Nofollow vs. Dofollow Links: Does the Difference Still Matter?
Quick answer: Dofollow is just the absence of a rel attribute. Nofollow, along with sponsored and ugc, tells Google the link may not deserve to pass ranking credit, though Google treats these as hints it can choose to follow rather than a strict block. Nofollow links can still send referral clicks and brand exposure even without passing credit.
Someone mentions your product in a forum post, the link is nofollow, and a teammate calls it worthless before you even see how much traffic it sends.
The nofollow-versus-dofollow debate gets treated as a pass-or-fail test, and that framing misses what these attributes actually do. Google's own documentation describes them as hints, not commands, and a link's value was never only about ranking credit in the first place.
BACKLINKS
Nofollow vs. Dofollow Links: Does the Difference Still Matter?
PRIMARY KEYWORD
nofollow vs dofollow links
READ TIME
6 minutes
What does rel="nofollow" actually tell Google?
Google's documentation on qualifying outbound links describes rel="nofollow" as a signal that a link may not warrant passing ranking credit or association to the destination page. It was originally introduced to fight comment-spam links, and it remains the general-purpose attribute for any link you choose not to vouch for.
As of publication, Google's documentation treats nofollow, along with the more specific sponsored and ugc attributes, as hints it can use however it decides, rather than a directive it is bound to follow exactly. Google has stated it may still use nofollowed links as a signal in some cases despite the hint against passing credit.
What is the difference between nofollow, sponsored, and ugc?
Google's guidance recommends sponsored specifically for paid or compensated links, like advertisements and paid placements, so that paid promotion is labeled precisely rather than folded into the general nofollow bucket. It recommends ugc specifically for user-generated content, like blog comments and forum posts, where the site owner did not create or vet the link.
Plain nofollow remains appropriate for any other link you want to mark as not vouched for, without a more specific reason available. All three can be combined on the same link, and all three are documented as hints rather than absolute rules Google is required to follow.
- Dofollow: the default, no rel attribute needed
- nofollow: general "do not vouch for this link" signal
- sponsored: paid links, ads, and compensated placements
- ugc: user-generated content like comments and forum posts
- All treated as hints, not binding directives, per Google
Do nofollow links still have any SEO value?
A nofollow link can still send real referral traffic, and traffic from a well-placed nofollow mention on a high-visibility page can outperform a low-traffic dofollow link on an obscure one. Brand mentions, whether linked or not, also plausibly contribute to how search engines and AI systems build an association between your name and your topic, separate from any ranking-credit debate.
Since Google has said it may still use nofollowed links as a signal in some cases, treating them as guaranteed zero-value ignores its own documentation. The honest position is that nofollow links carry less certain ranking value than dofollow links, not zero value across every dimension that matters.
How should you use these attributes on your own site?
Mark advertising, paid guest posts, and any compensated placement as sponsored, since Google's spam policies specifically address buying and selling links that pass ranking credit, and correct labeling keeps a legitimate paid placement from being treated as manipulative. Mark comment and forum links as ugc by default, since you did not create or vouch for that content.
Do not use nofollow as a blanket policy on every outbound link out of caution. Google's starter guide frames linking to relevant, trustworthy external sources as part of a genuinely helpful page, and reflexively nofollowing everything removes a normal, legitimate part of the web without protecting you from anything specific.
TAKEAWAY CHECK
What belongs on the nofollow vs. dofollow checklist?
- 01Label paid or compensated links as sponsored.
- 02Label comment and forum links as ugc.
- 03Use plain nofollow for any other link you will not vouch for.
- 04Leave genuinely earned, relevant links as dofollow by default.
- 05Do not blanket-nofollow every outbound link out of caution.
- 06Value nofollow mentions for traffic and brand exposure, not just credit.
What else do people ask about nofollow vs dofollow links?
Can a nofollow link still pass any ranking value?
Google's documentation calls nofollow a hint rather than a directive, and Google has stated it may use nofollowed links as a signal in some cases. Treat nofollow as reducing the likelihood of passing full ranking credit rather than guaranteeing zero effect, since Google itself does not claim it is absolute.
Should I ask sites for dofollow links specifically?
Chasing dofollow status specifically, rather than earning a relevant, high-traffic placement, misreads what makes a link valuable. A well-trafficked nofollow mention on a reputable, relevant page is often more useful than a dofollow link buried on a low-authority, unrelated site.
Do all comment sections use rel="ugc" by default?
No. Many platforms still default to plain nofollow or no attribute at all for comment links, since ugc adoption depends on the specific CMS or plugin configuration. Check your own platform's link output directly rather than assuming any particular attribute is applied automatically.
Is buying dofollow backlinks against Google's policies?
Yes, when the purpose is passing ranking credit. Google's spam policies explicitly cover buying or selling links that pass ranking credit, regardless of the rel attribute used, and mislabeling a paid link as dofollow rather than sponsored compounds the violation rather than hiding it.
Which primary sources support this guide?
Product behavior and metric definitions change. These are the official Google references used for this article and checked on July 23, 2026.
- 01Google Search Central: qualify your outbound links
Official documentation for rel=nofollow, rel=sponsored, and rel=ugc attributes.
- 02Google Search Central: spam policies, including link spam
Google's definitions of link spam, buying and selling links, and other violations.
- 03Google Search Console: Links report
Official documentation for external links, internal links, and linking-site data.
- 04Google Search Central: SEO starter guide
Google's foundational guidance for making a site discoverable in Search.
PUT THE CLAIM ON THE RECORD
Your SEO result deserves a source, not a trust-me caption.
Connect an owner-level Search Console property, choose what stays public, and get a receipt with a stable share link.