Not all links are equal, especially when it comes to SEO. Do follow backlinks pass authority and boost your site’s ranking, while no follow backlinks don’t, but they still have their perks, like driving traffic and diversifying your link profile. The real game-changer? Knowing when to use each. If you’re serious about building an effective backlink strategy, understanding no follow vs. do follow links isn’t optional, it’s a must. This guide will walk you through the basics, helping you make informed choices for your website’s growth and credibility.
What is no follow backlink?
A no follow backlink is a type of link that tells search engines not to pass on “link juice” or authority to the linked website. These links are commonly used for user-generated content, sponsored posts, or when a site doesn’t want to endorse the linked page.
In HTML, that is how a no follow link looks
<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Example Link</a>
What is do follow backlink?
A do follow backlink is a link that passes SEO authority, or “link juice,” from one website to another, helping the linked site improve its search engine rankings. These backlinks are essential for building website authority and credibility.
In HTML, do follow backlinks don’t require a special attribute. Here’s how they look:
<a href="https://example.com">Example Link</a>
How no follow and do follow link works?
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Basic Difference between no follow and do follow backlink:
This table summarizes the key difference between no follow and do follow link and helps clarify the no follow vs. do follow link debate.
| Feature | No Follow Backlink | Do Follow Backlink |
|---|---|---|
| SEO Impact | Does not pass SEO authority. | Passes SEO authority, boosting rankings. |
| Use Case | Used for user-generated content, paid links. | Used for organic content and SEO building. |
| Link Value | No link value passed to the linked site. | Passes “link juice” to improve rankings. |
| HTML Code | <a href=”url” rel=”nofollow”>link</a> | <a href=”url”>link</a> |
| Search Engine Signals | Search engines ignore these links for ranking. | Search engines follow these links for ranking. |
| Link Building Strategy | Helps diversify your link profile. | Core of most link building strategies. |
| Risk of Penalty | Safe from penalties if overused. | Misuse may lead to penalties (e.g., link farms). |
For further insights, check out internal linking practices.
When and why to use no follow links?
No follow links are useful when you want to prevent search engines from passing SEO authority to a linked site. This is particularly important for paid links, user-generated content (like blog comments), or links to unreliable sites. Why to use no follow links? They help avoid penalties from search engines and maintain a natural link profile. When to use no follow links? Use them when linking to sponsored content, untrusted sites, or if you want to avoid endorsing a page’s content for ranking purposes.
When and why to use do follow links?
Do follow links are essential for building SEO authority. When you link to a reliable, high-quality page, you’re sharing your website’s trust and boosting their ranking. Why to use do follow links? They help improve search engine rankings by passing authority (“link juice”) to the linked site. When to use do follow links? Use them for valuable content, trusted sources, and when you want to endorse a site’s credibility, like linking to an informative blog or a relevant resource. This strengthens your website’s SEO profile.
Also Read: How to do basic SEO of your website?
How to know if the link is no follow or do follow?
If you want to find out whether the link is no follow or do follow then you need you need to follow these 3 steps
Step 1: Hoover on the link you would like to know about and right click on it, then select “Inspect”
Step 2: Here you can see whether the link is no or do follow.
This example we took shows that the link is no follow if it was no follow the it should look like this
<a data-offer-url="https://www.plaank.com" class="external-link" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLink","outgoingURL":"https://www.plaank.com"}" href="https://www.plaank.com" target="_blank">PLAANK</a>
Conclusion:
Both no follow vs. do follow links serve important purposes in SEO. Do follow backlinks, pass authority and help boost your website’s ranking on search engines. They are essential for building credibility and increasing organic traffic.
On the other hand, no follow links prevent search engines from passing authority, making them useful for controlling what gets ranked. They also protect your site from penalties and help maintain a natural backlink profile. A mix of both is important for creating a balanced and effective SEO strategy that supports long-term growth.
FAQS
when to use no follow and di follow links?
Use do follow links to boost SEO for trusted sites and no follow links for paid content or unreliable pages.
How to get do follow link?
Earn do follow links by creating high-quality, valuable content that others want to reference.
How to get no follow link?
No follow links can be acquired through sponsored posts, social media shares, and user-generated content.
Are no follow links beneficial?
Yes, they drive traffic, maintain a natural link profile, and help avoid penalties.
