Before Google proposed the concept of Dofollow and Nofollow links, the domain of search engine optimization (SEO) was as unruly as the Gaza War (without the gunfights). Bloggers and website administrators engaged in spammy backlinking practices, adding links to their company’s website wherever possible to boost their backlink juice.
Today, creating and executing a successful backlinking strategy is more challenging than ever. In fact, 65% of marketers believe that link building is the most difficult SEO task. This challenge is helpful because it means that getting on the first page of search engines requires a webpage to truly be valuable. So, let’s look at how these links boost website performance in this blog.
Do-Follow Links
A do-follow link is a hyperlink that permits search engine crawlers to follow it and carry forward the link equity, or “link juice,” to the page linked to a website. When a website uses a do-follow link to connect to another site, it prioritizes that site and indicates to search engines that the linked site is trustworthy, authoritative, and valuable.
Do-follow links can enhance a website’s search engine ranking by improving the site’s overall authority and relevance for specific search terms. However, it is crucial to use do-follow links judiciously and ensure they are relevant and natural. Overusing them or linking to spammy or low-quality sites can get you penalties from search engines.
In HTML, these links look like this:
<a href="https://example.com">Your Anchor Text</a>By default, this link will be a do-follow link unless specified otherwise by search engine guidelines or any other attributes added to the <a> tag.
Applications Where Do-Follow Links Are Used
There are various sources of do-follow links available online. Some examples include:
• Social media profiles: Platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn often provide do-follow links from user profiles.
• Blog comments: Dropping a comment on a blog that implements the do-follow attribute for its links can earn you a do-follow backlink to your website.
• Guest posting: Drafting guest posts for other websites can provide do-follow links, as long as the host site allows them.
• Business directories: Directories such as Yelp or YellowPages typically offer do-follow links in their business listings.
• Forum profiles: Getting associated with or participating in online forums to add a link to your profile can earn you do-follow links.
No-Follow Links
No-follow links inform search engines not to follow the link or transfer any link equity to the linked website. When a website uses a no-follow link to connect to another site, it indicates to search engines that the link mentioned is not an endorsement and that the linked site should not receive any boost in search engine rankings.
No-follow links are often used to avoid spam or link manipulation and to show search engines that the link is not authentic for the linked site. Since no-follow links do not directly enhance search engine rankings of a site, they can still be beneficial for referral traffic, brand exposure, and building trust.
In HTML, these links look like this:
<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Your Anchor Text</a>Adding rel=”nofollow” informs search engines not to pass link equity from your webpage to the linked webpage.
Applications Where No-Follow Links Are Used
Some applications that typically provide no-follow links include:
• Social media posts: Platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram often use no-follow links in user posts and comments.
• Sponsored content: Links included in paid content or advertisements on other websites are typically marked as no-follow to adhere to search engine guidelines.
• Blog comments: Many blogs implement no-follow links in the comments section to safeguard them from spam and link schemes.
• Press releases: Most press release services incorporate no-follow links in their releases to prevent penalties for violating search engine guidelines.
• Classified ads: Websites like Craigslist or Gumtree often use no-follow links in their listings to get rid of link spamming.
Why Are Do-Follow and No-Follow Links Considered Important for Website Performance?
Do-follow and no-follow links are crucial for several reasons:
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Do-follow links can boost a website’s search engine rankings by signaling search engines that the linked site is authoritative, valuable, and trustworthy. While no-follow links don’t directly impact rankings, they can still drive referral traffic and enhance branding.
• Link Building: A strong network of do-follow links can improve a website’s authority and relevance for specific search terms. No-follow links, although not directly influencing rankings, can still provide referral traffic and branding benefits, helping to diversify a site’s link profile.
• Spam Prevention: No-follow links help prevent spamming or link manipulation by signaling to search engines that the link is not fake.
• Natural Link Profile: Balancing the quantity of both do-follow and no-follow links helps maintain a natural link profile, which can prevent penalties from search engines.
• Increases Website Traffic
Imagine you run a restaurant business that sells a different cuisine. If a popular food blog provides a no-follow link to your site, it doesn’t pass authority to your website. However, it still promotes your brand by potentially driving traffic directly to your site.
• Protect Against Penalties
Paid follow links violate Google’s Webmaster Guidelines. So, if you want to pay a publication to link back to your website, it must be a no-follow link. Some believe that Google can’t always detect paid links, but they have a tool for reporting websites suspected of buying or selling links.
Most website owners or bloggers won’t risk a Google penalty that can affect their rankings and traffic. If search engines discover that paid links are tagged as do-follow instead of no-follow, it can be detrimental to both sites involved.
Overall, both do-follow and no-follow links are essential for a balanced and effective link-building strategy. It is important to use them in moderation and ensure they are relevant and natural to avoid penalties from search engines.
How to Check If a Link Is No-Follow or Do-Follow?
To determine if a link is do-follow or no-follow, you can use the following tricks:
• View Page Source: Right-click on the link you have added and select “Inspect” or “View page source” in your browser. Look for the hyperlink code and check for the presence of the rel= “nofollow” attribute. If it is present, the link is a no-follow link. If it is absent, the link is likely a do-follow link.
• Use Browser Extensions: Utilize browser extensions such as MozBar or the NoFollow Chrome extension, which can emphasize do-follow and no-follow links on a page.
• Employ Online Tools: Online tools like Link Research Tools or Ahrefs Backlink Checker can assess a page’s links and signal whether they are do-follow or no-follow.
Best Practices for Using No-Follow Links
When developing your external links strategy, both no-follow and do-follow links are important. Although no-follow links don’t pass authority from one site to another, there are situations where using them is appropriate:
• Identifying Low-Quality or Spammy Websites: Use no-follow links when linking to low-quality or potentially spammy websites. For instance, if you need to cite a source on a low-quality site in your blog, using a no-follow link prevents your website from passing authority to that source.
• Paid Links: Always use the no-follow tag for paid links. As per Google’s Webmaster Guidelines, all paid and sponsored links must be tagged as no-follow. This includes any links given in exchange for money, products, or services. Even link exchanges, where websites mutually exchange backlinks, are considered a violation of these guidelines.
• User-Generated Content: No-follow links should be used in user-generated content, such as comments on forum posts or social networks. The no-follow attribute signals to search engines that these links are not intended as endorsements. Since anyone can post comments on blogs and forums, it’s safer to avoid passing authority to potentially unknown or low-quality sites.
Best Practices for Using Do-Follow Links
Using do-follow links effectively can significantly enhance your website’s SEO and authority. Here are some best practices to follow:
• Link to High-Quality, Relevant Sites: Ensure that the websites you link to are reputable, high-quality, and relevant to your content. This promotes trust with search engines and users alike.
• Use Natural Anchor Text: The text you use for your links should be natural and descriptive of the content it leads to. Avoid over-optimizing anchor text with exact-match keywords, as this can be considered manipulative by search engines.
• Diversify Your Link Profile: A healthy link profile includes a variety of link types. While do-follow links are valuable, they should be balanced with no-follow links to maintain a natural and credible link profile.
• Monitor Outbound Links: Regularly check the sites you link to for changes in quality or relevance. If a linked site becomes spammy or low-quality, remove or update the link to maintain your site’s integrity.
• Link Contextually: Place do-follow links within the context of relevant content where they make the most sense for users. Contextual links are more valuable and beneficial for SEO than links placed in footers or sidebars.
Final Thoughts
Do-follow and no-follow links are pivotal components of SEO and website positioning. Do-follow links channel link equity and authority to the linked page, thereby boosting its search engine rankings. In contrast, no-follow links refrain from transferring link equity but aid in evading penalties and preserving a natural link profile.
When incorporating do-follow or no-follow links, it’s imperative to observe best practices, including links to reputable and pertinent sites, exercising judicious use of anchor text, and vigilantly monitoring your link profile.
FAQs
Can I convert no-follow links to do-follow links?
Technically, you can change the rel= “nofollow” attribute to a do-follow link, but it should be done with caution and in accordance with best practices. Ensure that the link is to a high-quality, relevant site to avoid potential penalties.
What tools can help manage and monitor my link profile?
Tools like Ahrefs, Moz, and SEMrush can help you manage and monitor your link profile. These tools present insights into the quality and type of links pointing to and from your site, helping you maintain a healthy and effective link strategy.
