Dofollow / Nofollow Links: Definition and Key Concepts
Dofollow and nofollow links: what are the differences for your SEO?
A dofollow link is a “standard” link: it can pass SEO value to the linked page.
A nofollow link tells search engines not to treat the link in the same way as a regular link.
In practice, these attributes are used to specify the nature of a link (editorial, sponsored, comment, etc.) and to maintain a clean link profile.
Why is this difference important?
- It influences the SEO value passed by a link
- It helps maintain a natural and credible link profile
- It reduces risks related to paid links or user-generated links
- It helps explain why some links don’t impact SEO as much as others
Dofollow: what is it?
A dofollow link is simply a link without any special attribute.
It is often found:
- in an article (editorial link)
- on a resource page
in a natural partnership,This type of link generally has the strongest SEO impact.
Nofollow: what is it?
A nofollow link is a link with an attribute that indicates the link should not be treated as a “standard editorial” link.
It is often found:
- in comments
- in forums
- on some directories
- in sponsored links (when properly marked)
The attributes you need to know (important)
In addition to “nofollow”, you often encounter:
sponsored: advertising / partnership / affiliate link
ugc: “User Generated Content”, a link added by users (comments, forums
👉 These attributes are mainly used to clarify the context of the link
When to prioritize dofollow vs nofollow?
Dofollow (priority)
- editorial citations
- in-depth articles
- relevant resource pages
- real partners
Nofollow / sponsored / UGC (normal in some cases)
- paid links / advertising partnerships → preferably sponsored
- comments / forums → preferably UGC
- some sites apply nofollow by default (this isn’t necessarily “bad”)
Examples of neutral anchor texts
Dofollow (priority)
- editorial citations
- in-depth articles
- relevant resource pages
- real partners
Nofollow / sponsored / ugc (normal in some cases)
- paid links / advertising partnerships → usually sponsored
- comments / forums → usually ugc
- some sites apply nofollow by default (this is not necessarily “bad”)
Examples (neutral)
- A blog article cites a useful resource → dofollow link (often)
- An affiliate link to a product → sponsored link
- A link added in a comment → ugc link (or nofollow)
Common mistakes (and solutions)
Mistake 1: Thinking “nofollow = useless”
→ Impact: poor strategy, ignoring links that can bring traffic and credibility
→ Solution: evaluate relevance and traffic as well, not just the attribute
Mistake 2: Creating many “hidden” sponsored links
→ Impact: unnatural link profile
→ Solution: use the sponsored attribute when it is a paid partnership
Mistake 3: Targeting only dofollow links
→ Impact: less natural link profile
→ Solution: a normal profile mixes different types of links
Mistake 4: Focusing on the attribute instead of quality
→ Impact: weak links even if they are dofollow
→ Solution: prioritize site relevance, link placement, context, and anchor text
How to check if a link is dofollow or nofollow?
- On a web page, you can check whether the link contains a nofollow, sponsored, or ugc attribute.
- Otherwise, it is generally a “standard” link (dofollow).
(You can also use SEO tools, but it is not mandatory.)
Further reading
To deepen your understanding of Off-Page SEO, explore the following terms:
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Indirectly, yes: it can bring traffic, visibility, mentions, and a more natural link profile.
Not necessarily. If it comes from a relevant and visible website, it can still be very useful.
No, but they must be properly labeled (sponsored attribute) and remain consistent with a natural strategy.
A relevant editorial link placed in quality content with a natural anchor — whether it is dofollow or nofollow depending on the site.
Still looking for answers? Contact our SEO experts today.
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