Dofollow vs Nofollow: What the Difference Actually Means for Your Rankings
Every backlink you earn is either dofollow or nofollow, and the difference decides how much ranking power it passes. A dofollow link tells Google "we vouch for this page" and transfers authority. A nofollow link adds a small piece of code that says "don't count this as an endorsement." That single attribute is why two links from the same site can have wildly different SEO value — and why you should check it before you celebrate any new link.
What a dofollow link is
"Dofollow" isn't a real HTML attribute — it's just the industry's name for a normal link. Any link without a rel="nofollow", rel="sponsored", or rel="ugc" attribute is dofollow by default:
<a href="https://example.com/page/">anchor text</a>
When Google crawls this link, it does two things: it follows the link to discover and crawl the target page, and it passes what SEOs call "link equity" — a signal that the linking site vouches for the linked one. Dofollow links from relevant, authoritative pages are the core input to Google's ranking algorithm, which is why they're the ones link builders chase. If you're new to the concept, our guide on what backlinks are covers the fundamentals.
What a nofollow link is
A nofollow link carries an explicit rel attribute:
<a href="https://example.com/page/" rel="nofollow">anchor text</a>
Google introduced nofollow in 2005 to fight comment spam. The idea: if spammy links passed no ranking credit, spammers would stop dropping them everywhere. Publishers adopted it broadly — Wikipedia, most major news sites' user-generated sections, forum platforms, and social networks all nofollow outbound links by default.
The other rel attributes: sponsored and ugc
In September 2019, Google split nofollow into three attributes so publishers could describe why a link isn't a full endorsement:
| Attribute | What it means | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
rel="nofollow" |
"Don't associate my site with this link" | General non-endorsement, untrusted links |
rel="sponsored" |
"This link was paid for" | Ads, sponsorships, paid placements, affiliate links |
rel="ugc" |
"A user created this link, not us" | Comments, forum posts, user profiles |
You can combine them (rel="nofollow sponsored"), and Google treats all three as valid. Two practical notes:
- Sponsored is the correct attribute for paid links. If you pay for a placement and it stays dofollow, that violates Google's spam policies — which is exactly why vetting matters when buying backlinks.
- You don't need to retroactively change existing nofollow links to sponsored or ugc. Google has said plainly that nofollow remains acceptable for all cases.
The 2019 change: nofollow became a hint, not a directive
This is the part most older articles get wrong. Before March 2020, nofollow was a directive — Google ignored nofollow links entirely for ranking. Since the 2019 announcement (fully in effect March 1, 2020), all three attributes are hints. Google may choose to count a nofollow link for ranking purposes if other signals suggest the link is a genuine editorial reference.
What this means in practice:
- A nofollow link from a highly trusted page is probably not worth zero anymore.
- Google decides case by case, and it publishes no data on when it counts nofollow links — so nobody outside Google can tell you which nofollow links pass value.
- For crawling and indexing, nofollow generally still means Google won't prioritize following the link, though it may discover the URL through it.
The honest summary: dofollow links are the reliable currency. Nofollow links are a lottery ticket with unknown odds — sometimes worth something, never something to build a strategy around.
Do nofollow links have value?
Yes — just not primarily as a ranking lever. Nofollow links earn their keep in four ways:
- Referral traffic. A nofollow link from a Reddit thread or a major publication can send more customers than a dofollow link from a sleepy niche blog.
- Discovery and indexing. Links help Google and users find your pages, whatever their attribute.
- Brand and trust signals. Mentions on Wikipedia, big media sites, and active communities put your brand in front of the audiences that later link to you editorially — the engine behind digital PR link building.
- Profile naturalness. This one is underrated, so it gets its own section.
A healthy profile has both
Run any large, established site through Ahrefs and you'll see a mix: mostly dofollow, with a meaningful minority of nofollow, sponsored, and ugc links. That's what naturally earned link profiles look like, because real popularity generates links everywhere — news sites, forums, social platforms, blog comments — not just in dofollow editorial placements.
A profile that is 100% dofollow, especially one growing fast on a young domain, doesn't resemble anything that occurs naturally. There's no official "correct" ratio, and we'd be inventing a number if we gave you one. The practical guidance:
- Don't chase nofollow links deliberately to hit a ratio. If you're earning links from a genuine spread of sources, the mix takes care of itself.
- Don't disavow or reject links just because they're nofollow. They're part of a normal profile.
- Do prioritize dofollow for acquired links. When you're investing time or budget in link building services, the placements you pay effort for should be dofollow editorial links from real sites — that's where the ranking value is concentrated.
In our vetting work we routinely see publishers advertise "guest posts" and quietly ship the live article with nofollow links — one of several reasons to verify every placement after it goes live. It's also why we show proof before payment: you see the live, dofollow link on an Ahrefs-verified site before you pay for it. The same check belongs in your process whether you build links yourself or through a guest posting service.
How to check whether a link is dofollow or nofollow
Three ways, fastest first:
1. Inspect the source code. Right-click the link in your browser and choose "Inspect." Look at the <a> tag:
- No rel attribute, or
rel="noopener"/rel="noreferrer"only → dofollow (noopener and noreferrer are security attributes; they don't affect SEO value) rel="nofollow",rel="sponsored", orrel="ugc"→ not a full-value link
2. Use a browser extension. Free extensions like NoFollow or Strike Out Nofollow Links highlight nofollow links on every page you visit — useful when you're reviewing a placement or prospecting.
3. Check at scale with a backlink tool. Ahrefs' Site Explorer lets you filter your backlink report by link attribute, so you can see your dofollow/nofollow split across the whole profile and audit new links as they appear. We cover the full audit process in how to check backlink quality.
Whichever method you use, check links after they go live, and re-check periodically. Attributes can be changed after publication, and a link that was dofollow at delivery can be quietly nofollowed later — which is why replacement guarantees exist.
Dofollow vs nofollow at a glance
| Dofollow | Nofollow / sponsored / ugc | |
|---|---|---|
| HTML | Plain <a href> (no rel needed) |
rel="nofollow", rel="sponsored", rel="ugc" |
| Passes ranking value | Yes | Maybe — treated as a hint since March 2020 |
| Crawling | Followed | Generally deprioritized |
| Referral traffic | Yes | Yes |
| Should you pay for it | Only from vetted, real sites | Paid links should be sponsored, not dofollow, per Google policy |
| Role in your profile | The core of your link equity | Natural, expected minority |
Where this fits in your strategy
The dofollow/nofollow distinction is one input into link quality — alongside the linking site's authority, its topical relevance, its real organic traffic, and the anchor text. A dofollow link from a zero-traffic PBN is worth less than a nofollow mention in a major publication. If you're deciding what to build next, start with types of backlinks to see how the formats compare, then look at how many backlinks you actually need for your competitive landscape.
FAQ
Do nofollow links help SEO at all?
Indirectly, yes. Since March 2020 Google treats nofollow as a hint and may count some nofollow links for ranking, though it doesn't say when. Their reliable value is referral traffic, brand exposure, and keeping your link profile looking natural.
Should paid links be dofollow or sponsored?
Google's guidelines require paid links to carry rel="sponsored" (or nofollow). In practice, the paid-placement market largely runs on dofollow links, which is why quality vetting and risk management matter far more than the attribute debate — see our breakdown of how much backlinks cost.
What's a good dofollow to nofollow ratio?
There's no official number, and anyone quoting an exact percentage is guessing. Most established sites are majority dofollow with a healthy minority of nofollow links. Focus on earning links from a natural spread of sources rather than engineering a ratio.
Is rel="noopener" the same as nofollow?
No. noopener and noreferrer are browser security attributes with no effect on link equity. A link with only rel="noopener" is still dofollow.
Want links you can verify yourself? Every LinkVetted placement is delivered live on an Ahrefs-verified site with proof before payment — see pricing or get in touch.