Link Building
Nofollow Link
A nofollow link includes a rel="nofollow" attribute that tells search engines not to pass link equity through the hyperlink. It was originally introduced to combat comment spam.
Why Nofollow Link Matters for SEO
Nofollow links do not directly pass ranking authority, but they still have value. They drive referral traffic, build brand awareness, and create a natural-looking backlink profile. Google now treats nofollow as a hint rather than a directive, meaning some value may still pass through.
How Nofollow Link Works
When a webmaster adds rel="nofollow" to a link, they signal to Google that the link should not influence the linked page's rankings. Google may choose to honour or ignore this hint. Links from social media, forums, blog comments, and sponsored content are typically nofollowed.
Common Mistakes
- Dismissing nofollow links as completely worthless
- Having a backlink profile that is 100% dofollow, which looks unnatural
- Not understanding that Google treats nofollow as a hint, not a rule
Want to go deeper?
Read the full guide: Introduction to Linking →
Sources & Further Reading: