Backlinks are one of the most important aspects of search engine optimization (SEO). However, not all backlinks are equally powerful. There are two types of backlinks: dofollow and nofollow. A dofollow backlink is a link that passes on the “link juice,” or ranking power, from one website to another. On the other hand, a nofollow backlink does not pass on any ranking power. It is important to maintain a natural ratio of these two backlink types when making efforts on link building. Therefore, understanding the difference between these two types of backlinks is crucial.
What are Dofollow Backlinks?
Dofollow backlinks are links that allow search engines to follow them and pass authority (also known as “link juice”) from the referring site to the linked site. They are crucial in off-page SEO because they help improve a site’s ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). When a site links to another with a dofollow link, it’s essentially telling search engines that the linked site is credible and worthy of a ranking boost.
How Do Dofollow Backlinks Work?
Dofollow backlinks work by transferring part of the linking site’s authority to the linked page. When search engines crawl a website, they follow the dofollow links and evaluate the linked content. If the linking site has high authority or relevance, the linked page gains SEO benefits, which may help increase its visibility on SERPs.
Example of Dofollow Backlink
Here is an example of an HTML dofollow backlink:
In this example, search engines will follow the link and pass SEO value to “example.com.”
What are Nofollow Backlinks?
Nofollow backlinks, on the other hand, are links that do not pass any authority or link juice to the linked page. They were introduced to help combat spammy or low-quality links by instructing search engines not to count them as votes of confidence. While nofollow links don’t directly influence SEO rankings, they can still be valuable for generating traffic and increasing brand exposure.
How Do Nofollow Backlinks Work?
When a link is tagged as nofollow, search engines do not pass ranking credit from the referring site to the linked site. Essentially, it tells search engines, “Don’t count this link when determining the rank of the linked page.” While this means no direct SEO benefits, nofollow links can still help with indirect benefits such as building referral traffic or brand awareness.
Example of Nofollow Backlink
Here is an example of an HTML nofollow backlink:
The rel=”nofollow” attribute tells search engines not to follow this link or pass any SEO value to “example.com.”
Difference Between Dofollow and Nofollow Backlinks
| Criteria | Dofollow Backlinks | Nofollow Backlinks |
| Pass Link Juice | Yes | No |
| Affect SEO Rankings | Positively impacts ranking | Does not directly impact ranking |
| HTML Code Example | <a href=”https://example.com”>Example</a> | <a href=”https://example.com” rel=”nofollow”>Example</a> |
| Search Engine Behavior | Search engines follow and count the link as a vote | Search engines don’t count the link for ranking |
| Purpose | Boost SEO and authority | Useful for traffic and brand awareness |
How Dofollow and Nofollow Backlinks are Important in SEO
Both dofollow and nofollow backlinks are important in a well-rounded SEO strategy. Dofollow links provide direct SEO benefits by passing authority to your website, helping improve your ranking on search engines. On the other hand, nofollow links are still valuable because they can drive traffic to your website, increase brand awareness, and promote engagement. A natural backlink profile usually contains a mix of both dofollow and nofollow links, signaling to search engines that your site has organic, diverse link sources.
FAQ
Can nofollow links hurt my SEO?
No, they won’t directly harm your rankings but can still drive traffic and increase your brand’s visibility.
Should I only aim for dofollow links?
No, it’s essential to have a diverse link profile with both dofollow and nofollow links to appear natural to search engines.
Can nofollow backlinks improve domain authority?
Indirectly, yes. Nofollow links can help increase traffic and brand visibility, which can lead to earning more dofollow links over time.
Conclusion
Dofollow and nofollow backlinks each play a critical role in SEO. Dofollow links directly influence rankings, while nofollow links offer indirect benefits like traffic and brand awareness, making both types essential for a healthy link-building strategy.
