Dofollow vs Nofollow Link: Key Differences and When to Use Each

A dofollow link allows search engines to follow it and pass ranking credit (link juice) to the linked page, improving its SEO. A nofollow link tells search engines not to follow or pass ranking credit, often used to avoid endorsing untrusted or paid content.

Quick Comparison

Here is a quick side-by-side comparison of dofollow and nofollow links based on key SEO factors.

Factor	Dofollow Link	Nofollow Link
Search Engine Crawling	Search engines follow the link	Search engines may not follow the link
Passes SEO Value	Yes, passes link juice	No, does not pass link juice
Used For	Regular links to trusted sites	Links to untrusted or paid content
Impact on Ranking	Can improve linked page ranking	No direct impact on ranking
HTML Attribute	No special attribute needed	Uses rel="nofollow" attribute
Example Tag	<a href="url">Link</a>	<a href="url" rel="nofollow">Link</a>

Key Differences

Dofollow links are the default type of hyperlink on the web. When a search engine crawler finds a dofollow link, it follows the link to the destination page and passes some of the original page's SEO value, often called "link juice." This helps the linked page improve its search engine ranking.

In contrast, nofollow links include a special attribute rel="nofollow" in the HTML tag. This attribute instructs search engines not to follow the link or pass any SEO value. Nofollow links are commonly used for paid links, user-generated content, or any links where the site owner does not want to endorse the linked page.

While nofollow links do not directly improve SEO rankings, they can still drive traffic and provide value by directing users to relevant content. Search engines treat these links differently to prevent manipulation of search rankings through link schemes.

Code Comparison

Here is how a dofollow link is written in HTML. Notice it has no special attribute and behaves as a normal link.

html

<a href="https://example.com">Visit Example</a>

Output

A clickable link labeled 'Visit Example' that leads to https://example.com

Nofollow Equivalent

Here is the nofollow version of the same link. The rel="nofollow" attribute tells search engines not to pass SEO value.

html

<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Visit Example</a>

Output

A clickable link labeled 'Visit Example' that leads to https://example.com but does not pass SEO credit

When to Use Which

Choose dofollow links when linking to trusted, relevant sites that you want to endorse and help rank in search engines. This is ideal for natural references, citations, or partnerships.

Use nofollow links when linking to untrusted content, paid advertisements, user-generated content, or any links where you want to avoid passing SEO credit. This helps prevent spam and maintains your site's SEO integrity.

Key Takeaways

Dofollow links pass SEO value and help improve the linked page's ranking.

Nofollow links do not pass SEO value but still direct users to the linked page.

Use dofollow for trusted, natural links and nofollow for paid or untrusted links.

The nofollow attribute is added using rel="nofollow" in the link tag.

Both link types are important for managing SEO and user experience.