A dofollow link passes PageRank (link equity) from one page to another, signaling to search engines that the linking site endorses the destination. A nofollow link uses the rel="nofollow" attribute to tell search engines not to pass that authority. The practical difference is that dofollow links directly influence search rankings, while nofollow links generally do not, though they still carry indirect value. The sections below unpack each attribute in detail, including when to use them, how they affect your backlink profile, and whether nofollow links belong in your link building strategy.
How does a dofollow link pass SEO value?
A dofollow link passes SEO value by transferring link equity (also called PageRank or “link juice”) from the linking page to the destination page. When a search engine crawler follows a standard hyperlink, it treats that link as an editorial endorsement, using it as a signal that the destination page is credible and worth ranking. Links remain one of the top three ranking signals in Google’s algorithm.
The term “dofollow” is technically informal. There is no rel="dofollow" attribute in HTML. Any hyperlink without a restrictive attribute is followed by default, which is why the community coined the term to distinguish standard links from those marked with rel="nofollow".
Not all dofollow links pass equal value. The amount of link equity transferred depends on several factors:
- Authority of the linking page: A link from a high-authority domain carries more weight than one from a newly registered site.
- Relevance: A link from a topically relevant domain signals stronger endorsement than one from an unrelated niche.
- Placement: Links embedded in the main body content pass more equity than those buried in footers or sidebars.
- Number of outbound links: Link equity is divided among all outgoing links on a page. The more links a page has, the smaller the share each one receives.
Google removed its public PageRank Toolbar in 2016, so link equity can no longer be measured directly. SEO tools like Ahrefs (URL Rating), Moz (Page Authority), and Semrush use proprietary metrics as proxies. A dofollow link from a low-quality or irrelevant site still passes very little SEO value, which is why quality always outweighs quantity in link building.
What does the rel=”nofollow” attribute actually do?
The rel="nofollow" attribute is added to an anchor tag’s HTML to instruct search engines not to follow the link, not to pass PageRank, and not to associate the linking site with the linked page. Google’s official documentation confirms this behavior. The attribute has no effect on the user experience: visitors can still click the link and reach the destination normally.
Google introduced nofollow in early 2005 to combat comment spam in blogs and forums, where spammers flooded user-generated content with links to manipulate rankings. The attribute gave site owners a way to link out without endorsing the destination.
In September 2019, Google made a significant policy change: nofollow shifted from a strict directive to a “hint.” Google’s announcement stated: “All the link attributes – sponsored, ugc, and nofollow – are treated as hints about which links to consider or exclude within Search.” In practice, Google clarified that it will generally treat nofollow links as before and not count them for ranking purposes, but it reserves the right to crawl or consider them in specific circumstances.
One important nuance: nofollow links can still help search engines discover content. A crawler may visit a nofollow-linked page and, if it finds that page through other means such as a sitemap or another link, it may still index it. Nofollow is not a tool for preventing indexation. For that, the noindex robots meta tag is the correct solution.
What are the other link attributes alongside nofollow?
Alongside rel="nofollow", Google introduced two additional link attributes in September 2019: rel="sponsored" and rel="ugc". All three attributes are treated as hints for ranking and crawling purposes. None of them pass PageRank to the destination page.
rel=”sponsored”
rel="sponsored" identifies links created as part of advertisements, sponsorships, affiliate agreements, paid collaborations, or any link exchanged for money, goods, or services. Google prefers sponsored over nofollow for paid links, but states both are acceptable. Using the correct attribute gives Google more context to identify link schemes and understand paid relationships across the web.
rel=”ugc”
rel="ugc" (User Generated Content) is recommended for links within content that site owners did not editorially place themselves, such as blog comments, forum posts, user profiles, and user-submitted reviews. The attribute signals to Google that the link reflects a user’s choice, not the site owner’s endorsement. WordPress automatically applies rel="nofollow" to comment links by default, which remains an acceptable approach.
Multiple rel values can be combined on a single link. For example, rel="ugc nofollow" or rel="sponsored nofollow" are both valid and useful for backward compatibility with systems that do not yet recognize the newer attributes. Existing nofollow links do not need to be retroactively updated to sponsored or ugc. For new links, using the most specific attribute is current best practice, as confirmed by Google’s announcement on evolving nofollow.
Does a nofollow link have any SEO value at all?
Nofollow links do not directly pass PageRank, but they are not without value. The SEO benefit is indirect: nofollow links drive referral traffic, increase brand visibility, contribute to a natural-looking backlink profile, and can serve as a gateway to future dofollow links from publishers who discover your content through those references. Google’s own documentation confirms that nofollow is a hint, meaning Google may, in some circumstances, consider nofollow links from authoritative sources, though this is the exception rather than the rule.
A nofollow link from a high-authority platform such as Wikipedia, Reddit, or a major news outlet still carries meaningful indirect weight. The referral traffic it generates can improve engagement signals: longer session durations, more branded search queries, and lower bounce rates all contribute to a stronger authority profile over time. These are not direct ranking factors in the same way PageRank is, but they reflect genuine audience interest, which search engines do observe.
An emerging consideration in 2026 is AI search visibility. AI systems including ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews analyze brand mentions and citations regardless of link attributes. Being referenced on credible platforms, even through nofollow links, may influence whether your brand appears in AI-generated answers. This is an area where industry observation is ahead of official documentation, so it is worth monitoring rather than treating as confirmed fact.
The SEO community remains divided on the exact indirect impact of nofollow links. Google’s own position, as the most authoritative source, is clear: nofollow links are generally not counted for ranking, but the hint model means Google retains discretion. The practical takeaway is that nofollow links are not worthless, but they are not a substitute for dofollow editorial links when it comes to moving rankings.
When should you use nofollow on outbound links?
You should use a link attribute on outbound links in three specific situations: when the link is paid or sponsored, when the link appears in user-generated content, and when you want to link to a page without implying editorial endorsement. Google’s guidance, last updated in December 2025, maps these three cases directly to rel="sponsored", rel="ugc", and rel="nofollow" respectively.
- Paid and sponsored links: Any link exchanged for money, goods, or services must be marked with
rel="sponsored"orrel="nofollow". This includes affiliate links, advertorials, banner ads, and paid placements. Failing to do so violates Google’s link spam policies and can result in manual penalties. - User-generated content: Blog comments, forum posts, user profiles, and community submissions should use
rel="ugc"(or at minimumrel="nofollow") to prevent spam exploitation and signal that the site owner did not editorially place the link. - Untrusted or low-quality destinations: If you need to reference a site you do not want to endorse, or one that appears spammy or low-quality, using
rel="nofollow"protects your link profile from associating your domain with undesirable content.
Genuine editorial links, where you are directing readers to a resource you genuinely recommend, should be left as standard dofollow links. Nofollowing all outbound links is unnecessary and not recommended by Google. Similarly, nofollow should not be applied to internal links as a PageRank sculpting technique. Google’s John Mueller has stated that using nofollow on internal links to control authority flow is not advisable; canonical tags or robots.txt are the appropriate tools for managing internal crawl priorities.
How do dofollow and nofollow links affect a backlink profile?
A natural backlink profile contains a mix of both dofollow and nofollow links. A profile made up entirely of dofollow links can appear manipulative to Google’s algorithms and may attract algorithmic scrutiny. Nofollow links occur naturally whenever a site earns mentions on platforms like Wikipedia, Reddit, news outlets, and forums, so their presence in a profile signals organic growth rather than an artificial link building campaign.
Google has never published a specific recommended dofollow-to-nofollow ratio. Industry practitioners commonly observe that healthy profiles trend toward 60 to 75% dofollow and 25 to 40% nofollow, but this reflects what happens naturally when sites earn links from diverse sources, not a target to engineer. A practical guideline from Propellernet, a UK-based SEO consultancy, suggests that a profile with over 50% nofollow links is worth investigating, as the direct SEO benefit of those links is diluted.
Nofollow links also help smooth link velocity, which is the rate at which a site acquires new backlinks. A sudden spike in dofollow links alone can trigger algorithmic scrutiny. A mixed growth curve looks more defensible and reflects how real audiences actually share and reference content.
Monitoring your backlink profile’s composition is straightforward with tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz, or Google Search Console. Each platform lets you filter by link type, identify spammy nofollow links from low-quality sources, and assess whether your dofollow-to-nofollow distribution looks natural for your niche. Even nofollow links from spammy sources can correlate with negative outcomes and should be monitored, with Google’s disavow tool available as a last resort for toxic link clusters.
Should you pursue nofollow backlinks in your link building strategy?
Nofollow backlinks deserve a place in your link building strategy, but they should complement dofollow editorial links rather than replace them. Dofollow links from authoritative, relevant sources remain the primary driver of ranking improvements in competitive niches. Pursuing nofollow placements exclusively will not build the ranking authority needed to compete for difficult keywords.
That said, actively pursuing nofollow links from high-authority, high-traffic platforms delivers four concrete benefits:
- Referral traffic: A mention on Reddit, Quora, or a major publication drives real visitors to your site, regardless of the link attribute.
- Brand visibility: Being cited on credible platforms, including Wikipedia and Encyclopedia Britannica (which nofollow all outbound links), builds brand recognition and credibility that influences how users and AI systems perceive your authority.
- Natural link profile: Nofollow links from diverse sources make your backlink profile look organic, reducing the risk of algorithmic scrutiny.
- Gateway to dofollow links: Publishers who discover your content through a nofollow reference on a high-traffic platform may later link to it editorially with a standard dofollow link.
In 2026, AI search systems including ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews process brand mentions and citations across the web to understand expertise and authority. Being referenced on credible platforms, even through nofollow links, may influence whether your brand appears in AI-generated answers. This is an emerging area of SEO practice, and SEO practitioners tracking AI search visibility are increasingly treating nofollow placements on authoritative sites as part of a broader Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) strategy.
The recommended approach is to prioritize dofollow editorial links through digital PR, guest posting, and niche citations, while also pursuing nofollow placements on high-authority platforms for brand visibility and referral traffic. Treating these as complementary goals rather than competing ones gives your strategy the best coverage across both traditional search and the growing ecosystem of AI-powered discovery. If managing that balance across a WordPress site feels complex, a unified SEO workflow that handles both content and link strategy in one place, such as the one offered by WP SEO AI, can reduce the operational overhead significantly.
