributes gives webmasters more precise tools for labeling paid and user-generated content.

Choosing the right attribute for each link is not just about compliance; it’s about crafting a smart SEO strategy that builds trust with search engines. Proper use of these attributes helps your link equity flow effectively and avoids risks of penalties.

We encourage you to audit your own site’s links and ensure you’re using the correct attributes. By following the best practices outlined here, you’ll be well on your way to a more robust and ethical SEO approach.

Key Points Summary

• Dofollow links pass link equity and are used for editorial, natural links.
• Nofollow links do not pass equity and are used for untrusted links or when you don’t want to endorse a page.
• Sponsored (rel="sponsored") should be used for paid or affiliate links.
• UGC (rel="ugc") should be used for user-generated content links.
• Use a mix of attributes for a healthy backlink profile.
• Regular audits ensure proper implementation.

Further reference: compare this guidance with Google Search Central spam policies before planning link acquisition, so the strategy stays within safe and sustainable boundaries.