Quick Answer: A dofollow link passes SEO authority (link juice) from one website to another, helping the linked page rank higher on Google. A nofollow link does not pass authority — it tells search engines to ignore the link for ranking purposes. Both types appear in every healthy backlink profile, and understanding when to use each is a core skill in SEO.
Why the Type of Link Actually Matters
Every time a website links to another, something happens behind the scenes. Search engines like Google read that link and make a decision — should this link count as a vote of confidence? Should it pass authority? Or should it simply be ignored?
That decision comes down to one thing: whether the link is dofollow or nofollow.
If you are studying digital marketing, this is one of those concepts that sounds technical at first but clicks immediately once you understand the logic behind it. Backlinks are the foundation of off-page SEO, and knowing the difference between link types will shape how you approach every link-building campaign you ever run.
Whether you are building your first website, planning a content strategy, or exploring what a digital marketing course covers at an advanced level, this guide breaks down everything you need to know — with zero fluff.
What is a Dofollow Link?
A dofollow link is a hyperlink that passes SEO authority from the source website to the destination website. When site A links to site B with a dofollow link, it signals to Google: “I trust this page. It deserves some of my credibility.”
In SEO, this transfer of authority is called link juice or link equity.
The Recommendation Letter Analogy
Think of a dofollow link like a recommendation letter from a respected professor. If a top university professor writes a glowing recommendation for a student, that recommendation carries serious weight. The student benefits from the professor’s credibility.
Similarly, when a high-authority website like BBC or Forbes links to your blog with a dofollow link, Google takes note. Your page gains credibility in Google’s eyes, which can improve your keyword rankings.
How It Looks in HTML
Here is the HTML structure of a standard dofollow link:
<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">anchor text here</a>
Notice something? There is no special tag needed. All links are dofollow by default. You do not need to add rel=”dofollow” — that attribute does not exist. If no rel attribute is present, the link is automatically treated as dofollow.
What Makes a Dofollow Link Valuable?
Not all dofollow links carry equal weight. Google evaluates several factors:
- Domain Authority — A link from a high-DA site (like a national newspaper) carries far more weight than one from a newly created blog.
- Relevance — A dofollow link from a marketing website to another marketing blog is more valuable than a link from an unrelated niche.
- Anchor Text — The clickable text of the link gives Google context about what the linked page covers.
Link Placement — Links placed naturally within the main body content are worth more than those buried in footers or sidebars.
What is a Nofollow Link?
A nofollow link is a hyperlink that does not pass SEO authority to the destination website. When you add a rel=”nofollow” attribute to a link, you are telling Google’s crawlers: “Follow this link for users, but do not count it as an endorsement.”
How It Looks in HTML
<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">anchor text here</a>
That small rel=”nofollow” addition completely changes what happens behind the scenes. Google’s bots will not follow the link to crawl the destination page, and no link equity transfers.
Why Was Nofollow Created? (The 2005 Comment Spam Story)
Back in 2005, blog comment sections were being flooded with spam. People were leaving hundreds of comments on popular blogs — not because they had anything useful to say, but because they wanted free backlinks to their own websites.
Google introduced the nofollow attribute as a direct solution. Website owners could now mark comment links as nofollow, removing the SEO incentive for spammers. It worked, and nofollow became a standard part of web publishing.
A Quick Note on rel=”sponsored” and rel=”ugc”
In 2019, Google expanded the nofollow family with two additional attributes:
- rel=”sponsored” — Use this for paid links, affiliate links, or any link you received compensation for.
- rel=”ugc” — Short for User-Generated Content. Use this for links that appear in comments, forum posts, or community submissions.
You do not need to memorise all three right now, but be aware they exist. As you progress in your SEO career, using the right attribute in the right context protects your site from Google penalties.
Dofollow vs. Nofollow — Key Differences
Here is a clear side-by-side comparison:
| Feature | Dofollow Link | Nofollow Link |
|---|---|---|
| Passes Link Juice? | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Helps SEO Rankings? | ✅ Directly | ⚠️ Indirectly |
| Google Crawls the Link? | ✅ Yes | ❌ No (treated as a hint) |
| HTML Attribute Needed? | ❌ None (default) | ✅ rel="nofollow" |
| Common Use Case | Editorial links, guest posts, internal links | Paid links, social media, comments, affiliate links |
| Can Drive Traffic? | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Risk if Misused? | ⚠️ Low (if natural) | ⚠️ Penalty risk if paid links are not nofollowed |
Real-World Examples Students Can Relate To
Understanding this concept becomes much easier when you see it in familiar places.
Where You Find Dofollow Links Naturally
- Editorial blog posts — A marketing blog writes an article and naturally links to a research study. That link is dofollow.
- News websites — When a journalist cites a company’s official press release, that link is typically dofollow.
- Guest posts — When you write an article for another website and they include a link back to your site, it is usually dofollow.
- Resource pages — Websites that curate “best tools” or “recommended reads” often link out with dofollow links.
Where You Find Nofollow Links Naturally
- Wikipedia — Every external link on Wikipedia carries a nofollow attribute. Despite this, getting a Wikipedia mention is still valuable for brand credibility and referral traffic.
- Social media platforms — Links you share on Twitter (X), LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram are all nofollow. Social signals matter for brand awareness, but they do not pass link equity.
- YouTube video descriptions — Links placed in YouTube video descriptions are nofollow.
- Blog comment sections — Most CMS platforms (WordPress, for example) automatically apply nofollow to links left in comments.
- Press release distribution sites — Many wire services nofollow outbound links to prevent manipulation.
When Should You Use Each? Practical Use Cases
Use Dofollow Links When:
- Linking internally — All internal links between pages on your own website should be dofollow. This helps Google understand your site structure and distributes authority across your pages.
- Citing authoritative sources — If you reference a government website, academic study, or reputable publication, a dofollow link is appropriate and signals editorial integrity.
- Building natural editorial links — If you earn a link because your content genuinely deserves it, it will and should be dofollow.
- Guest posting on relevant sites — When contributing content to another website in your niche, ensure your author bio or in-content link is dofollow.
Use Nofollow Links When:
- Publishing paid or sponsored content — Google’s guidelines are clear: any link you are compensated for must be nofollowed (or marked rel=”sponsored”). Ignoring this risks a manual penalty.
- Adding affiliate links — Affiliate links are commercial by nature. Always nofollow them.
- Allowing user-generated content — If your website has a comment section or community forum, automatically nofollow all outbound links to block spam incentives.
- Linking to unverified or low-quality sources — If you must reference a source you do not fully trust, nofollow the link so you are not passing your site’s authority to a questionable page.
Do Nofollow Links Have Any SEO Value At All?
Yes — but the value is indirect.
This is one of the most misunderstood areas in beginner SEO. Many students hear “nofollow links do not help SEO” and immediately write them off. That is a mistake.
Here is what nofollow links actually do for you:
- Drive referral traffic — A nofollow link on a high-traffic website like Reddit or Quora can send thousands of visitors to your page. Traffic is traffic, regardless of the link attribute.
- Build brand awareness — Being mentioned on large platforms increases your visibility, even without link equity.
- Trigger indirect dofollow links — When your content gets exposure through nofollow mentions, other content creators discover it and may link to it with dofollow links from their own websites.
- Contribute to a natural backlink profile — Google expects a healthy mix of link types. A backlink profile made up entirely of dofollow links from guest posts can look manipulative. Nofollow links from forums, social media, and directories make your profile look organic.
The 60/40 Rule
A commonly cited benchmark in SEO is the 60/40 ratio — roughly 60% dofollow and 40% nofollow links. This is not a hard rule enforced by Google, but it reflects what a naturally grown backlink profile tends to look like for established websites.
As a beginner, do not obsess over hitting this exact ratio. Focus on earning quality links from relevant sources, and the natural mix will follow.
How to Check if a Link is Dofollow or Nofollow
Knowing how to verify link types is a practical skill you will use constantly. Here are three methods:
Method 1: Browser Inspect Tool (Free, No Account Needed)
- Open the webpage containing the link in Chrome or Firefox.
- Right-click on the specific link.
- Select “Inspect” from the menu.
- The HTML panel will highlight the link’s code.
- Look for rel=”nofollow” in the code. If it is there, the link is nofollow. If there is no rel attribute, the link is dofollow.
Method 2: Free SEO Tools
- Ahrefs Site Explorer (free version) — Paste any URL and filter backlinks by dofollow or nofollow.
- MozBar (Chrome extension) — Highlights link types directly on the page as you browse.
- SEMrush Backlink Analytics — Provides a full breakdown of your backlink profile with link type filters.
Method 3: View Page Source
Press Ctrl + U (Windows) or Cmd + U (Mac) to open the full page source. Use Ctrl + F to search for the anchor text of the link, then check whether rel=”nofollow” appears alongside it.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Nofollow links are a natural and expected part of any backlink profile. The problem only arises if your profile has zero dofollow links, which would suggest your site has earned no genuine editorial endorsements.
Yes — if those dofollow links are part of a paid link scheme or come from spammy, irrelevant websites. Google's Spam Policy targets manipulative link building. Always prioritise quality over quantity.
Social media links are nofollow, so they do not pass direct link equity. However, strong social media activity increases content visibility, which can lead to organic dofollow links from people who discover your content. Learning how to leverage this is part of understanding Off-Page SEO at a deeper level.
No. Nofollowing every outbound link looks unnatural and can actually harm your site's credibility. Dofollow your outbound links when they point to reputable, relevant sources. Reserve nofollow for paid, affiliate, or unverified links.
A backlink is simply any inbound link pointing to your website. A dofollow backlink is a specific type that passes link equity. All dofollow backlinks are backlinks, but not all backlinks are dofollow.
SEO is one of the most in-demand and well-paid specialisations within digital marketing. If you enjoy analytical thinking, content strategy, and building long-term results, it is an excellent path. You can explore this further in our detailed guide on Is Digital Marketing a Good Career before committing to a learning path.
Conclusion: Key Takeaways for Digital Marketing Students
Here is what you need to walk away with:
- Dofollow links pass link equity and directly influence your site’s ability to rank on Google. They are the primary currency of link building.
- Nofollow links do not pass link equity, but they are not worthless. They drive traffic, build brand awareness, and contribute to a natural backlink profile.
- All links are dofollow by default. You only need to add the rel attribute when you want to mark a link as nofollow, sponsored, or UGC.
- Use nofollow for paid links, affiliate links, and user-generated content. Failing to do this puts your site at risk of a Google penalty.
- A healthy backlink profile contains both types. A mix of dofollow and nofollow links signals to Google that your site earns links naturally.
- Quality always beats quantity. One dofollow link from a relevant, high-authority website is worth more than fifty links from low-quality directories.
As you grow your skills, you will start to see link building as less of a technical checklist and more of a relationship-building exercise. The best links are earned — through great content, genuine outreach, and a website worth linking to.
If you want to put these concepts into practice right away, start by learning how to write an SEO-Optimized Blog. A well-structured, valuable blog post is still the single most reliable way to attract dofollow backlinks organically — and it is a skill that will serve you throughout your entire digital marketing career.
