What Is a Nofollow Link?
Definition
A nofollow link is a hyperlink with the rel="nofollow" attribute, which signals to search engines not to pass link equity (PageRank) to the linked page. Since 2019, Google treats nofollow as a "hint" rather than a strict directive.
The history of nofollow
Google introduced the nofollow attribute in 2005 to combat comment spam. Spammers were flooding blog comments and forums with links to raise their rankings. Nofollow gave site owners a way to include links without endorsing them for SEO purposes.
For 14 years, nofollow was treated as a strict directive. Google would completely ignore these links for ranking purposes. Then, in September 2019, Google announced a change: nofollow became a "hint" that Google could choose to follow or ignore on a case-by-case basis.
Link attributes compared
| Attribute | HTML | Purpose | Passes equity? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dofollow | <a href="..."> (no attribute) | Standard link — endorses the linked page | Yes |
| Nofollow | <a href="..." rel="nofollow"> | General signal not to pass equity | Hint (maybe) |
| Sponsored | <a href="..." rel="sponsored"> | Marks paid or advertising links | Hint (maybe) |
| UGC | <a href="..." rel="ugc"> | Marks user-generated content links | Hint (maybe) |
| Noopener / Noreferrer | <a href="..." rel="noopener noreferrer"> | Security attributes for external links | No effect |
Why was the nofollow attribute originally created?
Correct! Google introduced nofollow in 2005 specifically to fight comment spam. It gave site owners a way to include links without passing SEO value to the linked pages.
Nofollow was created in 2005 to combat comment spam. Spammers were placing links in blog comments and forums to manipulate rankings. Nofollow allowed sites to host those links without endorsing them to search engines.
When nofollow is appropriate
- User-generated content. Comments, forum posts, and wiki edits where you can't vouch for every link. Web 2.0 backlinks from platforms like Medium, WordPress.com, and Tumblr are a common example — most of these sites add nofollow to user-submitted links.
- Paid links. Sponsored posts, affiliate links, and advertising should use
rel="sponsored"(or nofollow) to comply with Google's spam policies. - Untrusted content. Any link to a page you can't or don't want to editorially endorse.
- Widgets and embeds. Links embedded in widgets or tools distributed to other sites.
Do nofollow links still have value?
Yes, just different value than dofollow links:
- Referral traffic. A nofollow link on a high-traffic site (like Wikipedia or Reddit) can drive significant visitors regardless of SEO impact.
- Brand awareness. Being mentioned on major sites builds recognition, even without direct link equity.
- Natural link profile. A backlink profile with only dofollow links looks unnatural. A mix of both is what Google expects to see.
- The hint factor. Since 2019, Google may choose to count some nofollow links for ranking purposes, especially from authoritative sources.
- Indirect link generation. Coverage on nofollow sites often leads to follow-up coverage elsewhere with dofollow links.
After Google's 2019 update, how does Google treat the nofollow attribute?
Right! Since September 2019, Google treats nofollow as a hint. It may still choose to consider nofollow links for crawling and ranking, especially from authoritative sources.
Since 2019, Google treats nofollow as a hint, not a directive. Google may choose to consider some nofollow links for ranking purposes. It's not treated the same as dofollow, but it's no longer completely ignored either.
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Start Getting Mentioned For $99/moFrequently asked questions
Do nofollow links have any SEO value?
They have indirect value: referral traffic, brand awareness, and natural link profile diversity. Since 2019, Google may also count some nofollow links for ranking as it now treats the attribute as a hint.
What changed about nofollow in 2019?
Google announced it would treat nofollow as a "hint" rather than a directive. It also introduced rel="sponsored" for paid links and rel="ugc" for user-generated content.
Should I care about getting nofollow links?
Don't prioritize them over dofollow links, but don't ignore them either. Nofollow links from high-authority sites drive traffic and make your backlink profile look natural. A healthy profile includes both types.
What's the difference between nofollow, sponsored, and ugc?
All three signal that a link shouldn't pass equity. Nofollow is the general-purpose attribute. Sponsored is specifically for paid/advertising links. UGC is for user-generated content like comments. All three are treated as hints by Google.