Short answer: A dofollow link passes ranking credit to the page it points to; a nofollow link uses a rel="nofollow" attribute that asks search engines not to pass that credit. Both types send real visitors, and a natural backlink profile contains a healthy mix of both.
What “dofollow” and “nofollow” really mean
Every link is dofollow by default — there is no actual rel="dofollow" attribute in HTML. The term simply describes a normal link that passes ranking signals. A nofollow link is different: it includes rel="nofollow" in the HTML, which historically told search engines “I’m linking here, but don’t treat this as my endorsement for ranking purposes.”
Google introduced nofollow in 2005 to fight comment spam. The idea was that site owners could link out without vouching for the destination. Over time it became the standard way to mark links you don’t want counted as votes.
The full rel family: nofollow, sponsored, ugc
In 2019 Google expanded the system into three related attributes. As described in Google’s guide to qualifying outbound links, you can now be more specific about why a link isn’t a plain editorial endorsement.
| Attribute | Use it for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (none / dofollow) | Genuine editorial links you stand behind | Citing a source in an article |
| rel=”nofollow” | Links you don’t want to pass credit, for any reason | A link you can’t fully vouch for |
| rel=”sponsored” | Paid, advertising or affiliate links | A banner ad or paid placement |
| rel=”ugc” | User-generated content links | Blog comments, forum posts |
You can combine values, for example rel="sponsored nofollow". The important compliance point: any link you pay for should carry sponsored or nofollow. This is not optional politeness — it is how you stay inside Google’s link-spam policies.
Hints, not hard rules
A subtle but important change in 2019: Google now treats all three attributes as hints for ranking and crawling, not strict commands. That means Google may, in some cases, choose to consider a nofollow link. You should still apply the attributes correctly — the hint framing is not a licence to mislabel paid links.
Practical takeaway: use sponsored for anything paid, ugc for user content, and nofollow when in doubt. Getting the attribute right protects you regardless of how Google chooses to interpret it.
Do nofollow links have any value?
Yes — just not the same value. A nofollow link from a major news site or a busy forum can send meaningful referral traffic, put your brand in front of the right audience, and frequently leads to genuine editorial (dofollow) links down the line. Nofollow links from social platforms and Q&A sites are also part of what a natural profile looks like.
Chasing only dofollow links, especially with exact-match anchor text, can actually make a profile look engineered. Search engines expect variety. A site that is talked about naturally accumulates a broad spread of link types and anchors — a pattern our anchor-text ratio guide explains in more depth.
Which links pass the most value?
Among dofollow links, value still varies enormously based on relevance, the trust of the linking site, and where the link sits on the page. A dofollow link from an irrelevant, low-quality page is worth little; a dofollow link inside a relevant, well-read article is worth a great deal. Third-party scores such as DR (Ahrefs) and DA (Moz) can help you compare sites, but remember they are third-party estimates, not Google metrics. Use them directionally, and judge relevance and real traffic first — the approach in our backlink-quality guide.
A healthy link profile in practice
- Aim for a natural mix. Real profiles contain both dofollow and nofollow links from varied sources.
- Mark paid links correctly. Sponsored or nofollow on every commercial link, every time.
- Prioritise relevance over the follow status. A relevant nofollow link can be more useful than an irrelevant dofollow one.
- Don’t obsess over the attribute of every link. Focus on earning references from places people trust.
When we place links through our link-insertion and niche-edit services, relevance and genuine editorial context come first, and anything commercial is disclosed. For the wider strategy, see the link-building guide.
The bottom line
Dofollow versus nofollow is really a question of whether a link is meant to pass ranking credit. Both types belong in a healthy profile, paid links must be labelled sponsored or nofollow, and the attributes are hints rather than absolute rules. Focus less on hunting dofollow tags and more on earning links from relevant pages real people visit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between dofollow and nofollow links?
A dofollow link passes ranking credit by default. A nofollow link carries a rel="nofollow" attribute that tells search engines not to pass that credit. Both can send real visitors; only the ranking signal differs.
Do nofollow links help SEO?
Indirectly, yes. They may not pass the same ranking credit, but they drive traffic, build awareness, diversify your link profile, and often lead to genuine dofollow links later. Google also treats nofollow as a hint, not an absolute rule.
When should I use rel="sponsored"?
Use rel="sponsored" on any link that is paid, part of an ad, or an affiliate link. It tells Google the link is a commercial arrangement so it is not treated as an editorial endorsement.
Is it bad to have too many nofollow links?
No. A natural profile includes plenty of nofollow links from social platforms, forums and news sites. A profile that is almost entirely dofollow with exact-match anchors can actually look more manipulated.
Does Google still respect nofollow?
Since 2019 Google treats nofollow, sponsored and ugc as hints for ranking and crawling rather than strict directives. In practice you should still use them correctly, especially sponsored for paid links.
Can I get penalised for paid dofollow links?
Yes. Buying dofollow links to pass PageRank breaks Google's link-spam policies and can trigger a manual action. Paid links should carry rel="sponsored" or nofollow.