What is the difference between dofollow and nofollow links?

The main difference between dofollow and nofollow links lies in how search engines treat them and their impact on SEO:

1. **Dofollow Links**:
   - Dofollow links are standard hyperlinks that allow search engine crawlers to follow them from one web page to another, passing authority and "link juice" from the linking page to the linked page.
   - These links are used to signal endorsement or recommendation from one website to another, and they contribute to the linked page's search engine rankings.
   - Dofollow links are the default type of link unless the nofollow attribute is explicitly added.
   - In HTML, a dofollow link does not have any specific attribute associated with it. It's just a regular hyperlink without any additional instructions to search engines.

2. **Nofollow Links**:
   - Nofollow links include a rel="nofollow" attribute in their HTML code, instructing search engine crawlers not to follow the link or pass any authority or "link juice" from the linking page to the linked page.
   - These links were introduced to combat spammy or manipulative link-building practices and to give website owners more control over the links they endorse.
   - Nofollow links are commonly used for sponsored content, user-generated content (e.g., comments), or to indicate that a website is not endorsing the linked content.
   - While nofollow links don't directly contribute to a website's SEO in terms of passing authority or improving search engine rankings, they can still drive referral traffic and increase visibility.

In summary, the primary difference between dofollow and nofollow links is how search engines treat them in terms of passing authority and influence. Dofollow links contribute to a website's search engine rankings by passing authority, while nofollow links do not pass authority but can still drive traffic and increase visibility. Both types of links have their uses and can be part of a well-rounded SEO and link-building strategy.