What are dofollow and nofollow links?

Dofollow and nofollow are attributes that can be applied to links to indicate to search engines whether or not to follow the link and pass on link equity.

Dofollow links are links that do not have the nofollow attribute applied to them. When a search engine crawls a dofollow link, it follows the link to the target website and passes on link equity, which can help improve the target website's search engine rankings. Dofollow links are an important part of a successful link building strategy, as they can help improve a website's authority and search engine visibility.

Nofollow links, on the other hand, are links that have the nofollow attribute applied to them. When a search engine crawls a nofollow link, it does not follow the link to the target website and does not pass on link equity. Nofollow links are often used in situations where linking to an external website is necessary, but the website is not trustworthy or the link is not editorially earned.

Here are some examples of when nofollow links might be used:

1. User-generated content: Websites that allow users to generate content, such as blog comments or forum posts, often use nofollow links to prevent spam and ensure that users cannot manipulate search engine rankings.
2. Paid links: Websites that sell links or participate in link schemes often use nofollow links to avoid penalties from search engines.
3. Social media: Social media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, use nofollow links to indicate that the links are not editorially earned.

While nofollow links do not pass on link equity, they can still provide value in other ways. For example, nofollow links can help drive referral traffic to your website, increase brand awareness, and provide opportunities for building relationships with other websites and influencers.

In summary, dofollow links pass on link equity and can help improve a website's search engine rankings, while nofollow links do not pass on link equity and are used in situations where linking to an external website is necessary but the link is not editorially earned.