Dofollow And Nofollow Links: When To Use Each One

Links are one of the basic building blocks of the web. They help people move between useful pages, allow search engines to discover content, and give website owners a way to recommend trusted sources. For bloggers and small businesses, understanding link attributes can make SEO work more deliberate and less risky.

The terms dofollow and nofollow describe how a link may be treated by search engines. “Dofollow” is the common industry term for a standard link, while nofollow is an instruction placed in the HTML that asks crawlers not to associate the destination with the linking page in the usual way.

Neither option is automatically better. A relevant followed link can support organic visibility, while a nofollow link can bring referral traffic, brand exposure, and genuine customers. The right choice depends on why the link exists, who created it, and whether your website is endorsing the destination.

This matters in Australia as much as anywhere else. A Brisbane tradesperson, a Melbourne food blogger, and an online shop targeting customers in Perth may all use different link strategies. Their pages need to serve real people first, while still helping Google understand credibility, relevance, and relationships between sites.

What A Dofollow Link Means

A standard hyperlink has no special restrictive attribute. For example:

<a href="https://example.com">Useful resource</a>

SEO professionals generally call this a dofollow link, although “dofollow” is not an official HTML value that must be added. Search engine crawlers can follow the link, discover the destination, and potentially pass signals associated with relevance and authority.

A followed link is strongest when it appears naturally within useful content. A link from an established Australian gardening website to a nursery in Adelaide may be valuable because the subjects are closely connected. A random link from an unrelated page is far less convincing and may look manipulative.

The word “potentially” matters. Google does not treat every followed backlink as a guaranteed ranking vote. It can assess the source page, surrounding text, destination quality, link placement, and whether the overall linking pattern appears natural.

What A Nofollow Link Does

A nofollow link includes rel="nofollow" in its markup:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Visit the website</a>

This tells search engines that the publisher does not want to pass the usual endorsement signal. Since Google changed how it processes nofollow links, the attribute is generally treated as a hint rather than an absolute command. Crawlers may still discover or consider the link in some circumstances.

Nofollow is useful when you cannot fully vouch for a destination or when the link exists for a reason other than editorial recommendation. Paid placements, advertisements, user comments, and forum posts are common examples. A Sydney community website may allow members to post links in discussions but use nofollow to avoid endorsing every site submitted by users.

The link can still send visitors. Someone reading a local discussion about cafés in Newtown may click a nofollow link to a featured venue, visit its menu, and become a customer. Referral traffic and visibility are separate benefits from passing ranking signals.

Sponsored And User-Generated Links

Google recommends additional values for particular situations. Use rel="sponsored" for paid links, advertisements, affiliate placements, or other commercial arrangements. Use rel="ugc" for user-generated content, such as comments, community posts, and forum contributions.

These values can be combined with nofollow when appropriate. For example:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="sponsored nofollow">Partner offer</a>

A paid link should not be presented as an ordinary editorial recommendation simply because it might influence rankings. Australian publishers working with tourism operators in Cairns, for instance, should clearly manage links included in sponsored travel content. Transparent labelling and suitable attributes protect both the reader and the publisher.

Affiliate links also deserve care. If a blog earns a commission when visitors purchase a product, mark the link as sponsored and disclose the commercial relationship according to relevant advertising and consumer-protection expectations. The goal is to make the relationship clear rather than disguise it as independent editorial advice.

When A Followed Link Makes Sense

Use a standard followed link when you genuinely stand behind the destination and the page adds value for readers. This commonly includes references to original research, complementary tutorials, reputable suppliers, industry organisations, and sources that help explain a complicated subject.

For example, a website-building guide can naturally link to a detailed resource about start a blog when readers need practical information about choosing a platform and publishing consistently. The link should fit the sentence and help visitors take the next useful step.

Internal links are usually standard followed links as well. Connecting a beginner’s SEO article to a related guide about keyword research helps visitors explore the site and allows search engines to understand its structure. Use descriptive anchor text, but keep it natural; repeating the same exact phrase across dozens of pages can appear forced.

A followed external link should be earned by relevance, not requested indiscriminately. Quality matters more than the raw number of backlinks. One useful mention from a respected local business publication may be more valuable than many links from thin directories or unrelated blogs.

When A Nofollow Link Is Safer

Choose nofollow when the link is paid, supplied by a user, or included in an area where you cannot review every destination. Comment sections are a common example. Even if a WordPress plugin automatically adds nofollow to comments, moderation remains important because spam can damage user experience and trust.

Use sponsored attributes for advertorials, paid guest posts, influencer campaigns, and affiliate content. A Gold Coast accommodation blog linking to a hotel after receiving payment should not treat that placement as an ordinary independent citation. Honest labelling makes the commercial context clear.

Nofollow can also be sensible for links to sites you do not want to endorse, even if you still want readers to access them. A technology article might mention a controversial service, a temporary download, or an unverified tool while warning visitors to conduct their own checks.

Do not add nofollow to every external link out of fear. Excessive use can make a site look reluctant to cite useful sources and may reduce opportunities for readers to discover trusted information. Decide based on the relationship and purpose of each link.

Building A Natural Link Profile

A healthy backlink profile usually contains a mixture of standard links, nofollow links, sponsored links, and user-generated links. There is no ideal percentage to chase. Real websites attract links from different places, including news articles, social platforms, business directories, partners, reviews, and community websites.

Australian search results can be particularly shaped by local relevance. A plumber serving Newcastle may benefit from mentions on a regional news site, a local chamber of commerce page, or a supplier directory. Those links may not all pass ranking signals, yet they can reinforce the business name, location, services, and credibility.

Avoid buying large packages of backlinks, exchanging links at scale, or publishing low-quality guest posts solely to place keyword-rich anchors. These tactics can create an unnatural profile and bring little useful traffic. Instead, publish resources worth citing, contribute expert commentary, repair broken links where your content is a genuine replacement, and build relationships within your industry.

Review links periodically with tools such as Google Search Console and reputable SEO platforms. Look for irrelevant domains, sudden spikes, copied content, and suspicious anchor text. A single unwanted link rarely causes a problem, so focus on broad patterns rather than reacting to every unfamiliar domain.

Practical Link Management Recommendations

Link decisions become easier when each placement has a clear purpose. Before publishing, consider whether the destination helps the reader, whether you control the content, and whether there is a commercial relationship behind the link.

• Use a standard followed link for a genuine editorial recommendation or a helpful internal connection.
• Use rel="sponsored" for advertisements, affiliate links, paid reviews, and commercial placements.
• Use rel="ugc" for links posted by visitors in comments, forums, or community areas.
• Add nofollow when you do not want to endorse a destination or cannot reliably review user-submitted content.
• Write natural, descriptive anchor text and avoid repeating exact-match keywords across every backlink.

Keep the reader’s experience at the centre of the decision. A nofollow link that sends qualified visitors from a Melbourne industry blog may be more useful than a followed link hidden on an irrelevant website. Likewise, a carefully placed internal link can help a new page gain attention without relying on external backlinks.

When you audit your site, inspect the HTML, the page context, and the commercial relationship together. Link attributes are helpful signals, but they work best as part of a broader approach that includes useful content, clear site structure, trustworthy publishing, and genuine relationships.

Apply these principles to your next article, partnership, comment section, or affiliate campaign. Choose the attribute that accurately reflects the link’s purpose, keep the surrounding content useful, and measure both search visibility and referral visits over time.