Understanding how and when to use the “nofollow” attribute is essential for anyone managing a website, especially if you’re aiming to maintain a strong SEO foundation. Let’s break down what “nofollow” means, when to use it, and how it fits into the larger SEO ecosystem.
What Is the Nofollow Attribute?
Introduced in 2005 to combat spam in blog comments, the “nofollow” attribute allows website owners to tell search engines, “Don’t pass PageRank to this link.” Initially, this attribute was applied site-wide using the meta tag
<meta name="robots" content="nofollow">
, but it’s now more commonly used on specific links.
A nofollow link looks like this:
<a href="https://www.example.com/product" rel="nofollow">this product</a>
This “nofollow” code tells Google and other search engines that you don’t necessarily endorse this link.
Why and When to Use Nofollow Links
The nofollow attribute serves as a way to indicate that you don’t want to “vouch” for a particular link. Google recommends using nofollow if:
– You’re linking to content that doesn’t fit any specific purpose or association with your site.
– You want to discourage search engines from crawling or associating your site with the linked content.
While nofollow doesn’t always prevent Google from discovering a page, it generally signals that you don’t want the link to pass PageRank, a ranking metric.
Nofollow as a “Hint” Rather Than a Rule
In March 2020, Google announced it would start treating the nofollow attribute as a “hint” rather than a strict instruction. This means that while you may mark a link as nofollow, Google may still decide to take it into account for ranking purposes, albeit less strongly than regular links. Bing has always treated nofollow as a hint rather than an absolute rule.
New Link Attributes: Sponsored and UGC
To provide more nuanced link categorization, Google introduced two additional attributes:
– rel=”sponsored”: Use this for paid or sponsored content, such as affiliate links or sponsored posts.
– rel=”ugc”: Use this for user-generated content, like forum posts or comments.
Each of these attributes can be combined with nofollow, like so:
<a href="https://www.example.com/product" rel="sponsored nofollow">Sponsored Product</a>
When to Use Specific Attributes
1. Sponsored Links (rel=”sponsored”)
– For paid content, ads, affiliate links, or any link where compensation was involved.
– Examples: Sponsored posts, affiliate marketing links, and paid collaborations.
2. User-Generated Content (rel=”ugc”)
– For links within user-created content, such as comments, forum posts, or reviews.
– Examples: Links in a blog comment section or forum signature.
3. General Nofollow (rel=”nofollow”)
– For links that don’t fit into the sponsored or UGC categories but where you still don’t want to pass PageRank.
– Examples: Links to unreliable or irrelevant sites, or links you don’t endorse.
What Are Paid Links?
Google considers a link “paid” if it’s provided in exchange for money, goods, or services. This includes links in sponsored posts, affiliate links, or links embedded in product reviews where you received the product for free. If you received something in exchange for the link, Google expects you to disclose that using the “nofollow” or “sponsored” attributes.
Link Schemes to Avoid
According to Google, these practices are considered “link schemes” and can harm your SEO:
– Buying or selling links that pass PageRank.
– Excessive link exchanges purely to boost rankings.
– Automated link creation through software or bots.
– Keyword-rich hidden links in widgets or templates.
– Unnatural links in forum comments with optimized anchor text.
Avoiding these practices can help you maintain a clean, trustworthy link profile.
When You Don’t Need Nofollow
If you’re linking to a high-quality source you trust, there’s generally no need to use nofollow. For instance, linking to well-regarded resources or social media profiles usually doesn’t require nofollow. Some site owners mistakenly nofollow all outbound links out of caution, but this isn’t necessary unless your site is primarily for link selling.
What Is “Dofollow”?
Technically, there’s no “dofollow” attribute. If you don’t mark a link as “nofollow,” it’s considered “followed” by default, meaning it will pass PageRank and other SEO benefits.
Benefits of Nofollow Links
While a nofollow link won’t necessarily boost your PageRank, it can still provide value:
– Traffic: High-traffic websites with nofollowed links can still send significant traffic your way.
– Natural Link Profile: A healthy mix of follow and nofollow links appears natural to search engines.
How to Track Your Nofollow Links
SEO tools like Ahrefs, Majestic, and Semrush offer reports on both follow and nofollow links, helping you understand your site’s overall link profile and spot opportunities for improvement.
Checking if a Link Is Nofollow
To confirm if a link is nofollow, inspect the page’s HTML code and look for the rel=”nofollow” attribute. Alternatively, browser plugins like Ahrefs’ SEO Toolbar can highlight nofollow links.
Final Tips for Using Nofollow Wisely
1. When to Use Follow Links: Link to trusted sources or relevant social media profiles without nofollow.
2. When to Use Nofollow Links: Use nofollow if the link is part of a paid arrangement, or if you’re unsure about its quality or relevance.
3. When to Use Sponsored or UGC: Sponsored content should always be marked with “sponsored,” while user-generated content should use “ugc” for clarity.
Using nofollow thoughtfully helps search engines understand your link intentions while keeping your SEO strategy well-aligned with best practices.
When to Use Nofollow on Links and When Not To: A Comprehensive Guide
