Follow and nofollow
SEO and AI visibility
SEO and AI visibility
A follow link is a regular link that search engines follow and count. With rel="nofollow" you signal that you don't want to endorse a link.
Every link is 'follow' by default. There is no separate 'dofollow' attribute: it is simply a link without nofollow. Search engines follow such a link and treat it as a signal that the page you link to is worth something.
With rel="nofollow" you ask search engines not to count the link as an endorsement. Google also recognises two more specific labels: rel="sponsored" for paid and affiliate links, and rel="ugc" for links visitors post, such as in comments or forums.
Since 2019 Google treats these labels as a hint rather than a strict rule. Google may still use such a link to discover pages.
For visitors it makes no difference: a nofollow link works as normal. The label only concerns what you tell search engines.
Tip
Paid and affiliate links should get sponsored or nofollow. If they don't, Google may see it as buying links.
Related terms
- BacklinkA backlink is a link from another website to yours. Search engines read it as a recommendation, provided the source is relevant and trustworthy.
- Link buildingLink building is the work of earning links to your site from other websites. Search engines read such a link as a signal that a page is worth something.
- CanonicalA canonical tag tells search engines which URL is the main version of a page that is reachable at several addresses.