{"id":897,"date":"2025-06-12T09:39:49","date_gmt":"2025-06-12T09:39:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/?p=897"},"modified":"2026-01-12T11:37:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T11:37:00","slug":"dofollow-and-nofollow-backlinks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/dofollow-and-nofollow-backlinks\/","title":{"rendered":"DoFollow and NoFollow Backlinks: Differences &amp; SEO Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Backlinks are still a big deal in SEO. They tell Google which websites are trusted and which ones are not. The more trusted websites link to your page, the better your chances of showing up higher in search results. But here is something many people don\u2019t realize \u2013 <strong>Google doesn\u2019t treat every link the same<\/strong>. There are two main types of link attributes you need to know about, DoFollow and NoFollow Backlinks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>DoFollow links<\/strong> pass SEO value (also called \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/link-juice-in-seo-link-building\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">link juice<\/a>\u201d) to the page they point to.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>NoFollow links<\/strong> tell Google not to pass SEO value through that link.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In the past, Google ignored NoFollow links completely. But now, it looks at them as signals. Not strong signals, but still something worth noticing. Both link types are important \u2013 but for different reasons.&nbsp; If you have been chasing backlinks without knowing the difference between DoFollow and NoFollow Backlinks, this blog will clear things up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are DoFollow links?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A DoFollow link is just a regular link. It is the default type you get when you add a hyperlink to a webpage. No special tags. No extra code. And yes \u2013 it passes SEO value from one page to another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s how it looks in HTML \u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&lt;a href=&#8221;https:\/\/example.com\/&#8221;&gt;Dofollow link example&lt;\/a&gt;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That is it. No need to add anything else to make it \u201cDoFollow.\u201d If you don\u2019t say otherwise, Google treats it this way by default.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why DoFollow links matter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>These links tell Google, <strong><em>\u201cI trust this page. You should, too.\u201d<\/em><\/strong> So, when a high-authority site links to your page with a DoFollow link \u2013 it passes some of its SEO power to your site. That can help you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Improve your rankings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/how-to-increase-domain-authority\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Build domain authority<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Get crawled and indexed faster<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Appear more trustworthy to search engines<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It is one of the strongest ranking signals in Google\u2019s algorithm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where do you usually find DoFollow links?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You will mostly see them in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Editorial mentions (when someone links to your blog as a source)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>News articles on reputable sites<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/guest-posting-services\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Guest posting marketplace<\/a> or manual guest posts (as long as the link isn\u2019t marked NoFollow)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Resource pages or \u201cbest of\u201d lists<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Organic mentions where people naturally talk about your brand<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>But remember \u2013 Not all DoFollow links are good. If they are spammy, low-quality, or paid without disclosure, Google may ignore or even penalize them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So the goal is not to get just any DoFollow link. It is to <a href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/how-to-get-high-quality-backlinks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">earn high-quality ones<\/a> from trusted + relevant websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are NoFollow links?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A NoFollow link is a link that tells Google, \u201cDon\u2019t count this link for SEO.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It looks just like a regular hyperlink, but with one small change \u2013 a <strong>rel=&#8221;nofollow&#8221;<\/strong> tag is added to the code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s what it looks like \u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&lt;a href=&#8221;https:\/\/example.com\/&#8221; rel=&#8221;nofollow&#8221;&gt;Nofollow link example&lt;\/a&gt;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That rel=&#8221;nofollow&#8221; part tells search engines not to pass link juice. In simple words \u2013 this link doesn\u2019t help the other page rank better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why use NoFollow links?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>NoFollow was introduced by Google to fight spam and keep people from trying to trick the algorithm. It was a way to say, \u201cWe are linking to this, but we don\u2019t vouch for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Where you will commonly see NoFollow links<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Blog comments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Forum posts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>User-generated content (like Quora answers or Reddit threads)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/sponsored-content-marketing\/\"   title=\"What Is Sponsored Content Marketing &#8211; Complete Guide\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\"  data-wpil-monitor-id=\"318\">Sponsored content<\/a> and affiliate links<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Paid advertisements<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Basically, anywhere that is either user-controlled or involves money changing hands \u2013 that\u2019s where NoFollow is used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Quick note<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NoFollow doesn\u2019t mean \u201cbad.\u201d These links can still bring traffic + build awareness + diversify your backlink profile. You just don\u2019t get direct ranking benefits from them like you would with a DoFollow link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We will talk more about how NoFollow links still help in a later section. But for now, just remember \u2013 <strong>NoFollow = No SEO value passed<\/strong> (but that is only part of the story).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New <a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/docs\/crawling-indexing\/qualify-outbound-links\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Google rel attributes<\/a> \u2013 Beyond NoFollow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Back in the day, there was only one way to tell Google not to count a link \u2013 <strong>rel=&#8221;nofollow.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But in 2020, Google rolled out two more link attributes to give site owners more control \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. rel=&#8221;sponsored&#8221;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Use this when a link is part of a paid promotion, sponsored post, or advertisement. It tells Google,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is a paid link \u2013 don\u2019t treat it like an organic endorsement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&nbsp;Example<\/strong>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&lt;a href=&#8221;https:\/\/example.com\/sponsored-article&#8221; rel=&#8221;sponsored&#8221;&gt;Check out this sponsored post&lt;\/a&gt;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. rel=&#8221;ugc&#8221;<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>UGC stands for user-generated content. This is for links that appear in comments, forums, or any space where users post content on your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&nbsp;Example<\/strong>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&lt;a href=&#8221;https:\/\/example.com\/user-comment-link&#8221; rel=&#8221;ugc&#8221;&gt;View user comment&lt;\/a&gt;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This helps Google know the link wasn\u2019t placed by you \u2013 the site owner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>So, when should you use each one?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Use nofollow<\/strong> for untrusted links or when you are unsure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use sponsored<\/strong> for paid or affiliate links.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use ugc<\/strong> for comments, forums, or guestbook-type content.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can even combine them, like this \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>And one more thing&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Google used to <em>completely<\/em> ignore NoFollow links. But since 2020, it treats all these rel tags \u2013 including nofollow, sponsored, and ugc \u2013 as <strong>\u201chints\u201d<\/strong> instead of hard rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That means Google might still crawl or index those links if it thinks they are helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So yes \u2013 even tagged links can have some indirect SEO impact now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">DoFollow vs NoFollow \u2013 Key differences<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/DoFollow-vs-NoFollow-\u2013-Key-differences.jpg\" alt=\"DoFollow vs NoFollow \u2013 Key differences\" class=\"wp-image-10686\" srcset=\"\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/DoFollow-vs-NoFollow-\u2013-Key-differences.jpg 512w, \/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/DoFollow-vs-NoFollow-\u2013-Key-differences-300x300.jpg 300w, \/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/DoFollow-vs-NoFollow-\u2013-Key-differences-150x150.jpg 150w, \/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/DoFollow-vs-NoFollow-\u2013-Key-differences-96x96.jpg 96w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong><em>DoFollow vs NoFollow links comparison<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, you know what DoFollow and NoFollow backlinks are. But when should you use which? And what actually makes them different?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s make it crystal clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Link juice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>DoFollow <\/strong>\u2013 Yes. It passes SEO value (aka link juice). This helps the linked page rank better.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>NoFollow <\/strong>\u2013 No. Google ignores it for ranking signals, though it might still crawl the page.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Ranking power<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>DoFollow <\/strong>\u2013 Direct impact. Helps the linked page show up higher in search results.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>NoFollow <\/strong>\u2013 Doesn\u2019t pass PageRank directly, but may still influence SEO indirectly (like if the link drives traffic or builds brand awareness).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Crawling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Both DoFollow and NoFollow backlinks can be crawled by Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>DoFollow links pass authority.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>NoFollow links don\u2019t pass ranking credit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. When should you use them?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Use case<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>DoFollow<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>NoFollow<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Editorial content on your blog<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">\u2705 Yes<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">\u274c No<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Linking to trusted sources<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">\u2705 Yes<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">\u274c No<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Paid promotions \/ sponsored posts<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">\u274c No<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">\u2705 Yes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Affiliate links<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">\u274c No<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">\u2705 Yes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Blog comments \/ forums<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">\u274c No<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">\u2705 Yes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Guest author bios (optional)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">\u2705 Yes (if trusted)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">\u2705 Sometimes<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. HTML code comparison<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>DoFollow<\/strong> (default)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>&lt;a href=&#8221;https:\/\/example.com&#8221;&gt;Example&lt;\/a&gt;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>NoFollow<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>&lt;a href=&#8221;https:\/\/example.com&#8221; rel=&#8221;nofollow&#8221;&gt;Example&lt;\/a&gt;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to remember the difference<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>DoFollow = Trust this link. Give it SEO power.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>NoFollow = Don&#8217;t pass SEO value, but still acknowledge the link.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>So if you are linking to something you trust and want to help \u2013 use <strong>DoFollow<\/strong> (which is the default anyway).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If it is a paid link, affiliate URL, or user-submitted content you don\u2019t fully control \u2013 go with <strong>NoFollow<\/strong> to stay safe in Google&#8217;s eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"271\" src=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/comparison-table-of-dofollow-vs-nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc-links.jpg\" alt=\"comparison table of dofollow vs nofollow vs sponsored vs ugc links\" class=\"wp-image-10690\" style=\"width:730px;height:auto\" srcset=\"\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/comparison-table-of-dofollow-vs-nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc-links.jpg 512w, \/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/comparison-table-of-dofollow-vs-nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc-links-300x159.jpg 300w, \/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/comparison-table-of-dofollow-vs-nofollow-vs-sponsored-vs-ugc-links-150x79.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Are NoFollow links still valuable for SEO?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Yes, they are \u2013 just not in the way most people think.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Back in the day, Google would completely ignore NoFollow links. If a link had rel=&#8221;nofollow&#8221;, it passed zero value. No PageRank. No ranking power. Nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But that changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2020, Google announced that it now treats NoFollow links as \u201chints.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What does that mean?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It means Google might still count them \u2013 if it thinks the link is useful, relevant, or trustworthy. It is no longer a hard \u201cdon\u2019t follow this link.\u201d Instead, it is a gentle nudge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">So what can NoFollow links still do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if they don\u2019t pass direct SEO value, they can help in other important ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Referral traffic<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>People still click NoFollow links. If you are mentioned on a high-traffic site like Reddit, Medium, or Quora, you can get real visitors. And more traffic means more chances to get noticed or linked again elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Link diversity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/natural-link-backlink-ideas\/\"   title=\"How to Get Natural Backlinks to Improve Your SEO (Top 10 Ideas)\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\"  data-wpil-monitor-id=\"316\">natural backlink<\/a> profile has a mix of DoFollow and NoFollow backlinks. If all your backlinks are DoFollow \u2013 it can look manipulative to Google. Having a few NoFollow links from trusted sources keeps your link profile balanced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Brand awareness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>NoFollow links still put your name out there. A link from Wikipedia or YouTube might be NoFollow, but the visibility you get? That\u2019s worth gold in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Indexation support<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This one is debated, but some SEOs believe NoFollow links on popular pages can help get your new content crawled and <a href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/how-to-index-articles-and-blogs-faster-in-search-engines\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">indexed faster<\/a>. Especially when the link is on a page that Google visits often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So no, you shouldn\u2019t ignore NoFollow links. They may not always boost rankings directly, but they bring real value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When and where to use NoFollow links?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Not every link on your website should pass SEO value. Some links need a little extra caution \u2013 and that\u2019s exactly where NoFollow works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This tag helps you tell Google \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>\u201cI\u2019m linking to this, but I am not vouching for it.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is when you should use it \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Paid or sponsored links<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are being paid to add a link \u2013 whether it is a product review, sponsored blog post, or partnership \u2013 use NoFollow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It keeps you safe from Google penalties and keeps you compliant with FTC guidelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If it is a paid placement, it shouldn\u2019t pass link juice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Affiliate links<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Affiliate links often lead to product pages with tracking parameters. These aren\u2019t editorial recommendations \u2013 they are tied to commission.<br>Marking them NoFollow (or using rel=&#8221;sponsored&#8221;) helps avoid issues with Google. It is a signal that says, \u201cThis is a promotional link.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Blog comments<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most CMS platforms (like WordPress) add NoFollow to links in blog comments automatically. And that is a good thing. You can\u2019t control what users post \u2013 and spammers love comment sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NoFollow keeps those random links from hurting your site\u2019s reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Forums or untrusted sources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are linking out in a forum post, guestbook, or any user-generated content, always use NoFollow \u2013 unless you manually review every link (which, let\u2019s be honest, you probably don\u2019t).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Same goes for outbound links from untrusted sites. If you are unsure about the content \u2013 NoFollow is your safe option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Links you don&#8217;t want to endorse<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s say you are linking to a news story \u2013 but the site has shady practices. Or maybe you are quoting a source you don\u2019t agree with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NoFollow lets you link for context \u2013 without giving them a \u201cvote of trust\u201d in Google\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Quick example<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&lt;a href=&#8221;https:\/\/shadyproduct.com&#8221; rel=&#8221;nofollow&#8221;&gt;View Product&lt;\/a&gt;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This way, you can share the link \u2013 without risking your own SEO reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bottom line?<\/strong> Use NoFollow when there is money involved, user input, or uncertainty. It protects your site while still allowing you to link freely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to check if a link is DoFollow or NoFollow?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Not sure if a link is DoFollow or NoFollow? Good news \u2013 it is very easy to find out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are a few simple ways to check \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Manual method (inspect in browser)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This takes less than 10 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Right-click on the link<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select \u201cInspect\u201d (or \u201cInspect Element\u201d in some browsers)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Look at the link\u2019s HTML code<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you see this \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&lt;a href=&#8221;https:\/\/example.com&#8221; rel=&#8221;nofollow&#8221;&gt;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2026it is a NoFollow link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If there is no rel=&#8221;nofollow&#8221; tag, it is a DoFollow link by default.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This method works on any website, anytime. No tools needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. SEO browser extensions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Want a quicker way? Try these free SEO plugins \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>MozBar<\/strong> (by Moz) \u2013 Highlights NoFollow links in red.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>SEOquake<\/strong> (by Semrush) \u2013 Offers link attribute overlays on any page.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ahrefs SEO Toolbar<\/strong> \u2013 Good for checking link types + authority metrics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These tools work right in your browser and save tons of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Online tools (zero coding required)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t want to inspect code or install plugins \u2013 just paste a URL into one of these \u2013&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Link Publishers\u2019 DoFollow\u2013NoFollow Checker Tool<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SEMrush <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/how-to-do-backlink-audit\/\"   title=\"The Ultimate Guide to Backlink Audits in 2025\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\"  data-wpil-monitor-id=\"317\">Backlink Audit<\/a> Tool<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SE Ranking Backlink Checker<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These platforms will show you whether each backlink pointing to your site is DoFollow or NoFollow \u2013 plus other helpful data like referring domain + <a href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/anchor-text-vs-keywords\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">anchor text<\/a> + link quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s an example of how you can use Link Publishers\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/dofollow-nofollow-link-checker\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">DoFollow\u2013NoFollow Link Checker Tool.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just head over to the tool page, paste the URL you want to check, and click on \u201cCheck Status.\u201d In a few seconds, you will see whether the links on that page are DoFollow or NoFollow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Link Publishers\u2019 DoFollow\u2013NoFollow Checker Tool<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com\/docsz\/AD_4nXdfmfDHWLxjo0rpdt4pdhMX0erfPmFruiTiQUdry-jwc9IBk03HW3apUrBLScZfIaV2qZz92aqe78seXpC-tDSWkjct2SL4CGcszrPwYdUrY9YhizO3-i5qtJvleC59_3c9jwq2rhpGP-ctQEXOI3Y?key=XsvewnNf7RXJtpVDWp96lA\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>These are the results.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com\/docsz\/AD_4nXdrM9UhLN0CnS6lKmY5GW49dZezZN6xap1WkGjz9SWjH9Xkqog2BnOX6FF5CiOLr4VwGleqKt4STuY-8LOZ8ZoCNZfKiqTd-S1F0k1Cnm7NbkgqblhPx-vsM-dpouU68ateFWDz8JGRLHGeFix9NFo?key=XsvewnNf7RXJtpVDWp96lA\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com\/docsz\/AD_4nXdp6TFAPFhKpKAjT_012KUbvGOZdD4d9-BFLRWAvcuUythQlJbFY36O56r96vvzz3X9PXBnrpSb2HegC0hwEifPKi0-bsiUJMCYCBfjIiRg4_rIv5IPinY48QfbmiuADkq-krC16tMQ_5ZdIj-ICcA?key=XsvewnNf7RXJtpVDWp96lA\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>DoFollow-No-Follow link results<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why should you care?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Knowing the type of link helps you \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Spot high-quality backlinks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid SEO penalties from paid or shady links<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keep your backlink profile natural and safe<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A healthy mix of both DoFollow and NoFollow backlinks is key \u2013 and tools like these help you stay on top of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the ideal DoFollow vs NoFollow ratio?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s clear up a common myth right away \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>There is no such thing as a \u201cperfect\u201d DoFollow to NoFollow ratio.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SE Ranking and other <a href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/seo-tools-for-small-businesses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">top SEO tools<\/a> agree \u2013 Google doesn\u2019t rank sites based on some fixed percentage. So if you are chasing an exact number like 70:30 or 80:20, stop right there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What actually matters?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Your backlink profile needs to look natural.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What you should avoid<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/dofollow-backlink-sites\/\">100% DoFollow backlinks<\/a><strong>.<\/strong> That looks suspicious. Google might see it as an attempt to game the system.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Too many NoFollow spam links. While NoFollow links aren\u2019t bad \u2013 too many from low-quality or unrelated sites don\u2019t help either.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What you should aim for<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A healthy mix of DoFollow and NoFollow backlinks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Backlinks from different types of sources \u2013 blogs + news sites + directories + social platforms<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Links that come in naturally over time \u2013 not all at once<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For most websites, DoFollow links make up <strong>60 to 80%<\/strong> of their profile \u2013 but again \u2013 that is not a rule. It is just what looks \u201cnormal\u201d in many healthy websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Quick tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Focus less on the ratio and more on where the links are coming from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Would you rather have \u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>50 spammy DoFollow links from random sites, Or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>10 NoFollow links from Forbes, YouTube, Quora, and Reddit?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Easy choice, right?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the end, your goal should be this \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That mindset will always keep your ratio in the right place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Expert tips for a balanced link profile<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Building backlinks is not about chasing numbers anymore. It is about building a natural-looking + high-quality profile that Google trusts. Here are some expert backed tips to help you do exactly that&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Prioritize relevance and quality (not just quantity)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Morningscore \u2013 one strong + relevant backlink from a trusted website is more valuable than dozens of random ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>So ask yourself \u2013<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Does this link come from a site in my niche?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Would I be proud to show this link to a client or customer?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If the answer is yes \u2013 that\u2019s the kind of link you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Don\u2019t ignore NoFollow links<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It is a mistake to skip NoFollow opportunities \u2013 especially from big-name sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Platforms like Wikipedia, YouTube, Reddit, Medium, and Quora all use NoFollow by default \u2013 but the brand exposure and referral traffic are still gold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And remember, <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/google-to-treat-nofollow-link-attribute-as-a-hint-after-march-1-2020-321664\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Google now treats NoFollow links as hints<\/a> \u2013 so some value might still get passed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Mix up your link sources<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A healthy profile has variety, not just guest posts or directories. Try mixing these \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Guest posts<\/strong> on niche blogs or industry sites<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Digital PR<\/strong> (get featured in roundups, interviews, or expert quotes)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/brand-mentions\/\">Brand mentions<\/a><\/strong> with or without links \u2014 these build trust<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>User-generated content (UGC)<\/strong> like case studies + testimonials + forum engagement<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Each of these brings different kinds of links \u2013 and that is a good thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Pro tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t just think about \u201cgetting\u201d links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Create content people actually want to link to.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Original research + tools + infographics + detailed how-to guides attract natural links without asking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common myths about DoFollow and NoFollow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to backlinks \u2013 there is no shortage of bad advice floating around. So let\u2019s bust some of the most common myths \u2013 and give you the truth based on what actually works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Myth 1. NoFollow links have no SEO value<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Many people still believe NoFollow links are useless for SEO. That is just not true anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since Google\u2019s 2020 update \u2013 NoFollow is treated as a \u201chint,\u201d not a hard rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Mangools \u2013 NoFollow links might not affect page ranking but they can surely help improve traffic and visibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, NoFollow links can boost your site in other ways \u2013 like traffic + brand exposure + link diversity. They are part of the bigger SEO picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Myth 2. You should disavow all NoFollow spam links<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>No, you don\u2019t need to panic over every weird NoFollow link pointing to your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Google is smarter now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Semrush confirms that Google ignores most low-quality NoFollow backlinks automatically. Unless you are seeing clear <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/how-to-protect-website-from-negative-seo\/\"   title=\"What is Negative SEO and How to Protect Your Website from It?\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\"  data-wpil-monitor-id=\"315\">negative SEO<\/a> attempts or toxic DoFollow links, disavowing is not needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In short \u2013 Don\u2019t waste time disavowing every random NoFollow comment or forum link. It won\u2019t hurt your rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Myth 3. Only DoFollow links help build authority<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It is true that DoFollow links pass ranking signals \u2013 but authority is not just about passing PageRank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Being linked by trusted websites (even with NoFollow) builds credibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s say your brand gets a mention on Wikipedia, Reddit, or YouTube \u2013 all NoFollow platforms. Still think that has no impact?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These links don\u2019t just help SEO \u2013 they build trust + improve your reputation + send valuable signals across the web.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1749546831035\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Do NoFollow links help SEO?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, but not in the same way DoFollow links do. NoFollow links don\u2019t pass PageRank directly \u2013 but they can still bring traffic + brand awareness + even SEO signals if Google treats them as \u201chints.\u201d\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1749546844561\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">How can I convert a NoFollow to DoFollow?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">If the link is on your own site \u2013 just remove the rel=&#8221;nofollow&#8221; tag from the HTML. If the link is on someone else\u2019s site, you can\u2019t change it yourself \u2013 but you can ask.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1749546883540\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Should internal links be NoFollow?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Usually, no. Internal links help Google understand your site structure. You want to pass link juice between pages \u2013 especially to important ones like service pages + blogs + product categories. Only use NoFollow internally if you truly don\u2019t want Google to crawl or pass authority to a specific page \u2013 like a login, cart, or admin page.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1749546921753\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can NoFollow links be penalized?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Not usually. Google doesn\u2019t penalize NoFollow links by default \u2013 even if they come from spammy sites. That said, if you are abusing NoFollow links for spam (like mass blog commenting), it could reflect poorly on your brand or be flagged for unnatural activity.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have made it this far \u2013 you are already ahead of most people who are still chasing backlinks without knowing how they really work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is the truth:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Both DoFollow and NoFollow backlinks matter.<\/strong> And in 2025, Google sees the full picture, not just the tags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>DoFollow links pass SEO power and help boost your rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NoFollow links may not pass PageRank directly, but they support brand visibility + referral traffic + trust signals. They are part of a balanced strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So don\u2019t focus on just one type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Instead, focus on this:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Get links from relevant + trustworthy websites<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mix link types naturally (DoFollow + NoFollow)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid shortcuts \u2013 because Google\u2019s smarter than ever<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The goal is to build a link profile that looks organic and actually helps your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Also read:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/how-to-do-an-seo-audit\/\">How to Do an SEO Audit in 10 Steps (A Complete Guide)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/role-of-content-quality-in-seo-rankings\/\">The Role of Content Quality in SEO Rankings<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/saas-link-building\/\">What is SaaS Link Building<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/linkpublishers.com\/blog\/technical-seo-checklist\/\">Technical SEO Checklist: Boost Your Site&#8217;s Performance<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Backlinks are still a big deal in SEO. They tell Google which websites are trusted and which ones are not&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":10704,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[50,49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-897","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-link-building","category-seo"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>DoFollow and NoFollow Backlinks: Differences &amp; SEO Impact<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What are DoFollow and NoFollow backlinks? 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