Dofollow vs. Nofollow Links, Explained

Every backlink you get is either dofollow or nofollow, and the difference genuinely matters for how much SEO value it passes to your site. Yet the distinction is often explained in overly technical terms. This guide breaks down what each type actually does, why both still have a place in a healthy backlink profile, and how to tell which one you're getting before you order a placement.

What "dofollow" and "nofollow" actually mean

Every link on the web can carry a small HTML attribute called rel="nofollow". When it's present, search engines are told not to pass ranking credit through that link to the page it points to. When it's absent — which is the default — the link is "dofollow," and search engines treat it as a normal editorial endorsement that can influence rankings.

In practice: a dofollow link is a vote of confidence that search engines factor into how they rank your site. A nofollow link is more of a citation — useful for readers, but historically not counted the same way in ranking algorithms.

Why dofollow links matter more for guest posting

When the goal of a guest post is to build backlink authority, a dofollow link delivers most of that value. This is why most guest posting marketplaces — including ours — show the link type on every listing, and why dofollow placements are generally priced slightly higher: they're doing more of the SEO work you're paying for.

Why nofollow links still matter

It's tempting to dismiss nofollow links entirely, but they still serve real purposes:

• Referral traffic. A nofollow link is still fully clickable — readers can still land on your site through it.
• A natural-looking backlink profile. A site with 100% dofollow links from every source can actually look suspicious to search engines. Real, organic backlink profiles are almost always a mix of both.
• Brand visibility. Being mentioned and linked on a reputable site builds recognition regardless of the link's technical attribute.
• Modern algorithm nuance. Google has stated it can still use nofollow links as a "hint" in some ranking contexts, even though it doesn't pass authority the way dofollow does.

Which sites tend to use nofollow by default

Certain types of platforms nofollow links as standard policy, regardless of content quality — major social networks, most comment sections, forums, and many large news sites for user-submitted or sponsored content. This isn't a red flag about the specific site; it's simply how those platforms are configured. A nofollow link from a major, reputable news outlet can still be more valuable for visibility and trust-building than a dofollow link from an obscure, low-quality site.

How to check which type you're getting

Once an article is live, you can check the link type yourself:

1. Right-click the link on the published page and select "Inspect" (or "View Page Source" and search for your URL).
2. Look at the <a> tag around your link.
3. If you see rel="nofollow" (or rel="sponsored", a related variant), it's nofollow. If there's no rel attribute restricting it, it's dofollow.

To avoid checking this manually after the fact, always confirm the link type on the listing itself before you order — every website in our marketplace shows it upfront.

Building a healthy mix

A strong link building strategy doesn't chase 100% dofollow links. Aim for a majority dofollow — since that's what drives most of the ranking benefit — while allowing some nofollow links to occur naturally from platforms that use them by default. This mirrors how backlink profiles look for sites that earn links organically, which is exactly the pattern search engines expect to see.

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