Understanding Dofollow vs Nofollow Links
Dofollow and nofollow links are two types of links that can be used when linking between websites or webpages. The main difference between them is how they pass on link equity or ranking power from one page to another.
A dofollow link passes link equity and signals to search engines that the linked page is an authoritative source of information on the topic. This allows ranking power to flow from one page to another. When site A links to site B using a dofollow link, site B gains some of site A’s ranking power and authority.
In contrast, a nofollow link does not pass any equity or value to the destination page. Adding rel=”nofollow” to a link tells search engines not to pass authority or use that link as a vote of confidence for the receiving page. This prevents the flow of rankings through that link.
When should each type of link be used? In most cases, dofollow links are recommended when linking out to authoritative, high-quality sites. Dofollow links on a webpage essentially say “I endorse this site and think it’s a good resource on this topic.”
Nofollow links are better suited for paid links, banner ads, user-generated content, and anywhere you don’t want to pass authority. Using nofollow ensures that low quality or irrelevant sites don’t gain SEO value from your endorsement.
The SEO Value of Dofollow Links
Dofollow links are highly valued in search engine optimization because of their ability to pass link equity and authority from one page to another. When a page links to another page using a dofollow attribute, it is essentially vouching for the value of that page and conferring some of its own SEO power.
This passing of equity is why dofollow links can have such a positive impact on search engine rankings. Pages that accumulate many high-quality dofollow backlinks tend to perform better in Google and other search engines. The more authority that is conferred onto a page via dofollow links, the higher it will rank for relevant searches.
Google specifically looks at the number and quality of dofollow backlinks as one of the top ranking signals. While metrics like content and user engagement matter, Google places a lot of weight on dofollow links as a trust and authority indicator. Sites with a substantial number of dofollow links from reputable sources tend to be rewarded in rankings.
In summary, dofollow links remain highly coveted in SEO because of their ability to directly influence search engine rankings. The more dofollow equity a page earns from other reputable sites, the faster it can ascend up the SERPs for valuable keyword terms.
Best Practices for Internal Linking
Internal linking is a crucial part of any website’s SEO strategy. Proper internal linking not only improves user experience, but also helps search engines crawl and index your site more efficiently. When structuring internal links, using dofollow links for important pages on your site can give them an SEO boost.
Here are some best practices for internal linking with dofollow links:
- Use dofollow links when linking from your home page to key landing pages you want to promote, like product or service pages.
- Link important blog posts or resources to more evergreen internal pages to pass link equity.
- Avoid excessive linking and keep the internal link structure clean and intuitive.
- Focus on linking deeper pages to higher-level category and home pages.
- Use descriptive anchor text relevant to the target page instead of generic “click here” links.
- Place key internal links in prominent positions like headers, navigation menus, sidebars etc.
In addition to dofollow links, also use nofollow links strategically for things like:
- User-generated content like comments
- Paid advertising links
- Affiliate or sponsored links to avoid passing too much equity
By balancing dofollow and nofollow links and structuring your internal linking for optimal user experience, you can boost your pages’ ability to rank in search engines.
Getting High Quality Dofollow Backlinks
One of the most effective ways to obtain high-quality dofollow backlinks is through guest posting on authoritative websites in your industry. Identify blogs and online publications that are relevant to your niche and accept contributed content from industry experts. Craft custom guest posts that provide unique value for their audience while organically linking back to your site. Focus on building relationships with site owners and providing excellent content rather than blatantly promotional guest posts.
Another great strategy is broken link building. Find lists and resource pages on reputable sites where the links are broken. Reach out to the site owner and offer to provide a replacement resource on your own website for them to link to. This can earn you a high-quality backlink, often with contextual anchor text. Just make sure the content you create is genuinely useful.
Don’t underestimate the power of digital PR and outreach campaigns for link building. Identify influencers, journalists, bloggers, and industry professionals who might be interested in your content and new products. Pitch them customized story ideas tailored to their audience and beat. Nurturing these relationships can lead to organic mentions, backlinks, and high-authority recommendations.
The key is focusing on relevance and quality over quantity. Ten strategically-placed dofollow backlinks on authority sites in your field are more valuable than hundreds of easy dofollow links from low-quality directories. Build links slowly and steadily as part of a holistic digital marketing strategy.
Analyzing Your Dofollow Link Profile
Analyzing and monitoring your dofollow backlink profile is a crucial but often overlooked aspect of link building. To get the most SEO value from dofollow links, you need visibility into which links are helping versus hurting your site.
Backlink analysis tools like Ahrefs, Moz, Majestic, and Linkody provide powerful data on your current link profile. You can see which sites are linking to you, the anchor text they use, and metrics like Domain Authority for each referrer. Sorting by dofollow vs nofollow links specifically can highlight the sites passing the most equity.
Regularly monitoring your backlinks, especially dofollow links, is key to staying on top of changes. New high-quality links can boost rankings, while lost or dropped links may indicate issues to address. Link analysis tools track new link gains and losses, making monitoring efficient.
However, not all dofollow links help SEO. Low-quality links from spammy or irrelevant sites can actually damage your rankings. Link analysis tools help identify such problematic links through metrics like spam score. You can then consider disavowing these bad links via Google Search Console to protect your site.
Ongoing review of your dofollow backlink profile provides visibility into link equity flow, helps maximize value from good links, and protects against risks – making it an indispensable part of link building.
Optimizing Your Link Building Mix
When building links, it’s important to strike the right balance between dofollow and nofollow links. Too many dofollow links can look unnatural and potentially raise red flags with search engines. On the other hand, a profile made up entirely of nofollow links will limit the SEO value you can derive.
Aim for a natural mix – many experts recommend 25-35% dofollow links from your overall link profile. The rest should be nofollow links from a diverse range of sources. Variety is key – you don’t want all your links coming from the same handful of sites.
Try to build links that would occur naturally over time, as part of a comprehensive content strategy. Guest posts, resource links, press mentions, etc. Look at competitors and industry leaders and model their natural link profiles.
Avoid artificial link building techniques like link exchanges, paid links, and excessive keyword anchor text links. These tend to get penalized by search engines.
Monitor your link profile regularly and aim for steady, natural growth over time. The ideal profile resembles a tree with many branches, not a pole with a few major links.
With a balanced, diversified approach you can maximize the SEO benefits of dofollow links while minimizing potential risks.
The Relationship Between Dofollow Links and Domain Authority
Dofollow links play an important role in building domain authority and improving search rankings. Domain authority is a metric used by search engines like Google to evaluate the strength and influence of a website. It is calculated based on various factors, with dofollow backlinks being one of the most important.
Websites with higher domain authority tend to rank better in search results. This is because Google views sites with higher DA as more reputable and authoritative in their niche. Dofollow backlinks from other high authority sites pass link equity and signal trust, which increases a site’s own domain authority.
The more dofollow backlinks a website accumulates from reputable sources, the higher its domain authority climbs. This in turn leads to better search engine visibility and higher rankings for important keywords. Many sites focus heavily on dofollow link building because of this relationship between backlinks and domain authority.
Furthermore, websites with higher domain authority tend to more easily earn additional backlinks. This helps reinforce and further grow their authority and search performance. As a result, dofollow links help fuel a positive feedback loop of ever-increasing authority and rankings.
In summary, dofollow backlinks are hugely impactful for improving domain authority. Higher domain authority achieved through dofollow links then enables sites to rank better in SERPs. This is why dofollow link building is a top-priority for most SEOs and website owners.
Implementing Dofollow Links
When adding links to your website, you have the option to make them dofollow or nofollow. Dofollow links pass link equity and should be used judiciously. Here are some best practices for implementing dofollow links:
To make a link dofollow, simply add the rel=”dofollow” attribute to the HTML anchor tag like this:
<a href="https://www.example.com" rel="dofollow">Link Text</a>
Anchor text optimization is also important for dofollow links. Use descriptive, keyword-relevant text for the anchor text. Avoid over-optimization with exact match keywords. Vary the anchor text across links to look natural.
Placement within content matters too. Dofollow links should occur naturally within paragraphs, not just in lists at the bottom. Make sure dofollow links are relevant to the surrounding context.
By carefully implementing dofollow links with thoughtful anchor text and placement, you can maximize their SEO value while maintaining a natural link profile.
Link Building Strategies and Trends
The importance of dofollow links in search engine optimization has evolved significantly over the past decade. In the early 2000s, aggressive dofollow link building was a common and effective SEO tactic. However, as search engines like Google have improved at detecting and penalizing link spam, the role of dofollow links has changed.
Google has cracked down on link schemes and low-quality link networks through major algorithm updates like Penguin and Panda. While dofollow links remain important, Google places more emphasis on the authenticity and relevance of links from trustworthy sources.
Some of the trends we’ve seen include:
- A shift from quantity to quality – relevant niche links valued over spammy bulk links
- Greater scrutiny of paid links and guest posts that aren’t clearly disclosed
- More weight given to contextual signals – does the content support the link?
- Diversifying anchor text – over-optimization is risky
- Balancing nofollow and dofollow links to appear natural
Looking ahead, acquiring dofollow links will remain important but not sufficient on its own. Link building strategies must holistically improve user experience, authority and trust to be sustainable. Dofollow links should be seen as a supporting rather than primary ranking factor.
Dofollow Link Building Tools and Software
In addition to strategies and best practices, there are a variety of tools available to assist with dofollow link building campaigns:
SEO Tools for Backlink Analysis
Backlink analysis tools like Ahrefs, Majestic, Moz, SEMrush, and Linkody provide data on a website’s existing backlink profile. You can see important metrics like total links, referring domains, anchor text ratios, and identify toxic or risky links. These tools help optimize your ongoing link building efforts.
Link Prospecting and Outreach Automation
Outreach automation platforms like BuzzStream, Pitchbox, and NinjaOutreach streamline the process of identifying link prospect websites and conducting personalized outreach at scale. This saves time compared to manual outreach.
Browser Extensions for Backlink Audits
Browser extensions like Check My Links, LinkMiner, and Linkody allow you to instantly audit the links on any webpage. You can check for broken links, identify nofollow/dofollow status, export links for outreach, and more. Easy to use directly within your browser.
Leveraging the right software tools is key for managing large-scale dofollow link building and tracking the results of your efforts. The data and insights these tools provide help maximize the impact of dofollow links on search engine rankings.