Nofollow
Also called rel=nofollow, nofollow attribute, dofollow.
A nofollow link carries a rel='nofollow' attribute that signals to search engines not to pass link equity through it — used on paid placements, user-generated content, and links the publisher doesn't editorially endorse.
What it means
The nofollow attribute was introduced by Google in 2005 as a tool for site owners to flag links they didn't want to editorially vouch for. A link with `rel='nofollow'` tells Google not to pass PageRank through it. Common uses include paid or sponsored links, user-generated content (forum posts, blog comments), and links to sites the publisher doesn't want to endorse — all cases where a link exists for reasons other than genuine editorial recommendation.
In 2019, Google introduced two more specific attributes: `rel='sponsored'` (for paid or affiliate links) and `rel='ugc'` (user-generated content). All three — nofollow, sponsored, ugc — are now treated as hints rather than directives by Google. The company may count any of them for ranking purposes if other signals suggest the link is legitimate. In practice, nofollow links generally don't transfer PageRank but may still provide brand and entity signals.
Dofollow is the informal term for a standard link with no qualifying attribute — one that passes link equity by default. There is no actual `rel='dofollow'` attribute; a link is 'dofollow' simply by having none of the qualifying attributes. Dofollow editorial links are the primary target of link building campaigns because they transfer authority most directly.
Key takeaways
- Sponsored and ugc are more specific modern alternatives to the catch-all nofollow attribute
- Google now treats all three as hints rather than strict directives
- nofollow links can still drive traffic, brand exposure, and AI entity signals
- A natural backlink profile includes a healthy mix of nofollow and dofollow links
- rel=nofollow
- nofollow attribute
- dofollow
Last updated . Spotted something wrong? Let us know.
Keep digging.
Backlink
Also: Inbound link, External link, Incoming linkA backlink is a hyperlink on one website that points to another — one of the strongest ranking signals search engines use to assess the authority, trustworthiness, and topical relevance of the linked page.
Link buildingRead moreLink Equity
Also: Link juice, Authority transferLink equity is the SEO value that flows from one page to another through a hyperlink, reflecting the linking page's perceived authority and topical relevance.
Link buildingRead moreAnchor Text
Anchor text is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink — and the words used as anchor text are one of the strongest topical relevance signals search engines use to understand what the linked page is about.
Link buildingRead moreDomain Rating
Also: DR, Domain Authority, DADomain Rating (DR) is Ahrefs' proprietary metric that scores a website's backlink profile strength on a 0-100 logarithmic scale, widely used as a proxy for a site's ability to pass link equity.
Link buildingRead more
Knowing what Nofollow is, is the easy part.
Implementing it on your site is what moves the needle. Get a free SEO audit and we’ll show you where nofollow fits in your roadmap.