What Is a Dofollow Link?
Definition
A dofollow link is a standard hyperlink that passes link equity (also called link juice or PageRank) from the source page to the target page. By default, all HTML links are dofollow unless a rel="nofollow" attribute is explicitly added.
Dofollow vs. nofollow
| Dofollow | Nofollow | |
|---|---|---|
| Passes SEO value | Yes | Not directly |
| HTML | <a href="..."> | <a href="..." rel="nofollow"> |
| Signal to Google | "I vouch for this page" | "Don't count this as an endorsement" |
| Referral traffic | Yes | Yes |
| GEO value | Yes | Yes (AI doesn't distinguish) |
Why dofollow links matter
Dofollow links are the backbone of link building. When an authoritative website gives you a dofollow link, search engines count it as a vote of confidence toward your rankings.
The more high-quality dofollow links from relevant sources, the higher your domain authority grows.
Where to earn dofollow links
- Editorial mentions, when a blogger naturally references your product in an article, it's usually dofollow.
- Guest posts, most guest blogging opportunities include at least one dofollow link.
- Resource pages, pages curating useful tools or resources typically use dofollow links.
- Broken link replacements, when you help a site fix a dead link, the replacement is usually dofollow.
All HTML links are dofollow by default. When does a link become nofollow?
Exactly. A link is only nofollow if the site owner explicitly adds rel="nofollow" to the HTML. Otherwise, it passes SEO value by default.
Links are dofollow by default. They only become nofollow when the site owner explicitly adds a rel="nofollow" attribute. The linking site's authority or the link's age don't change this.
Do nofollow links have any value?
Yes. While nofollow links don't directly pass link equity, they still provide:
- Referral traffic, people still click nofollow links.
- Brand awareness, being mentioned on high-traffic sites increases visibility.
- Natural link profile, a mix of dofollow and nofollow looks more natural to search engines.
- GEO signals, AI assistants don't distinguish between dofollow and nofollow when evaluating brand mentions for recommendations.
- Natural link profile, a healthy mix of link types (dofollow, nofollow, noopener noreferrer) looks natural to search engines.
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