Open any backlink report and you will see links labelled dofollow or nofollow. Buyers ask for one, sellers advertise the other, and a lot of people assume nofollow links are worthless. The truth is more useful than that. Both types have a place in a healthy link profile, and knowing the difference helps you spend your link building budget wisely and stay on the right side of Google’s guidelines.
This guide explains dofollow vs nofollow links in plain language: what each one is, how Google treats them today, where the newer sponsored and ugc attributes fit in, and how to build a natural mix of links for your website.
What Is a Dofollow Link?
A “dofollow” link is simply a normal link. There is no actual rel="dofollow" attribute in HTML. When a link has no attribute telling search engines otherwise, it is treated as a standard, followed link. In SEO conversations, “dofollow” just means “a link without nofollow, sponsored or ugc”.
Here is what a regular link looks like in code:
<a href="https://example.com/">helpful resource</a>Followed links are the ones that can pass ranking signals from one page to another. That is why most link building, including guest posting and niche edits, focuses on earning editorial, followed links from relevant websites.
What Is a Nofollow Link?
A nofollow link carries the attribute rel="nofollow". It tells search engines that the site owner does not want to vouch for the linked page or pass ranking credit to it.
<a href="https://example.com/" rel="nofollow">helpful resource</a>Google introduced nofollow in 2005, mainly to fight comment spam. Over time, websites started using it for links they could not fully vouch for, such as links in comments, forums, user profiles and paid placements.
The Sponsored and UGC Attributes
In 2019, Google announced two more specific link attributes so websites could describe the nature of a link more clearly:
rel="sponsored"is for links that are advertisements, sponsorships or other paid arrangements.rel="ugc"stands for user-generated content and is meant for links in comments, forum posts and similar content added by users.rel="nofollow"is still valid as a general-purpose option when a site does not want to associate itself with a link or pass ranking credit.
These attributes can also be combined, for example rel="nofollow ugc". For most website owners, the key takeaway is simple: Google wants links that exist because of payment to be marked as sponsored or nofollow, and links added by users to be marked as ugc or nofollow.
How Google Treats Nofollow Links Today
At the same time it introduced the new attributes, Google changed how it treats nofollow. Instead of being a strict instruction, nofollow, sponsored and ugc became hints. Google said it would use them as one signal when deciding how to treat a link for ranking, and later for crawling and indexing as well.
In practice, this means:
- A nofollow link is generally not expected to pass the same ranking value as a followed editorial link.
- Google may still choose to discover and crawl pages through nofollow links.
- You should not count on a nofollow link to boost rankings, but you also should not treat it as useless.
Dofollow vs Nofollow Links: Key Differences
| Feature | Dofollow (followed) link | Nofollow link |
|---|---|---|
| HTML attribute | None needed | rel="nofollow" |
| Passes ranking signals | Yes, can pass value | Treated as a hint; usually not counted the same way |
| Can send referral traffic | Yes | Yes |
| Can help brand visibility | Yes | Yes |
| Typical sources | Editorial mentions, guest posts, niche edits, resource pages | Comments, forums, some social and news sites, disclosed paid links |
| Main risk | Manipulative or low-quality followed links can trigger spam issues | Very low SEO risk |
Do Nofollow Links Help SEO?
Nofollow links rarely move rankings on their own, but they can still support your SEO in indirect ways:
- Referral traffic. A nofollow link on a popular page, forum thread or news article can still send real visitors who click through.
- Brand awareness. People who see your brand mentioned in the right places may search for you directly later.
- Discovery. Because nofollow is now a hint, Google may still find new pages through these links.
- A natural link profile. Real websites earn a mix of followed and nofollow links. A profile made up only of followed links with commercial anchors can look engineered.
- Follow-on links. When a writer or blogger finds your content through a nofollow mention, they may link to it from their own site with a normal link.
When Should a Link Be Nofollow?
If you run a website yourself, these are the common situations where a qualifying attribute makes sense:
Paid or sponsored placements
Links that exist because money, products or other compensation changed hands should use rel="sponsored" (or nofollow) according to Google’s guidelines. This includes banner ads, sponsored reviews and affiliate links.
User-generated content
Comments, forum posts and user profiles are common targets for spammers. Marking those links as ugc or nofollow protects your site from being associated with whatever users choose to link to.
Links you cannot vouch for
If you need to reference a page but do not want to endorse it, nofollow is a reasonable choice. For example, at RankNest SEO every outbound website link in our SEO agency reviews is nofollow, because those listings describe businesses rather than editorially recommend them.
How to Check if a Link Is Dofollow or Nofollow
You do not need special software to check a link’s attributes:
- Inspect the link. Right-click the link in your browser and choose “Inspect”. Look at the
<a>tag for arelattribute containing nofollow, sponsored or ugc. - View the page source. Search the source code for your domain and read the attributes on each link.
- Use a browser extension. Several free SEO extensions highlight nofollow links on any page you visit.
- Use a backlink tool. Tools such as Ahrefs, Semrush and Moz label each backlink as followed or nofollow in their reports.
When you buy a guest post or niche edit, always check the live link after publication to confirm it matches what was agreed, and keep a record of every placement.
Building a Natural Mix of Followed and Nofollow Links
There is no official “perfect ratio” of dofollow to nofollow links, and you should be cautious of anyone who claims there is. Instead of chasing a number, focus on earning links the way a genuinely useful website would:
- Prioritise relevance. One followed link from a site in your niche is usually worth more than many links from unrelated sites. Our guide on choosing high-quality guest post sites covers what to look for.
- Diversify sources. Combine guest posts, niche edits, digital PR, directories, social profiles and community participation.
- Vary your anchor text. Use branded, naked URL and descriptive anchors alongside a small share of keyword anchors. See our anchor text strategy guide for details.
- Grow steadily. Sudden spikes of followed links with exact-match anchors are a common red flag. Read more in how to build backlinks safely.
- Look beyond metrics. DA and DR are useful filters, but traffic, content quality and relevance matter just as much. Our article on domain authority vs domain rating explains why.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Ignoring nofollow opportunities completely. A nofollow link from a busy, relevant page can bring customers even if it does not pass much ranking value.
- Buying only on the “dofollow” label. A followed link on a spammy or irrelevant site can do more harm than good.
- Not checking links after they go live. Attributes can be changed or links removed. Monitor your important placements.
- Forgetting your own outbound links. Your site’s internal and outbound links matter too. A clear internal linking strategy helps search engines understand your most important pages.
How RankNest SEO Can Help
If you want followed links from real, relevant websites, the RankNest guest post marketplace lists sites with their DA, DR and price so you can compare options before you order. For a bigger push, our SEO services cover strategy and on-page work, and our PBN backlink packages are available for clients who want that option. You can see all package prices on our pricing page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a rel=”dofollow” attribute?
No. “Dofollow” is an SEO term for a normal link without nofollow, sponsored or ugc. Adding rel="dofollow" to a link does nothing, because it is not a recognised value.
Do nofollow links pass any SEO value?
Google treats nofollow as a hint rather than a strict rule, so it may sometimes use these links, but you should not rely on them for rankings. Their main value is referral traffic, visibility and a natural-looking link profile.
Are dofollow links always better?
Not always. A followed link from an irrelevant or spammy site can be worthless or even risky, while a nofollow link from a trusted, relevant page can send valuable visitors. Quality and relevance come first.
Should guest post links be dofollow?
Many guest post buyers prefer followed links, and many publishers offer them. Keep in mind that Google’s guidelines ask for paid links to be qualified with sponsored or nofollow, so focus on relevant, high-quality sites and natural anchors, and make your own informed decision about the risk.
How many nofollow links should I have?
There is no fixed percentage that Google recommends. Aim for a varied profile that reflects how real websites earn links naturally, rather than a target ratio.
Final Thoughts
The dofollow vs nofollow debate is not about picking one side. Followed links from relevant sites remain the backbone of link building, while nofollow links bring traffic, visibility and balance. Understand what each attribute means, check every link you pay for, and build a diverse profile over time.
Ready to find relevant websites for your next campaign? Browse the RankNest marketplace or contact our team for help planning your links.
