Nofollow Links: SEO Impact, When to Use Them & Dofollow Comparison

A nofollow link is a hyperlink whose relationship is qualified with the nofollow value in its rel attribute, commonly written as rel="nofollow". The link remains clickable for users, but the qualification gives search engines additional information about how the source-to-destination relationship should be treated.

A basic nofollow link looks like this:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Example</a>

The word “nofollow” does not mean that a human visitor cannot follow the link. A user can normally click it and reach the destination exactly as they would through an ordinary hyperlink. The qualification concerns the relationship communicated to search systems rather than browser navigation.

Nofollow also describes link treatment, not link direction. A nofollow-qualified hyperlink can be an outbound link, an inbound backlink, or technically an internal link. For example, when another website links to your website using rel="nofollow", your website receives a nofollow backlink. When your website uses the same attribute on a link pointing to another domain, it is a nofollow outbound link.

An ordinary hyperlink without a relevant search relationship qualification is commonly called a dofollow or follow link in SEO terminology. “Dofollow” is not an official rel value and does not require rel="dofollow". Nofollow, by contrast, is an actual relationship value used inside the rel attribute.

Nofollow also exists alongside more specific relationship values, including sponsored for compensated relationships and ugc for user-generated content. The appropriate value should reflect why the link exists rather than an attempt to manufacture a particular SEO outcome.

Several related concepts should remain separate. Nofollow is not the same as noindex, robots.txt, canonicalization, access control, anchor-text type, backlink quality, editorial status, or spam classification. A nofollow link can come from a highly relevant publication or an irrelevant website; the attribute alone does not determine source quality, destination quality, legitimacy, or audience value.

A nofollow link is therefore a normal clickable hyperlink whose source-to-destination relationship is explicitly qualified for search systems without that qualification alone determining the link’s direction, quality, or value.

What Is a Nofollow Backlink?

A nofollow backlink is an inbound hyperlink from another website to your website that contains the nofollow relationship qualification. “Backlink” describes the link’s direction, while “nofollow” describes how that relationship is qualified.

Consider this link on Website A:

<a href="https://website-b.com" rel="nofollow">Website B</a>

From Website A’s perspective, it is a nofollow outbound link.

From Website B’s perspective, it is a nofollow backlink.

The receiving website has still received an external hyperlink. A backlink does not stop being a backlink simply because nofollow is present.

A backlink can therefore use different relationship treatments, including:

• Standard: An ordinary external backlink without a relevant qualification.
• Nofollow: An external backlink containing rel="nofollow".
• Sponsored: An external backlink qualified for a commercial relationship.
• UGC: An external backlink associated with user-generated content.

These describe treatment rather than direction.

A nofollow backlink is also still clickable for users. A reader can move from the external source page to the destination website through the link.

Nofollow does not determine whether the backlink itself is high quality. A nofollow backlink can come from a relevant newspaper, research publication, product community, or industry website. It can also come from an irrelevant source.

Anchor text is another separate dimension. A nofollow backlink can use a brand name, descriptive phrase, URL, product name, or other natural wording.

Editorial status is separate as well. A journalist can independently choose to cite a source while the publication’s system automatically applies nofollow to outbound links. The link can therefore be editorial and nofollow at the same time.

A nofollow backlink is simply the inbound form of a nofollow-qualified external hyperlink. Whether that backlink creates meaningful SEO, referral, PR, or audience value is a separate question.

Do Nofollow Links Help SEO?

Yes, nofollow links can provide SEO-adjacent and broader marketing value through referral traffic, citations, audience exposure, content discovery, and possible future link opportunities, but they should not be treated as equivalent to ordinary unqualified backlinks or as guaranteed ranking signals. Google’s treatment of nofollow uses a hint model rather than a simple rule that every nofollow link is either fully counted or completely ignored.

Google Treats Nofollow as a Hint

Google treats nofollow, sponsored, and ugc as hints about how links should be considered within Search.

A hint means Google retains discretion in how its systems analyze the relationship.

It does not mean:

• Every nofollow link contributes ranking value.
• Nofollow works exactly like a standard link.
• A high-authority nofollow link automatically boosts rankings.

The more accurate interpretation is that nofollow supplies relationship information to search systems.

Nofollow Is Generally Not Treated Like an Ordinary Ranking Link

The hint model should not be interpreted as evidence that nofollow links normally function exactly like standard links for ranking.

Google has stated that in most cases nofollow links continue to be treated similarly to their previous treatment and are generally not considered in the same way as ordinary links for ranking purposes.

The useful distinction is:

Nofollow is a hint, but a hint is not guaranteed ranking credit.

Nofollow Links Can Still Provide Search-System Information

A hyperlink contains information beyond its follow status.

Relevant information can include:

• Source page
• Anchor text
• Surrounding wording
• Destination
• Relationship qualification

Search systems can use link information to understand relationships and linking patterns.

This should not be simplified into “nofollow gives a ranking boost.”

Nofollow Does Not Make a Destination Undiscoverable

Nofollow is not an absolute mechanism for keeping a destination unknown to search engines.

A destination can still be discovered through sources such as:

• Other links
• XML sitemaps
• Previously known URLs
• Other discovery mechanisms

A nofollow backlink should therefore not be used as an indexing-control strategy.

Discovery, crawling, indexing, and ranking remain separate processes.

Nofollow Links Can Generate Referral Traffic

A nofollow link remains clickable.

A relevant nofollow backlink can therefore send:

• Visitors
• Product users
• Leads
• Subscribers
• Customers
• Researchers
• Journalists

For example, a nofollow link from an industry publication can send qualified readers directly to an original study or product page.

This is a direct user benefit.

It is not proof that the backlink improved rankings.

Nofollow Links Can Create Brand Exposure

A nofollow link can expose a company, product, expert, or resource to an external audience.

Potential outcomes include:

• Brand awareness
• Direct visits
• Product discovery
• Newsletter signups
• Media recognition
• Possible branded searches

These are audience and marketing outcomes.

They should not automatically be converted into claims about ranking signals.

Nofollow Links Can Lead to Future Independent References

A nofollow link can expose a resource to another journalist, writer, researcher, creator, or business.

That person can later decide independently to cite the resource elsewhere.

For example, a journalist discovers a study through a nofollow link on a community site and later cites the study in a separate article.

The second backlink is a new editorial decision.

The original nofollow link has not “converted” into a dofollow link.

Nofollow Links Can Support Content Distribution

Qualified links often appear on channels such as:

• Social platforms
• Communities
• Forums
• Press coverage
• Review platforms
• Syndication platforms

Their value can come from helping people discover the underlying resource.

A platform link does not need to behave like an ordinary ranking link to serve a useful distribution function.

Nofollow Links Can Still Be Useful Citations

A journalist can cite an original study using a nofollow backlink.

The citation can still provide:

• Source attribution
• Referral traffic
• External recognition
• Audience visibility
• Brand exposure

Citation value and search treatment are separate dimensions.

Nofollow Links Can Have PR Value

A media mention does not become worthless because the publication qualifies its links.

A relevant media placement can still generate:

• Visibility
• Journalist recognition
• Audience exposure
• Referral visits
• Future relationships

A publisher-wide nofollow policy should therefore not automatically determine whether a PR opportunity is commercially useful.

Nofollow Links Can Be Useful in Communities

Many communities qualify user-created links.

Examples include:

• Forums
• Comment sections
• Community posts
• User profiles

Google provides ugc specifically for user-generated content, and sites can also combine appropriate values where needed.

A genuinely useful community link can still produce referral visits, product discovery, customer feedback, or brand exposure.

That does not make forum posting a scalable SEO link-building tactic.

Paid Nofollow Links Can Still Have Marketing Value

Commercial links can produce business outcomes even when their search relationship is appropriately qualified.

Possible outcomes include:

• Advertising exposure
• Referral traffic
• Product discovery
• Customer acquisition

For compensated relationships, sponsored is the more specific value, while nofollow can still be acceptable where appropriate.

The correct goal is to describe the commercial relationship accurately rather than remove qualification to pursue ranking benefit.

Nofollow Links Can Appear Naturally in a Backlink Profile

A real website can receive:

• Standard backlinks
• Nofollow backlinks
• Sponsored backlinks
• UGC backlinks

because different publishers and relationships use different qualifications.

This does not mean a website needs a fixed percentage of each.

There is no universal evidence-based rule such as:

• 70% follow and 30% nofollow
• 80% follow and 20% nofollow
• Any other predetermined “natural” ratio

Link treatment should reflect the actual relationship.

Should You Ignore Nofollow Links in Competitor Analysis?

No.

A competitor’s nofollow backlinks can reveal useful relationships such as:

• Media publications
• Review platforms
• Communities
• PR sources
• Citation sources
• Industry resources

The backlink can therefore provide competitive intelligence even when its search treatment is qualified.

Do not automatically pursue the same link simply because a competitor has it.

Should You Reject Nofollow Digital PR Links?

Not automatically.

A relevant media opportunity can still provide strong audience, citation, and PR value if the publication uses nofollow as standard policy.

Evaluate the opportunity through attributes such as:

• Audience relevance
• Publication relevance
• Exposure
• Citation value
• Referral potential
• Relationship potential

Follow status is only one characteristic.

Do Nofollow Links Need to Be Balanced With Dofollow Links?

No.

Do not acquire nofollow links merely to make a backlink profile appear more natural.

Legitimate websites can naturally receive different qualifications because their links come from different relationships.

The important principle is:

Relationship determines qualification.

Not:

Desired ratio determines qualification.

Nofollow links can therefore create meaningful referral, PR, citation, distribution, and discovery value, while their direct contribution to rankings should not be assumed or guaranteed.

When to Use Nofollow Links?

Use rel="nofollow" when a hyperlink relationship needs qualification and neither an ordinary unqualified link nor a more specific relationship value such as sponsored or ugc better describes the link. The decision should be based on why the source links to the destination rather than on whether the website wants to “pass authority.”

A practical decision framework is:

1. Is It an Ordinary Editorial Reference?

If the publisher independently links because the destination is useful, relevant, evidential, or appropriate, a standard hyperlink normally requires no special nofollow qualification.

Examples include:

• Original research
• Documentation
• Supporting evidence
• Useful articles
• Relevant resources

A normal editorial reference does not need to be nofollowed simply because it points to another website.

2. Is There a Paid or Sponsored Relationship?

If compensation materially caused the placement, the relationship should be qualified.

For paid links, rel="sponsored" is the more specific value.

Nofollow can still be acceptable where appropriate, but sponsored communicates the commercial relationship more directly.

3. Was the Link Created by a User?

Links created by users can use rel="ugc".

Common user-generated environments include:

• Comments
• Forums
• Profiles
• Community submissions

Values can also be combined where appropriate.

For example:

rel="ugc nofollow"

4. Does the Relationship Need Qualification but Neither Sponsored nor UGC Applies?

This is the main use case for nofollow itself.

A publisher can use nofollow where it needs to reference another resource but does not want the normal unqualified relationship represented.

5. Is the Link Internal?

Normal internal navigation should generally remain standard.

Nofollow is usually not the correct mechanism for solving:

• Indexing problems
• Crawl-control problems
• Duplicate URLs
• Private content
• Internal architecture issues

Those problems have different technical controls.

When Should You Not Use Nofollow by Default?

Do not apply nofollow simply because:

• A link is external.
• The destination is a competitor.
• The destination has low DR or DA.
• The website is new.
• You want to preserve “link juice.”
• You want a particular follow/nofollow ratio.

Relationship values describe relationships.

They are not website-quality ratings.

Likewise:

• nofollow is not the same as a bad website.
• A standard link is not the same as a good website.
• noindex controls page indexing.
• Robots.txt controls crawler access.
• Nofollow qualifies a hyperlink relationship.

The first practical application of this framework is deciding how outbound links to external websites should be treated.

When Should External Links Be Nofollow?

External links should use rel="nofollow" when your website needs to reference another site but does not want to represent the ordinary unqualified relationship and neither sponsored nor ugc better describes the situation. Most normal editorial external links do not require nofollow.

Ordinary Editorial External Links

Most normal editorial links should remain standard.

Examples include:

• Citing research
• Referencing documentation
• Linking to supporting evidence
• Naming an organization
• Recommending a useful resource

The fact that a destination is external does not itself create a reason for nofollow.

Paid or Sponsored External Links

Links associated with compensation should be qualified.

Examples include:

• Sponsored posts
• Advertorials
• Paid reviews
• Paid placements
• Affiliate relationships

rel="sponsored" is the more specific qualification for commercial relationships.

Nofollow can still be acceptable where appropriate.

The goal is to describe the relationship accurately, not to manipulate an imagined authority flow.

User-Generated External Links

Links added by users can use rel="ugc".

Examples include links in:

• Comments
• Forum posts
• User profiles
• Community submissions

UGC does not mean the destination is automatically spam or low quality.

It describes who created the link.

External References Where Association Is Not Intended

A publisher can need to link to a page for transparency or context without intending the ordinary unqualified relationship.

Examples can include:

• Criticism
• Analysis of misleading information
• Documentation of a questionable claim
• Reference to a page being discussed

Nofollow can be appropriate in such cases.

This does not mean every critical citation must use nofollow.

Links to Claims You Are Critiquing

A writer can reference the original source of a claim so readers can inspect it directly while not intending to provide an ordinary association.

Nofollow may be appropriate depending on the context.

The decision remains relationship-specific.

Third-Party Widgets and Embeds

Links inserted by widgets, embeds, badges, plugins, or third-party code should be reviewed according to why they exist.

Ask:

• Who chose the destination?
• Is there compensation?
• Was the link created by a user?
• Is the publisher independently recommending it?

Then choose the appropriate relationship value.

Affiliate Links

Affiliate links normally involve commercial benefit.

rel="sponsored" is therefore the more specific qualification.

A genuinely useful recommendation can still have a commercial relationship.

Editorial usefulness and commercial qualification are separate characteristics.

Automatically Generated External Links

Automatically inserted links should not automatically inherit ordinary editorial treatment.

For example, a CMS plugin, feed, widget, or template can generate external links without an editor deliberately choosing every destination.

Evaluate the underlying relationship first.

Should You Nofollow Every External Link “Just to Be Safe”?

No.

Blanket nofollow treatment makes relationship metadata less meaningful.

Use qualification when the relationship calls for it.

Should Low-Authority Websites Be Nofollow?

Not simply because of a DR, DA, or another third-party score.

Third-party authority metrics do not determine rel treatment.

Should Competitor Links Be Nofollow?

Not simply because the destination is a competitor.

If a competitor is the correct factual or editorial source, use the treatment appropriate to the relationship.

Should New Websites Be Nofollow?

No.

Website age does not determine link qualification.

Should You Nofollow Links to Preserve Authority?

No.

Do not use nofollow as a method for “saving link juice,” “preventing authority leakage,” or micromanaging an outbound PageRank budget.

Use relationship attributes to describe relationships.

Is Nofollow the Same as Noopener?

No.

nofollow relates to search relationship qualification.

noopener relates to browser/window behavior and security.

Is Nofollow the Same as Noreferrer?

No.

noreferrer affects referrer information sent to the destination.

It serves a different function.

Is Nofollow the Same as rel="external"?

No.

external describes that the referenced resource is external to the current site context.

It does not provide the same search-relationship qualification as nofollow.

Is Nofollow the Same as Noindex?

No.

Nofollow qualifies a link.

Noindex concerns whether a page should appear in search results when properly implemented and accessible to the crawler.

Is Nofollow the Same as Robots.txt?

No.

Nofollow applies to a hyperlink relationship.

Robots.txt controls crawler access to URLs on your own site.

External nofollow links should therefore be used according to the relationship being represented, while ordinary editorial references generally remain standard and commercial or user-generated links use their more specific values where appropriate.

Should Internal Links Be Nofollow?

Internal links should generally not use rel="nofollow" because ordinary internal links help users and search engines navigate between pages and understand relationships within the website. Standard internal links are normally the appropriate treatment for site navigation and contextual linking.

An internal link connects two pages on the same website.

Examples include:

• Category to subcategory
• Hub page to supporting article
• Article to related guide
• Product category to product
• Glossary page to related definition

Internal Links Help Search Engines Discover Pages

Internal links create paths between pages.

A page that matters should generally have useful internal links pointing to it from relevant parts of the website.

Adding nofollow to one internal link does not guarantee the destination becomes undiscoverable. The URL can still be found through:

• Other internal links
• External backlinks
• Sitemaps
• Previously known URLs

Internal Links Help Define Site Structure

Internal linking connects related resources.

A useful site architecture can clarify relationships among:

• Categories
• Products
• Services
• Articles
• Glossary concepts
• Topic hubs

Nofollow is generally unnecessary for expressing these normal relationships.

Internal Links Help Users Navigate

Internal links are first a navigation mechanism.

For example, a user reading a technical SEO guide can follow an internal link to a detailed crawling guide.

Adding nofollow does not normally improve that navigation experience.

Internal Links Provide Context

Anchor text and surrounding content can help explain the destination.

For example:

“See our XML sitemap guide for implementation details.”

The source context and anchor help describe the relationship between the two pages.

Should Nofollow Be Used for Internal PageRank Sculpting?

No.

Nofollow should not be used to selectively block internal links in an attempt to “save authority,” “hoard link juice,” or redirect a fixed PageRank budget toward selected pages.

Internal architecture should be designed around:

• User navigation
• Page relationships
• Website hierarchy
• Useful discovery

Should Nofollow Be Used to Keep a Page Out of Google?

No.

If a page should not appear in search, use the appropriate indexing control, such as noindex, where suitable.

Nofollow is a link qualification.

Noindex is a page-level indexing instruction.

They solve different problems.

Should Nofollow Be Used to Stop Crawling?

Generally, no.

If the goal is to control crawler access to URLs, use a mechanism designed for crawl management where appropriate, such as robots.txt.

Robots.txt itself does not guarantee deindexing.

A blocked URL can still potentially be known through other references.

Should Nofollow Be Used for Private Pages?

No.

Sensitive or private content should use actual access controls, such as authentication or login restrictions.

A link attribute is not a security mechanism.

Should Login, Cart, Checkout, or Admin Pages Automatically Be Nofollow?

No universal rule should be applied to these pages.

Different page types require different solutions.

For example:

• Login page: Can be intentionally indexable in some cases.
• Cart or checkout: Search handling depends on platform architecture and business requirements.
• Admin area: Authentication is more appropriate than relying on nofollow.
• Faceted URLs: Can require canonicalization, crawling controls, indexing controls, or architectural changes depending on implementation.

Nofollow is not a universal fix.

Does Internal Nofollow Automatically Signal Low Quality?

No.

An internal nofollow attribute does not automatically tell search engines that the destination is a low-quality page.

The practical issue is usually that nofollow is the wrong tool for ordinary internal linking, not that the attribute itself represents a quality penalty.

Does an Internal Nofollow Link Create an Orphan Page?

Not automatically.

An orphan page generally lacks usable internal links from the website architecture.

If a destination has several normal internal links pointing to it, one additional nofollow link does not make the page orphaned.

Should Nofollow Be Used for Crawl Budget?

Not as a blanket crawl-budget tactic.

Crawl management can depend on:

• Site scale
• URL architecture
• Duplicate URLs
• Faceted navigation
• Server capacity
• Robots rules

Nofollowing internal links broadly is not a substitute for a proper technical solution.

Should Nofollow Be Used for Duplicate Content?

No.

Duplicate or alternate URLs can require solutions such as:

• Canonical tags
• Redirects
• Consolidation
• Parameter handling
• Crawling controls

Nofollow is not a canonicalization mechanism.

Which Technical Control Should You Use?

Nofollow internal links should therefore be the exception rather than the default. Normal internal links should remain standard, while crawling, indexing, privacy, and duplication problems should use the controls designed for those specific purposes.

What Is a Nofollow Tag?

A “nofollow tag” is the common SEO name for adding the nofollow value to a hyperlink’s rel attribute, normally written as rel="nofollow" inside an HTML <a> element. Technically, nofollow is not a standalone HTML tag; it is a relationship value within an attribute.

The standard syntax is:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Anchor Text</a>

The main components are:

What Does the rel Attribute Mean?

The rel attribute describes the relationship between the current document and the linked resource.

It is a general HTML relationship attribute rather than something created specifically for SEO.

A rel attribute can contain one or more relationship values.

What Does nofollow Add?

Adding nofollow qualifies the ordinary hyperlink relationship.

Compare:

Standard link:

<a href="https://example.com">Anchor Text</a>

Nofollow link:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Anchor Text</a>

The destination and anchor text can remain identical.

The change is the relationship metadata.

Does nofollow Completely Block Search Engines From Seeing the Link?

No.

Search engines can read the attribute.

The purpose of the value is to communicate information about the link relationship.

Google uses a hint model rather than treating nofollow as a simple invisible-link mechanism.

Does nofollow Block Users?

No.

The browser still treats the link as a clickable hyperlink.

Users can normally visit the destination.

Nofollow does not inherently create:

• A warning
• A special icon
• A new color
• A different underline
• A visible label

Any visual styling would come from CSS or the website interface.

Does a Standard Link Need rel="dofollow"?

No.

This is unnecessary:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="dofollow">Example</a>

A normal hyperlink already uses ordinary treatment when no relevant nofollow, sponsored, or UGC qualification applies.

Can rel Contain Multiple Values?

Yes.

Multiple values can appear in the same attribute.

For example:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="ugc nofollow">Example</a>

Here:

• ugc identifies a user-generated relationship.
• nofollow adds the nofollow qualification.

Multiple values are separated by spaces.

What Does rel="sponsored" Mean?

rel="sponsored" is used for commercial relationships such as:

• Advertising
• Sponsorship
• Compensated placements
• Affiliate relationships

Example:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="sponsored">Example</a>

For paid relationships, sponsored is more descriptive than generic nofollow.

What Does rel="ugc" Mean?

rel="ugc" identifies links associated with user-generated content.

Examples include:

• Forum posts
• Comments
• Community submissions

Example:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="ugc">Example</a>

UGC and nofollow can also be combined where appropriate.

Does Attribute Order Matter?

The order of attributes inside the anchor element does not change the relationship semantics.

These both represent the same nofollow relationship:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Example</a>

<a rel="nofollow" href="https://example.com">Example</a>

The first format is generally easier to read consistently.

Is Anchor Text Connected to Nofollow?

Anchor text and nofollow are separate attributes of the hyperlink relationship.

A nofollow link can use:

• Branded anchor text
• Descriptive anchor text
• URL anchor text
• Generic wording

The nofollow value does not alter the wording.

Is target="_blank" the Same as Nofollow?

No.

target="_blank" affects how the browser opens the destination.

nofollow describes the relationship for search systems.

A link can contain both.

Is Nofollow the Same as Noopener?

No.

noopener is associated with browser/window security behavior.

nofollow concerns link relationship qualification.

Is Nofollow the Same as Noreferrer?

No.

noreferrer controls referrer information and related browser behavior.

Nofollow serves a different purpose.

Is Link-Level Nofollow the Same as Robots Meta Nofollow?

No.

A link-level nofollow looks like this:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Example</a>

It applies to one specific hyperlink.

A robots meta nofollow can look like:

<meta name="robots" content="nofollow">

That is a page-level robots directive concerning links on the page.

The two implementations should not be confused.

Is Nofollow the Same as Noindex?

No.

Nofollow concerns link relationships.

Noindex concerns whether a page should appear in search results when correctly implemented and accessible.

Adding rel="nofollow" to links pointing to a page does not guarantee that the destination will not be indexed.

Can a CMS Add Nofollow Automatically?

Yes.

A CMS can expose a checkbox or link setting that adds nofollow to the generated HTML.

The final output should still result in markup containing:

rel="nofollow"

The technical implementation remains the same even when the CMS hides the HTML from the editor.

A nofollow tag is therefore more accurately understood as the nofollow relationship value placed inside a hyperlink’s rel attribute rather than a standalone HTML tag.

How Do Dofollow and Nofollow Links Differ?

A dofollow link is SEO terminology for an ordinary hyperlink without a relevant nofollow, sponsored, or ugc qualification, while a nofollow link explicitly contains rel="nofollow" to qualify the relationship for search systems. The main difference is relationship treatment, not whether users can click the link.

HTML Syntax

Standard link:

<a href="https://example.com">Example</a>

Nofollow link:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Example</a>

The destination and anchor text are identical.

Only the relationship qualification changes.

Is Dofollow an Official HTML Attribute?

No.

There is no requirement to write:

rel="dofollow"

A standard <a href> link without relevant qualification is what SEOs commonly call a dofollow or follow link.

Nofollow is different because nofollow is an actual relationship value.

How Does Google Treat the Two?

Ordinary links are available for normal link analysis.

Nofollow provides a qualification that Google treats as a hint.

This should not be translated into:

• Standard link = guaranteed ranking benefit.
• Nofollow link = completely invisible to Google.

Both statements are too absolute.

Do Dofollow Links Always Pass “Authority”?

No.

“Authority” and “link juice” are informal SEO terms that can oversimplify how links are evaluated.

An ordinary backlink can potentially contribute within broader link-based systems, but no public formula states how much ranking value one link transfers.

Do Nofollow Links Pass Zero Value?

Do not reduce nofollow to “zero value.”

Search treatment and broader marketing value are different questions.

A nofollow link can still provide:

• Referral traffic
• Citations
• Brand exposure
• Product discovery
• PR value
• Audience discovery
• Future independent link opportunities

Its direct ranking contribution should not be assumed.

Do Dofollow and Nofollow Links Affect Crawling Differently?

A normal crawlable link provides a standard discovery route.

Nofollow-qualified links are generally not followed from that relationship, but the destination can still be discovered through other routes.

Therefore:

Nofollow does not mean the destination can never be crawled.

Does Nofollow Prevent Indexing?

No.

Link qualification is different from indexing control.

A nofollow-linked page can still be indexed if it is discovered and processed through another route.

Likewise, receiving a standard backlink does not guarantee indexation.

Do Both Links Work for Users?

Yes.

Users can normally click both.

Nofollow does not inherently change:

• Appearance
• Navigation
• Destination
• Anchor text

Can Both Generate Referral Traffic?

Yes.

Follow treatment does not determine whether a person clicks the link.

Both can produce:

• Visitors
• Leads
• Customers
• Subscribers
• Product discovery

Referral traffic is not proof of ranking impact.

Can an Editorial Link Be Nofollow?

Yes.

Editorial status describes why the publisher chose to include the link.

Follow status describes how the hyperlink is technically qualified.

Possible combinations include:

• Editorial + standard
• Editorial + nofollow
• Sponsored + qualified

Editorial does not mean dofollow.

Is a Dofollow Backlink Automatically Better Quality?

No.

A standard backlink can be:

• Irrelevant
• Automated
• Artificial
• Commercially manipulated
• Part of a link network

A nofollow backlink can come from:

• Major media
• Relevant communities
• Research citations
• Product-review platforms

Follow status does not define quality.

Evaluate quality through source legitimacy, relevance, audience, reference reason, placement, and context.

Do They Use Different Anchor Text?

No.

Both link types can use anchors such as:

• Brand names
• Descriptive phrases
• URLs
• Product names
• Generic wording

Anchor wording and follow treatment are separate dimensions.

What About Paid Links?

Paid relationships should not be reduced to a simple dofollow-versus-nofollow choice.

For advertisements, sponsorships, affiliate arrangements, and compensated placements, sponsored is the more specific qualification.

Nofollow remains acceptable where appropriate.

What About User-Generated Links?

For links in user-generated content, ugc is the more specific value.

Examples include links in:

• Forum posts
• Comments
• User profiles

Values can be combined, such as:

rel="ugc nofollow"

Should You Maintain a Dofollow/Nofollow Ratio?

No universal ratio is required.

Do not manufacture link qualifications to hit targets such as 80/20 or 70/30.

Real relationships should determine how links are classified.

The difference between dofollow and nofollow links is therefore primarily relationship qualification: standard links use the ordinary unqualified relationship, while nofollow links explicitly qualify that relationship without changing the basic clickable experience for users.

How to Check Dofollow and Nofollow Links?

You can check whether a link is standard, nofollow, sponsored, or UGC by inspecting the link’s rendered HTML and reading the values inside its rel attribute. For one link, browser developer tools provide the most direct verification; for large backlink sets, SEO backlink tools can classify link attributes at scale.

1. Open the Source Page

Open the page containing the hyperlink.

For a backlink, inspect the external source page because that is where the relationship attribute is defined.

2. Find the Exact Link

Locate the specific:

• Anchor text
• Image
• Button
• Other clickable element

Do not assume two links pointing to the same destination use identical attributes.

3. Right-Click and Choose Inspect

Use the browser’s developer tools.

Depending on the browser, the option can appear as:

• Inspect
• Inspect Element
• Developer Tools

This normally opens the rendered DOM with the selected element highlighted.

4. Prefer Rendered Inspection for Dynamic Sites

Modern websites can create or modify hyperlinks with JavaScript.

“View Source” can show only the originally delivered HTML.

Inspect Element normally shows the current rendered DOM.

For dynamically generated links, rendered inspection is therefore more useful.

5. Locate the <a> Element

Look for code similar to:

<a href="https://example.com">Example</a>

Identify:

• <a> element
• href
• rel
• Anchor text or linked element

6. Look for nofollow

If the link contains:

rel="nofollow"

it is nofollow-qualified.

For example:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Example</a>

7. Look for sponsored

If the link contains:

rel="sponsored"

record it as a sponsored-qualified link.

Example:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="sponsored">Example</a>

Do not automatically rename every sponsored link “nofollow.”

Sponsored is its own relationship value.

8. Look for ugc

If the link contains:

rel="ugc"

record the UGC qualification.

Example:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="ugc">Example</a>

9. Record Combined Values

A link can contain several relationship values.

For example:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="ugc nofollow">Example</a>

This link is both:

• UGC-qualified
• Nofollow-qualified

Record both values.

10. Identify a Standard Link

If none of the relevant search qualifications, such as nofollow, sponsored, or ugc, are present, the link can generally be treated as standard or follow for this comparison.

Example:

<a href="https://example.com">Example</a>

This is commonly called a dofollow link.

11. Do Not Mistake Other rel Values for Nofollow

For example:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="noopener">Example</a>

noopener does not make the link nofollow.

Likewise:

rel="noreferrer"

has a different function.

The presence of a rel attribute alone does not determine nofollow status.

12. Do Not Search for rel="dofollow"

Ordinary standard links do not require a dofollow value.

Check whether relevant qualification values are present instead.

13. Verify the Destination

Check that the href actually points to the URL you are analyzing.

Visible wording and destination can differ.

14. Check Redirected Links Separately

Some links point first to:

• Tracking URLs
• Affiliate redirectors
• Redirect services
• Internal redirect paths

The relationship attribute applies to the hyperlink on the source page even when the user later passes through redirects.

15. Do Not Judge by Appearance

A standard and nofollow link can look identical.

You cannot reliably identify follow status from:

• Color
• Underlining
• Button styling
• Anchor wording
• Page placement

Inspect the HTML.

16. Use Browser Extensions for Faster Page-Level Checks

SEO browser extensions can highlight:

• Standard links
• Nofollow links
• External links
• Sponsored links
• UGC links

They are convenience tools.

If a classification matters, verify the HTML directly.

17. Use Backlink Tools for Large-Scale Analysis

Manually inspecting hundreds or thousands of backlinks is inefficient.

Backlink platforms can expose attributes such as:

• Follow
• Nofollow
• Sponsored
• UGC

These tools are useful for discovery and filtering.

They maintain independent backlink databases rather than complete copies of Google’s link graph.

18. Verify Important Tool Findings on the Live Page

A backlink tool reports what it observed during one of its crawls.

The source page can later change.

For an important backlink:

1. Find it in the SEO tool.
2. Open the source page.
3. Inspect the current rendered HTML.
4. Confirm the live rel values.

Tool classification and current live implementation are not always identical.

19. Account for Changed or Lost Links

A reported backlink can later be:

• Removed
• Changed to nofollow
• Changed to standard
• Redirected
• Moved
• Dynamically loaded
• Deleted with the source page

If a tool shows a backlink you cannot find, validate the current source page.

20. Do Not Classify Entire Domains as Follow or Nofollow

Link qualification exists at the individual hyperlink level.

One website can provide:

• A standard backlink from one page
• A nofollow backlink from another
• A sponsored link elsewhere

Do not label an entire domain “dofollow” or “nofollow.”

21. Check Image Backlinks the Same Way

An image can be wrapped inside an anchor element.

Example:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow"><img src="image.jpg" alt="Example"></a>

The relationship attribute belongs to the <a> element.

Simple Link-Classification Table

The practical rule is straightforward: inspect the actual hyperlink, read every relevant value inside rel, record nofollow, sponsored, and ugc explicitly, and classify the link as standard only when none of those qualifications applies.