Definition
A nofollow link is a link that carries the nofollow attribute. The attribute is used to tell search engines that you don't necessarily recommend what is being linked to, but simply want to create a reference.
A nofollow link doesn't transfer PageRank (popularity), but PageRank is only one of several signals that a link can transfer. Links can also transfer trust (credibility) and relevance.
Most people working with links therefore avoid nofollow links as much as possible, but it's important to remember that a natural link profile also contains links with the nofollow attribute.
Important Rule
Sponsored links or paid links should in principle always carry rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored". If this is not the case, it's a clear violation of Google's guidelines.
The History Behind Nofollow
2005: Nofollow Introduced
Google, Yahoo, and MSN introduced the nofollow attribute as a weapon against comment spam and other forms of link manipulation.
The goal was to remove the incentive to spam comment fields and forums with links, as these would no longer provide SEO value.
2019: Major Changes
Google changed how they treat nofollow links - from "directive" to "hint". This means Google can now choose to follow some nofollow links.
Simultaneously, Google introduced new attributes: rel="sponsored" and rel="ugc" for better categorization.
Today: Nuanced Approach
Modern SEO acknowledges that nofollow links still have value - they drive traffic, build brand awareness, and contribute to a natural link profile.
Dofollow vs Nofollow - Key Differences
Dofollow Links (default)
- ✓ PageRank transfer: Transfers full link value
- ✓ Ranking signal: Direct influence on SERP positions
- ✓ Trust flow: Transfers credibility and authority
- ✓ Anchor text value: Keywords in anchor text count fully
- ✓ Discovery: Helps Google find and index pages
Impact Metrics:
Nofollow Links
- ✗ No PageRank: Doesn't transfer link equity
- ~ Indirect value: May still influence rankings indirectly
- ✓ Traffic: Still drives visitors to your site
- ✓ Brand awareness: Increases visibility and mentions
- ~ Trust signals: May contribute to overall trust
Impact Metrics:
Practical Example:
A link from Wikipedia doesn't provide PageRank (since it's nofollow), but can still:
- • Drive hundreds of visitors
- • Significantly increase your brand credibility
- • Function as a trust signal for Google
- • Inspire others to link (dofollow) to you
Brand lift: 15-25%
Secondary links: 10-30%
New Rel Attributes (2019)
In September 2019, Google introduced two new link attributes to provide better context about link types:
Dofollow (default)
When you naturally recommend a page
<a href="https://example.com">Link text</a>Standard link without attributes - Google follows and fully values this link
Nofollow
For untrusted pages or user-generated content
<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Link text</a>Link that signals you don't endorse the destination
Sponsored
All paid links and sponsored collaborations
<a href="https://example.com" rel="sponsored">Link text</a>Paid link or sponsored content - required by Google
UGC (User Generated Content)
Comments, forum posts, user reviews
<a href="https://example.com" rel="ugc">Link text</a>Links from user-generated content like comments and forum posts
Combined Attributes Best Practices
Recommended Combinations:
rel="sponsored nofollow"For paid/sponsored content
rel="ugc nofollow"For user-generated content
Impact on Rankings:
Technical Implementation
Combined Attributes
You can combine multiple rel attributes in the same link:
<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow sponsored">Sponsored link</a>This tells Google that the link is both sponsored and shouldn't be followed.
WordPress Implementation
In WordPress, you can easily add nofollow attributes:
- • Manual: Switch to HTML view and add rel="nofollow"
- • Plugin: Ultimate Nofollow or similar
- • Block editor: Use link settings in Gutenberg
- • External links: Automatic nofollow to external links
JavaScript Implementation
For dynamic sites, you can add nofollow via JavaScript:
// Add nofollow to all external links
document.querySelectorAll('a[href^="http"]').forEach(link => {
if (!link.href.includes(window.location.hostname)) {
link.rel = 'nofollow';
}
});Advanced Implementation Patterns
Conditional Nofollow:
// Only add nofollow to untrusted domains
const trustedDomains = ['example.com', 'partner.com'];
if (!trustedDomains.some(domain => link.href.includes(domain))) {
link.rel = 'nofollow';
}Dynamic Attribute Management:
// Smart attribute assignment based on link context
function setLinkAttributes(link, context) {
if (context === 'sponsored') link.rel = 'sponsored nofollow';
else if (context === 'ugc') link.rel = 'ugc nofollow';
else if (context === 'untrusted') link.rel = 'nofollow';
}How to Identify Nofollow Links
Browser Developer Tools
- 1. Right-click on the link
- 2. Select 'Inspect Element'
- 3. Look for rel="nofollow" in the HTML code
NoFollow Browser Extension
- 1. Install NoFollow extension for Chrome/Firefox
- 2. Visit the page
- 3. Nofollow links are automatically highlighted
SEO Crawler Tools
- 1. Use Screaming Frog or similar
- 2. Crawl the website
- 3. Export all links with attributes
Online Link Checkers
- 1. Use tools like Check My Links
- 2. Enter the URL to analyze
- 3. Review the detailed link report
Pro Tips
Browser Extension: Install NoFollow extension - it makes all nofollow links red and sponsored links orange for instant visibility.
Bulk Analysis: Use tools like Screaming Frog to analyze thousands of links at once and export comprehensive reports.
Do Nofollow Links Have Value?
Yes - In Multiple Ways!
Although nofollow links don't transfer PageRank, they still have significant value for your SEO strategy and online presence.
Direct Benefits
- ✓ Traffic: Drives qualified visitors
- ✓ Conversions: Can generate sales and leads
- ✓ Brand awareness: Increases brand recognition
- ✓ Diversity: Creates natural link profiles
Measurable Impact:
Indirect Benefits
- ~ Trust signals: Google may still assess relevance
- ~ Discovery: Helps with indexing new pages
- ~ Co-citation: Strengthens topical authority
- ~ Link magnet: Inspires others to link
SEO Signals:
Link Profile Analyzer
Profile Health Score:
Important to Know
Since Google's 2019 update, nofollow is treated as "hints" rather than directives. This means Google may choose to follow nofollow links in some cases.
Natural Link Profiles
A natural link profile contains a mix of different link types. Websites that only have dofollow links look suspicious to Google.
Typical Natural Distribution:
Healthy Signals
- ✓ Mix of dofollow and nofollow
- ✓ Links from various sources
- ✓ Varied anchor text distribution
- ✓ Gradual link building over time
- ✓ Links from relevant pages
- ✓ Natural seasonal variations
Suspicious Patterns
- ✗ 100% dofollow links
- ✗ Only links from same type sources
- ✗ Identical anchor text
- ✗ Sudden spikes in links
- ✗ Links from irrelevant pages
- ✗ No social/nofollow diversity
Profile Health Indicators
Common Nofollow Sources
Wikipedia
All external links are automatically nofollow
Impact: High - still valuable traffic and brand awareness
Example: Citations and references
Social Media
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn use nofollow
Impact: Medium - good for traffic and social signals
Example: Posts, profiles, comments
Forums & Communities
Reddit, Quora protect against spam
Impact: Low-Medium - depends on community authority
Example: Forum signatures, answer posts
Press Releases
PR services often mark as nofollow/sponsored
Impact: Medium - good for brand awareness and coverage
Example: PRNewswire, Business Wire
Directory Listings
Many directories use nofollow automatically
Impact: Low - primarily for local SEO and NAP consistency
Example: Business directories, local listings
Guest Post Bio
Many blogs mark author bio links as nofollow
Impact: Medium - depends on blog authority
Example: Author description links
Comments
Blog comments are typically nofollow to prevent spam
Impact: Low - but can drive targeted traffic
Example: Blog comment signatures
Q&A Sites
Yahoo Answers, Stack Overflow use nofollow
Impact: Medium - high-quality traffic if relevant
Example: Answer citations and resources
Myths and Misconceptions
Myth: Nofollow links are worthless
High misconceptionReality: They can still drive traffic, build brand awareness, and contribute to natural link profiles
Google can still use them as signals for relevance and trust. They provide valuable referral traffic and brand exposure.
Myth: Google completely ignores nofollow links
Critical to understandReality: Google now treats them as 'hints' rather than directives
Since 2019, Google may choose to follow some nofollow links for discovery and other purposes.
Myth: You should never accept nofollow links
Strategy-affectingReality: A natural link profile contains both dofollow and nofollow links
100% dofollow links look unnatural to Google. Diverse link profiles are healthier.
Myth: Nofollow links don't count in Google Analytics
Measurement errorReality: They still drive traffic and can have high value for conversions
Referral traffic from authoritative sites is valuable regardless of the nofollow attribute.
Myth: All social media links are nofollow
Platform misunderstandingReality: While most are, some platforms and specific link types may be dofollow
Pinterest, LinkedIn articles, and some Twitter links can be dofollow in certain contexts.
Myth: Sponsored links should always be nofollow
Compliance issueReality: Google now prefers rel='sponsored' for better categorization
The new rel='sponsored' attribute provides clearer context to search engines.
Best Practices and Guidelines
When to Use Nofollow
- • All sponsored/paid links
- • Links to pages you don't trust
- • User-generated content (comments)
- • Internal links to login/admin pages
- • Links in widgets or footer (if many)
- • Links to competitors
- • Temporary or test links
When NOT to Use Nofollow
- • Links to pages you recommend
- • Natural editorial links
- • Links to relevant resources
- • Internal links to important pages
- • Links to sources and citations
- • Partnership links (unless paid)
- • High-value content recommendations
Google's Guidelines (2024)
Paid links: Must be marked with rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow"
UGC links: Should be marked with rel="ugc" or rel="nofollow"
Combinations: You can use multiple attributes: rel="nofollow sponsored"
Advanced Implementation Strategy
Strategic Nofollow Usage:
- • Preserve PageRank flow to important pages
- • Use nofollow for category/tag pages
- • Nofollow pagination links
- • Consider nofollow for sidebar links
Monitoring & Auditing:
- • Regular link attribute audits
- • Monitor competitor strategies
- • Track traffic from nofollow sources
- • Analyze conversion rates by link type
Link Audit Tools & Techniques
Ahrefs Site Explorer
Comprehensive link audits
Key Features:
- • Link attribute analysis
- • Backlink categorization
- • Historical data
SEMrush Backlink Audit
Link risk assessment
Key Features:
- • Toxic link detection
- • Attribute filtering
- • Disavow file generation
Moz Link Explorer
Link quality evaluation
Key Features:
- • Spam score analysis
- • Link type filtering
- • Domain authority metrics
Google Search Console
Basic link monitoring
Key Features:
- • Free backlink data
- • Manual action alerts
- • Top linking sites
DIY Link Audit Checklist
Technical Audit:
- ☐ Identify all nofollow links
- ☐ Check sponsored link compliance
- ☐ Verify UGC link markings
- ☐ Analyze link attribute distribution
- ☐ Review internal link structure
Performance Analysis:
- ☐ Track traffic from nofollow sources
- ☐ Measure conversion rates
- ☐ Monitor brand mentions
- ☐ Assess competitive landscape
- ☐ Evaluate link quality trends
The Future of Link Attributes
Trends We're Seeing
- • Google getting better at understanding link context
- • Increased focus on user experience signals
- • Less weight on traditional PageRank
- • More nuanced treatment of different link types
- • AI-powered link quality assessment
- • Real-time link value adjustments
Future Recommendations
- • Focus on creating valuable content
- • Build genuine relationships for natural links
- • Diversify your traffic sources
- • Be transparent about sponsored links
- • Measure user engagement, not just links
- • Prepare for algorithm evolution
Predictions for 2025-2030
Want to Master All Aspects of Link Building?
This article is just the tip of the iceberg. Get the complete guide to link building, including advanced strategies for both dofollow and nofollow links.
Read the Complete Link Building Guide