Dofollow vs nofollow links — which pass ranking credit and which don't. How they differ, when to use each, and why a natural mix matters.
In one line. A dofollow link passes ranking credit (link equity) to the destination; a nofollow link carries rel="nofollow" telling search engines not to. Dofollow links from relevant, authoritative sites are what build authority; nofollow still brings traffic and a natural profile has both.
| Dofollow | Nofollow | |
|---|---|---|
| Passes ranking credit | Yes | No (a hint to Google) |
| Default link type | Yes | No — added via rel attribute |
| Builds authority | Yes | Not directly |
| Still drives traffic | Yes | Yes |
| Used for | Editorial, earned links | Paid, UGC, untrusted links |
A normal link with no special attribute. It passes authority — a vote that helps the destination rank. Earned, editorial dofollow backlinks from relevant, trusted sites are the goal of off-page SEO.
A link with rel="nofollow" (or sponsored/ugc), telling engines not to pass credit. Used for paid links, comments and untrusted sources. Google now treats it as a hint, not a strict rule.
For authority you want earned dofollow links — but a natural backlink profile includes nofollow too (big publishers, social, directories often nofollow). Chasing only dofollow, or buying links to force them, looks manipulative. Earn relevant links with great content and natural anchors.
A dofollow link passes ranking credit to the destination; a nofollow link, via rel="nofollow", tells search engines not to pass that credit. Dofollow builds authority; nofollow does not directly, though it still drives traffic.
No. They do not directly pass ranking credit, but they bring referral traffic and are part of a natural link profile. A healthy backlink mix includes both dofollow and nofollow links.
No — an all-dofollow profile looks unnatural and can signal manipulation. Earn relevant editorial dofollow links through great content, and accept that many legitimate links (social, big publishers, directories) will be nofollow.
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