What are Dofollow & Nofollow backlinks, and how do they differ?
Dofollow and nofollow are attributes that can be added to hyperlinks to control how search engines like Google index and rank web pages. Here's how they differ:
Dofollow Backlinks:
- Dofollow backlinks are standard hyperlinks that allow search engine crawlers to follow them and pass link equity (also known as "link juice") from one webpage to another.
- When a webpage with a dofollow backlink to your site is crawled by a search engine bot, it will follow the link and consider it as a signal of endorsement or trust from the linking site.
- Dofollow backlinks are valuable for SEO because they can contribute to improving your site's search engine rankings and increasing its visibility in search results.
Nofollow Backlinks:
Nofollow backlinks contain the rel="nofollow" attribute in the HTML code, which instructs search engine crawlers not to follow the link or pass any link equity to the linked webpage.These links were introduced as a way for website owners to indicate to search engines that they don't want to vouch for or endorse the linked content, such as comments, paid advertisements, or user-generated content.
Nofollow backlinks are still valuable for generating traffic and referral visits to your site, but they don't directly contribute to your site's search engine rankings.
However, it's worth noting that while search engines may not pass link equity through nofollow links, they still recognize them and may consider them in other ways, such as for discovering new pages or understanding the context of a webpage.
In summary, dofollow backlinks allow search engines to follow them and pass link equity, which can positively impact your site's SEO, while nofollow backlinks do not pass link equity but can still be valuable for referral traffic and other purposes.
