What is the difference between do-follow and no-follow internal links?

Started by Smith, Apr 21, 2024, 03:11 AM

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Smith

Can you explain the significance of using both do-follow and no-follow internal links on a website?

SEO

The difference between do-follow and no-follow internal links lies in how search engines treat these links when crawling and indexing web pages:

1. **Do-Follow Internal Links**:
   - Do-follow internal links are regular hyperlinks that pass link equity (also known as link juice) from one page to another within the same website.
   - When search engine crawlers encounter a do-follow internal link, they follow the link to the linked page and consider it as a signal of endorsement or recommendation.
   - Do-follow internal links contribute to the overall link authority and PageRank of the linked page, potentially boosting its visibility and ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs).
   - Do-follow internal links are typically used for navigation, content promotion, and internal linking strategies aimed at improving SEO and user experience.

2. **No-Follow Internal Links**:
   - No-follow internal links contain a rel="nofollow" attribute in the HTML code, which instructs search engine crawlers not to follow or pass link equity to the linked page.
   - When search engine crawlers encounter a no-follow internal link, they do not follow the link to the linked page and do not consider it as a signal of endorsement or recommendation.
   - No-follow internal links do not contribute to the link authority or PageRank of the linked page and do not directly impact its visibility or ranking in SERPs.
   - No-follow internal links are commonly used for user-generated content, sponsored content, advertising, or links to untrusted or unverified sources, where website owners may want to avoid passing link equity or vouching for the linked content.

In summary, the main difference between do-follow and no-follow internal links is how they are treated by search engines: do-follow links pass link equity and contribute to the ranking of the linked page, while no-follow links do not pass link equity and do not directly impact the ranking of the linked page. Both types of internal links have their uses and can be strategically employed based on SEO goals and website content policies.

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