Dofollow Link
A dofollow link is a standard hyperlink without special attributes like rel="nofollow", rel="ugc", or rel="sponsored". Search engine crawlers follow these links and pass link equity (PageRank) to the destination page. All links are dofollow by default unless a special attribute is added.
A dofollow link is a standard hyperlink without special attributes like rel="nofollow", rel="ugc", or rel="sponsored". Search engine crawlers follow these links and pass link equity (PageRank) to the destination page. All links are dofollow by default unless a special attribute is added.
Why It Matters
Dofollow links are the primary pathway search engines use to discover pages and understand relationships between them. A dofollow backlink from another site acts as a vote of confidence, directly influencing search rankings. When SEOs talk about "earning backlinks," they typically mean dofollow links.
Dofollow vs. Nofollow
| Aspect | Dofollow | Nofollow |
|---|---|---|
| HTML attribute | None (default) | rel="nofollow" |
| Link equity | Passes through | Does not pass (treated as hint) |
| Crawling | Crawler follows | Crawler may ignore |
| Ranking impact | Direct | Indirect or none |
| Use cases | Editorial links, source citations | Ads, sponsorships, user-generated content |
Since 2019, Google treats nofollow as a "hint" rather than a directive, meaning it may still crawl or consider nofollow links for ranking in some cases.
Link Attribute Types
- dofollow (default): No attribute, passes link equity
- nofollow (
rel="nofollow"): Hints that link equity should not be passed - sponsored (
rel="sponsored"): For paid or sponsored links - ugc (
rel="ugc"): For links in user-generated content like comments and forums
Natural Backlink Profile
A healthy backlink profile contains a natural mix of dofollow and nofollow links. A profile with 100% dofollow links can appear manipulative to search engines. Nofollow links from social media, forums, and wikis still contribute referral traffic and brand visibility, so maintaining link type diversity matters.
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