Dofollow Vs. Nofollow Backlinks: What They Are and How They Impact SEO

Understanding Backlinks

Backlinks are links from one website to another. In SEO (Search Engine Optimization), they play a key role in helping websites rank higher on search engines like Google.

When a website has good backlinks, it tells search engines that the site is trustworthy and valuable. The more quality backlinks a site has, the better its chances of ranking higher.

Backlinks, especially do-follow ones, are important for improving your site’s search engine ranking. However, no-follow backlinks can still help by bringing traffic and increasing brand exposure.

There are two main types of backlinks: do-follow and no-follow.

• Do-follow backlinks are links that pass on “link juice” or ranking power to the site they point to. This helps improve the SEO of the linked website because search engines see it as a vote of confidence from the other site.
• No-follow backlinks, on the other hand, don’t pass on ranking power. They tell search engines not to follow the link for ranking purposes. These links are still useful because they can bring traffic to your site, but they won’t directly impact SEO.

What Are Dofollow Backlinks?

Dofollow backlinks are links on a website that point to another website and allow search engines like Google to follow them.

These links are important for improving a website’s ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs).

When a website gets a DF backlink, it tells search engines that the linked website is trustworthy and valuable.

In simple terms, think of a DF backlink as a “vote” from one website to another.

The more votes these backlinks a website gets, the higher it can appear on search results, which helps it gain more visitors.

Most backlinks are dofollow by default, meaning search engines can follow them. However, there are also nofollow backlinks, which tell search engines not to follow the link.

These are preferred for SEO because they help pass on link “juice” or authority, which can improve the linked website’s visibility and ranking.

Having high-quality DF backlinks from trusted websites is one of the best ways to grow your website’s traffic and credibility in the eyes of search engines.

What Are Nofollow Backlinks?

Nofollow backlinks are links on a website that tell search engines not to follow them.

When a link is marked as “nofollow,” it means that the search engine will not count it as a vote for the linked website’s importance.

This happens because the link has a special tag, “rel=nofollow,” added to it.

These backlinks are still useful for driving traffic to a website, as people can click on them and visit the page.

They also help maintain a natural link profile for a website, showing that not all links are meant to help with search rankings.

These types of links are often used for things like blog comments, forum posts, and advertisements, where the website owner doesn’t want to pass on SEO credit or rank for those links.

Key Differences Between Dofollow and Nofollow Backlinks

SEO Value

Dofollow: Passes SEO value (link juice) to the linked site, improving its ranking.

Nofollow: Does not pass any SEO value or link juice to the linked site.

Impact on Google Rankings

Dofollow: Helps improve the linked site’s Google rankings.

Nofollow: Does not affect the rankings of the linked site.

Search Engine Crawling

Dofollow: Search engines follow the link and index the destination page.

Nofollow: Search engines ignore the link and do not index the destination page.

Control of SEO

Dofollow: Website owner can control the SEO impact and improve rankings.

Nofollow: Website owner deliberately prevents passing SEO value.

Purpose

Dofollow: Used to enhance website SEO and rankings.

Nofollow: Used for preventing SEO manipulation or paid links.

Link Juice

Dofollow: Passes link juice to the linked page, improving its authority.

Nofollow: Does not pass link juice or affect authority.

Examples of Use

Dofollow: Links in blog posts, articles, and other organic content.

Nofollow: Links in paid ads, comments, and user-generated content.

Impact on Link Building

Dofollow: Important for link building and gaining SEO benefits.

Nofollow: Not useful for link building as they don’t affect rankings.

Control Over Page Rank

Dofollow: Can influence a site’s PageRank positively.

Nofollow: Cannot influence PageRank or site authority.

Examples of Where They’re Found

Dofollow: Found in natural, editorial content, like articles or press releases.

Nofollow: Found in comments, forum posts, and sponsored content.

How Dofollow Backlinks Boost SEO?

Improves Website Ranking:

These helps improve your website’s position on search engines like Google. When other websites link to your site with dofollow links, search engines see it as a vote of confidence, boosting your ranking.

Increases Organic Traffic

These backlinks send visitors from the linking website to yours. More visitors can lead to more potential customers, increasing your site’s organic traffic.

Builds Website Authority

Backlinks from trusted websites increase your site’s authority. If high-quality sites link to your pages, search engines view your site as more reliable and relevant.

Helps Search Engine Crawlers

These helps search engines crawl and index your site better. They act as pathways for crawlers to discover new pages on your website.

Improves Domain Authority:

Backlinks from high-authority websites pass on “link juice” (valuable SEO benefits) to your site, which can improve your domain authority and make you more competitive.

Enhances Link Profile:

A strong, diverse link profile with these links helps search engines understand your website’s relevance and trustworthiness, which is key to ranking well.

How Nofollow Backlinks Impact SEO?

Definition

These backlinks are links on websites that tell search engines not to pass “link juice” or authority to the linked page.

No Direct Impact on Rankings

These links don’t directly affect the search engine rankings of the linked website. They don’t pass SEO value (link juice) like regular (dofollow) links.

Traffic Generation

While these links don’t boost rankings, they can still bring visitors to your website. People can click on these links, driving traffic to your site.

Link Profile Diversity

A natural backlink profile should include both dofollow and nofollow links. Having only dofollow links might seem suspicious to search engines.

SEO Indirect Benefits

Even though these links don’t directly improve rankings, they might help your content reach a wider audience. This could lead to more organic, dofollow links from other sources.

Social Media and Mentions

These links from social media platforms or forums can still help with brand exposure and indirect SEO benefits.

When Should You Use Dofollow vs. Nofollow Links?

As a webmaster, knowing when to use dofollow or nofollow links is important for maintaining a good balance in your SEO strategy.

• Use Dofollow Links: When you want to pass SEO value to another page and endorse its content. For example, link to your own high-quality pages, or share relevant links in blog posts, articles, or guest posts.
• Use Nofollow Links: When you don’t want to pass SEO value to another page. Common uses include sponsored content, user-generated content like comments, and links in forums or social media.

The Importance of a Balanced Link Profile

A balanced link profile is key to maintaining a healthy SEO strategy. Search engines expect to see a natural mix of dofollow and nofollow backlinks pointing to your site.

If your site has only dofollow links, search engines may view it as manipulative or spammy. Conversely, if your site only has nofollow links, search engines may interpret it as lacking credibility or authority.

Having a mix of both link types shows search engines that your site is gaining genuine exposure from a variety of sources.

A balanced link profile helps your site appear more trustworthy and increases your chances of ranking higher in search results.

Best Practices for Building Backlinks

To build a strong backlink profile, follow these best practices:

Focus on Quality

Aim for high-quality, relevant backlinks from authoritative websites. One high-quality backlink is often more valuable than many low-quality ones.

Guest Blogging

Writing guest posts on reputable websites is a great way to get dofollow backlinks and improve your site’s authority.

Content Marketing

Create high-quality, shareable content that others want to link to.

Avoid Link Farms

Never buy links or participate in link farms. These can result in penalties from search engines.

Engage with Social Media

While social media links are typically nofollow, they can drive traffic to your site and help you build brand awareness.

Common Myths About Dofollow and Nofollow Links

Myth 1: Nofollow links don’t count at all.

Nofollow links don’t pass link juice or authority, but they can still drive traffic to your site. They help with brand exposure and can lead to more visitors.

Myth 2: Dofollow links are always better than nofollow.

Dofollow links are great for SEO, but nofollow links have their value too. They help diversify your link profile and look more natural.

Myth 3: Nofollow links don’t affect SEO at all.

While nofollow links don’t directly impact SEO in terms of ranking, they can influence your site’s visibility and lead to more organic backlinks.

Myth 4: Only dofollow links are important for ranking.

Both dofollow and nofollow links matter in an overall link-building strategy. It’s about having a balanced mix for a healthy link profile.

Myth 5: You should always aim for dofollow links.

Chasing only dofollow links can be harmful and lead to penalties. A mix of both dofollow and nofollow is better for a natural-looking backlink strategy.

Myth 6: Nofollow links don’t bring any value.

Nofollow links can still bring indirect value, like increasing brand awareness and sending referral traffic, even though they don’t affect SEO rankings directly.

Myth 7: Dofollow links are all that matters for ranking.

Quality of the link is more important than whether it’s dofollow or nofollow. A relevant and trusted site linking to you is far more valuable than a link from a random, low-quality site.

Myth 8: Dofollow links are only from high-authority sites.

Dofollow links can come from websites of any authority. What’s important is the relevance and trustworthiness of the site in your industry.

Myth 9: Nofollow links don’t help with indexation.

Nofollow links may not pass link authority, but search engines still follow them to discover new pages. So, they can help with crawling and indexing your content.

Myth 10: Dofollow links are only useful for SEO.

Dofollow links also help establish authority and relationships within your industry. They can create opportunities for networking, collaborations, and even direct business.

Example of Dofollow Vs. Nofollow Backlinks