What Is a Nofollow Link？ [+5 Benefits of Having Nofollow Links]

Seeking to enhance and diversify your link profile? It’s imperative to comprehend every aspect of your profile. As you explore various links and link-building strategies, you might encounter nofollow links. What precisely is a nofollow link, what does nofollow signify, and how does it confer advantages to your business?This page delves into the essence of nofollow links and outlines five key benefits. Continue reading to expand your knowledge on these links, or reach out to us online for insights on optimizing your link profile for search engine optimization (SEO).Nofollow links are web page references marked with the rel=”nofollow” tag.The rel=”nofollow” tag instructs search engines to disregard the link and not include it in your site’s backlink profile. Consequently, these links do not contribute to your site’s ranking in search results.Users can still access your page through these links, as well as copy and use them like any other website link. However, these links are not counted as backlinks to your site.Backlinks are crucial for enhancing your SEO ranking, bolstering your search result positioning and increasing your Domain Authority (DA).As nofollow links are not counted as backlinks, they do not directly enhance your ranking or domain score through link-building alone. But why are nofollow links present? What purpose do links that don’t contribute to your site’s statistics serve?They were introduced to combat blog comment spam. In the early 2000s, companies discovered that including their website URLs in blog comments could boost their search rankings. Spam companies began overwhelming blogs and similar sites with links to their websites, allowing spam sites to rank higher than credible ones. In response, Google introduced nofollow links in 2005, enabling companies to prevent spam sites from manipulating search rankings through comments.Today, nofollow links are a fundamental tool in preventing spam from manipulating search rankings. There are certain scenarios where companies automatically employ nofollow links:

Blog comments: Nofollow was designed for blog comments. Many website builders, such as WordPress, include the nofollow plugin to prevent spammy link comments. It’s a common practice to use nofollow links here.

Forums: Forums are another venue where spam sites post links. Using nofollow links here deters spammy comments and maintains authentic content for visitors.

Paid links: If you’re paying for a link placement, it shouldn’t contribute to organic link traffic. Google disapproves of using or promoting paid links as “organic” links.

These are a few examples where nofollow links are employed. They serve as a protective measure to prevent spam and enable companies to engage with real customers.While discussing nofollow links, it’s important to address dofollow links.

Dofollow links: Count towards your site’s backlink count and aid in increasing search engine rankings.

Nofollow links: Do not count towards your site’s backlink count and are generally not used by Google to determine search engine rankings.

Visually, there’s no distinction between nofollow and dofollow links. The links appear identical. The difference lies beneath the surface, with nofollow links featuring the HTML rel=”nofollow” tag.The most significant difference between nofollow and dofollow links is their impact on SEO. Dofollow links contribute to your Google ranking, enhancing your domain authority and increasing your presence in search results.Most companies strive for dofollow links to elevate their site’s authority and attract more valuable traffic through improved rankings. Nofollow links don’t directly impact SEO rankings, although they can have indirect effects, such as driving website traffic and fostering links from visitors. However, they generally do not have the profound impact of dofollow links.Wondering which links are nofollow versus dofollow? The simplest way to inspect a link is by using Google Chrome’s Strike Out Nofollow Links extension. When added to your Chrome browser, this extension will highlight nofollow links on your page.Nofollow links will appear with a line through them. This extension is useful if you want to analyze an entire page to understand the types of links on your site. Nofollow links confer numerous benefits to your business. Let’s explore five benefits of having nofollow links:1. Nofollow links drive trafficDespite not contributing to your backlink profile, nofollow links still drive traffic to your page. This traffic is of high quality, as people can click and interact with these links like any other. This traffic will explore your business and content.Increased page traffic can lead to better rankings, more leads, and more conversions. Although the link itself doesn’t directly impact your site, the resulting traffic does. All the traffic from nofollow links counts for your site.You’ll attract more interested leads who spend more time on your website. This increase in dwell time sends a positive signal to Google about the relevance of your page, potentially enhancing your rankings in search results.2. Nofollow links build brand awarenessNofollow links contribute to brand awareness. As previously mentioned, nofollow links drive traffic to your site. When visitors arrive, they learn about your business, products, or services.These links can help potential leads discover and become familiar with your company. Brand familiarity is crucial for building your online business. If someone is familiar with your brand, they’re more likely to choose your business when ready to convert, as they recognize your brand.Brand awareness is essential for online business growth, and nofollow links can help you establish awareness.3. Nofollow links normalize your profileWhile you may believe your profile should only contain dofollow links, having nofollow links is beneficial. They make your profile appear natural and are part of a healthy link profile, so it’s advantageous to have this type of link.Google may suspect black-hat SEO techniques if you lack nofollow links. Popular sites like YouTube, Amazon, and Facebook have nofollow links. Regardless of your website’s authority, incorporating nofollow links into your link profile is always a good practice!4. Nofollow links can lead to dofollow linksNofollow links can act as a bridge to dofollow links. Even if an industry authority uses a nofollow link to your site, it still drives valuable traffic. This traffic contains individuals interested in your business.From this traffic, you can attract credible leads, such as bloggers or industry influencers, who may later link to your content with a dofollow link. This process can lead to more links to your profile, helping to build your website’s authority.5. Nofollow links can improve domain authorityDomain authority is an essential component of your website. This score, developed by Moz, doesn’t directly impact your ranking but provides insight into your likelihood of ranking in search results. A good domain authority is crucial for outperforming competitors.Nofollow links help improve your domain authority by driving reputable traffic to your site. They enhance your site’s credibility and trust, leading to an increase in domain authority.Despite their function, nofollow links greatly benefit your business. They drive traffic to your site and increase brand recognition.These links help maintain a diverse link profile for your business, emphasizing the importance of nofollow links in SEO. At WebFX, we can assist you in building a superior link profile. We’ll help manage and enhance your link profile, as well as your overall SEO strategy. With over a decade of experience in SEO and improving link profiles, you can trust us to deliver valuable results for your business.Ready to optimize your links? Contact us online or call us today at 888-601-5359 to speak with a strategist.