As a website owner or SEO specialist, you may have come
across the terms nofollow and dofollow links. Understanding the differences
between these two types of links can have a significant impact on your search
engine optimization (SEO) efforts. In this article, we will explore the
differences between nofollow and dofollow links, their impact on SEO, and how
to use them effectively.
What are Nofollow and Dofollow Links?
Before we dive into the differences between these two types
of links, it's essential to understand what they are. Both nofollow and
dofollow are attributes that can be added to the HTML code of a hyperlink. They
indicate to search engines whether or not to follow the link and pass on link
juice (a term used to describe the authority or value passed from one website
to another through a hyperlink).
A dofollow link is a hyperlink that does not contain the
rel="nofollow" attribute. When a search engine crawls a web page and
comes across a dofollow link, it will follow the link and pass on link juice to
the linked website. This can help to improve the linked website's search engine
ranking.
On the other hand, a nofollow link is a hyperlink that
contains the rel="nofollow" attribute. When a search engine crawls a
web page and comes across a nofollow link, it will not follow the link and will
not pass on any link juice to the linked website. This means that nofollow
links do not have a direct impact on a website's search engine ranking.
Why were Nofollow Links Created?
The rel="nofollow" attribute was introduced by
Google in 2005 as a way to combat spammy or low-quality links. Before the
introduction of nofollow links, webmasters and SEO specialists would often use
link building techniques that involved creating large numbers of low-quality
links to their websites. This was seen as a way to artificially boost their
search engine rankings, and it was a widespread practice.
However, this approach was quickly abused by spammers who
created fake websites, comment spamming, and link farms to create thousands of
low-quality links to their sites. This resulted in search engine results pages
(SERPs) being dominated by irrelevant and low-quality websites, reducing the
usefulness of search engines.
To address this issue, Google introduced the nofollow
attribute as a way for webmasters to indicate to search engines that a
particular link should not be given any value or authority. This helped to
reduce the impact of low-quality links and improve the relevance of search
results.
How do Nofollow Links Affect SEO?
As mentioned earlier, nofollow links do not have a direct
impact on a website's search engine ranking. This means that having a large
number of nofollow links pointing to your website will not improve your search
engine ranking. However, this does not mean that nofollow links are useless for
SEO.
While nofollow links do not pass on link juice to your
website, they can still be valuable for SEO in other ways. For example, they
can help to drive traffic to your website, increase brand visibility, and
establish authority in your industry. In addition, having a diverse backlink
profile that includes a mix of nofollow and dofollow links can be beneficial
for SEO.
How do Dofollow Links Affect SEO?
Dofollow links, on the other hand, can have a direct impact
on a website's search engine ranking. When a dofollow link is added to a web
page, it passes on some of the linking website's authority to the linked
website. This can help to improve the linked website's search engine ranking
and visibility.
However, it's important to note that not all dofollow links
are created equal. The value of a dofollow link depends on the linking
website's authority, relevance, and trustworthiness. A link from a high-authority
website in your industry is more valuable than a link from a low-quality
website that has nothing to do with your niche. Therefore, it's important to
focus on building high-quality dofollow links that come from relevant and
trustworthy websites.
How to Use Nofollow and Dofollow Links Effectively
Now that you understand the differences between nofollow and
dofollow links, it's important to use them effectively in your SEO strategy.
Here are some tips for using nofollow and dofollow links effectively:
1. Use nofollow links for external links to low-quality or
untrustworthy websites. This will prevent your website from being associated
with spammy or irrelevant content.
2. Use nofollow links for affiliate links and sponsored
content. This will help to comply with Google's guidelines and avoid penalties.
3. Use dofollow links for high-quality and relevant content.
This will help to improve your search engine ranking and establish your
authority in your industry.
4. Focus on building a diverse backlink profile that
includes a mix of nofollow and dofollow links. This will help to improve your
website's credibility and visibility.
5. Avoid buying or exchanging links, as this can result in
penalties from search engines. Instead, focus on building high-quality links
naturally through content creation, outreach, and networking.
Conclusion
In conclusion, nofollow and dofollow links are two different
types of hyperlinks that can have a significant impact on your website's search
engine ranking and visibility. While nofollow links do not pass on link juice
to your website, they can still be valuable for driving traffic and
establishing authority in your industry. On the other hand, dofollow links can
help to improve your search engine ranking and visibility, but it's important
to focus on building high-quality links from relevant and trustworthy websites.
By understanding the differences between these two types of links and using
them effectively in your SEO strategy, you can improve your website's
credibility and visibility in search engine results pages.