Nofollow Backlinks: What They Are, How They Work, and How to Use Them

Nofollow backlinks are links that include a rel=”nofollow” attribute, which tells search engines that the website linking to another page does not want to pass the same type of ranking signals traditionally associated with a standard followed link. However, a nofollow backlink is still a real link. It can send referral traffic, help people discover your brand, and contribute to a natural and diverse backlink profile.

Many website owners assume that nofollow links are completely useless for SEO. That is not true. Modern search engines can treat link attributes as signals rather than absolute commands, and nofollow links can still provide indirect SEO benefits.

In this guide, you will learn exactly what nofollow backlinks are, how they differ from dofollow links, where they come from, whether they help rankings, and how you can use them as part of a strong link building strategy.

What Is a Nofollow Backlink?

A nofollow backlink is a hyperlink containing the rel=”nofollow” attribute.

A standard HTML link may look like this:

<a href=”https://example.com”>Example Website</a>

A nofollow link looks like this:

<a href=”https://example.com” rel=”nofollow”>Example Website</a>

The nofollow attribute was introduced to help website owners indicate that they did not want to endorse or pass traditional ranking credit through a particular link.

For SEO professionals, understanding the difference between the link itself and the attribute is important.

A nofollow link can still be clicked.

A nofollow link can still send visitors.

A nofollow link can still increase brand visibility.

A nofollow link can still help people discover your website.

Therefore, nofollow does not mean “no value.”

How Do Nofollow Backlinks Work?

When a website links to your page using a nofollow attribute, the publisher is essentially communicating to search engines that the link should not necessarily be treated as a traditional editorial endorsement.

Historically, nofollow was treated much more strictly. Google later changed how it handles nofollow and related link attributes, allowing them to be used as hints about how a link should be treated.

This means you should not assume that every nofollow link is completely ignored.

The safest approach is to think about nofollow links as part of your overall online presence rather than relying on them as your primary method of passing ranking signals.

Nofollow vs Dofollow Backlinks

The biggest difference is how the linking website communicates the relationship between the link and search engines.

A typical followed link does not contain a nofollow attribute.

A nofollow link contains:

rel=”nofollow”

There is an important SEO terminology point here.

People commonly say “dofollow backlink,” but “dofollow” is not actually an HTML attribute that you normally add to a link. A regular link is generally considered followed unless another attribute or directive changes how it is handled.

Nofollow is an explicit link attribute.

Are Nofollow Backlinks Good for SEO?

Yes, nofollow backlinks can still be useful.

However, their value should be understood correctly.

A nofollow backlink may generate referral traffic, increase brand exposure, help users discover your website, and contribute to a more natural looking backlink profile.

For example, suppose a popular industry website mentions your company and links to your website using rel=”nofollow”.

Even if that link does not pass traditional ranking credit, thousands of relevant visitors could still click it.

Some of those visitors may become customers.

Others may mention your website on their own websites.

Some may share your content.

Those secondary effects can be valuable.

Do Nofollow Links Improve Google Rankings?

You should not assume that every nofollow backlink directly improves rankings.

Google has explained that nofollow and other link attributes can be treated as hints. This means search engines have more flexibility in understanding links and deciding how they should be processed.

The direct ranking impact of an individual nofollow link is therefore difficult to predict.

Instead of asking whether a nofollow backlink automatically increases rankings, ask a better question:

Does this link help users discover valuable information, a useful business, or a relevant resource?

If the answer is yes, the link may still be worth earning.

Why Are Nofollow Links Important?

Nofollow links can be important for several reasons.

Referral Traffic

A link can send visitors to your website regardless of whether it is nofollow.

If the link appears on a website with a relevant audience, referral traffic can be significant.

Brand Awareness

Getting your brand mentioned on respected websites can expose your business to new audiences.

Even if users never click the link, they may remember your company and search for it later.

Natural Link Profile

A website that earns backlinks from different sources will naturally have different link attributes.

Your backlink profile does not need to consist only of followed links.

Content Discovery

Nofollow links can help people find useful pages and resources on your website.

A popular publication can introduce your content to an audience that would otherwise never discover it.

Relationship Building

Some nofollow links come from websites, publications, communities, and social platforms that can help you build relationships with publishers and industry professionals.

Those relationships can lead to future opportunities.

Where Do Nofollow Backlinks Come From?

Nofollow backlinks can come from many different sources.

Common examples include:

Social media websites.

Forums.

Blog comments.

News publications.

User generated content platforms.

Sponsored content.

Some guest posts.

Some directories.

Q&A websites.

Industry communities.

Profile pages.

Editorial websites.

The exact implementation depends on the website and its linking policy.

Nofollow Links From Social Media

Social media websites are a common source of links that may not function like traditional followed editorial links.

When you share your website on social platforms, users can still click those links and visit your pages.

Social media promotion can therefore support your SEO strategy indirectly.

For example, you publish a comprehensive SEO guide.

You share it on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and other relevant platforms.

Industry professionals discover the guide.

Some may reference it in their own articles.

The social links themselves may not be traditional followed backlinks, but the visibility they create can lead to additional organic mentions and links.

Nofollow Links From Forums

Forums can generate nofollow links, depending on the platform.

However, you should never use forums simply as a backlink dumping ground.

Instead, find communities where your expertise is relevant.

Answer questions properly.

Provide useful explanations.

Share your resources only when they genuinely answer the question and community rules allow it.

A helpful forum contribution can generate referral traffic and build your reputation even when the link is nofollow.

Nofollow Links From Blog Comments

Many blogging platforms automatically apply nofollow or similar attributes to comment links.

That means blog comments are generally not a strong primary link building strategy.

However, thoughtful comments can still help you participate in industry discussions.

If you comment, focus on adding something useful to the conversation.

Avoid comments such as:

“Great article. Visit my website.”

That type of comment provides little value and can look like spam.

Nofollow Links From News Websites

News websites may use nofollow or other link attributes depending on the circumstances.

A mention from a reputable publication can still be extremely valuable from a branding and traffic perspective.

For example, imagine a news article discussing an SEO study you published.

The article links to your research using a nofollow attribute.

Readers can still visit your website.

Other journalists can discover your research.

Your company receives exposure.

The link therefore has value beyond traditional link equity.

Nofollow and Sponsored Links

Sponsored or paid placements require special consideration.

Google introduced additional link attributes, including rel=”sponsored”, to help identify links created as part of advertisements, sponsorships, or other paid arrangements.

If a link is paid or sponsored, you should use the appropriate attribute according to the platform’s requirements and search engine guidelines.

Do not buy links purely to manipulate search rankings.

Nofollow vs Sponsored vs UGC

Modern websites can use several link attributes.

Nofollow

The nofollow attribute indicates that the publisher does not want the link treated as a standard endorsement.

Sponsored

The sponsored attribute is intended for links created as part of advertisements, sponsorships, or other compensated arrangements.

UGC

The ugc attribute means user generated content.

It can be used for links created by users, such as links in forum posts and comments.

For example:

<a href=”https://example.com” rel=”ugc”>Example</a>

A website can also combine attributes when appropriate.

For example:

rel=”nofollow sponsored”

The correct attribute depends on why the link exists.

How to Check Whether a Backlink Is Nofollow

You can manually check the HTML of a webpage.

Open the page containing the backlink.

Right click on the link.

Select Inspect or Inspect Element.

Look at the HTML code for the link.

If you see:

rel=”nofollow”

the link has the nofollow attribute.

You can also use SEO browser extensions and backlink analysis tools to identify link attributes more efficiently.

How to Find Nofollow Backlinks

If you want to analyze your existing backlink profile, tools such as Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz, and Majestic can help identify backlinks and their attributes.

Start by entering your domain into the backlink analysis tool.

Review the referring domains.

Look at individual backlinks.

Check whether the links are followed, nofollow, sponsored, UGC, or otherwise categorized.

Then analyze which sources are actually generating traffic and brand visibility.

Do not judge the value of a backlink based only on whether it is marked nofollow.

Step by Step: How to Build Useful Nofollow Backlinks

Step 1: Identify Your Best Pages

Start with pages that provide genuine value.

These could be:

Detailed guides.

Original research.

Case studies.

Free tools.

Industry statistics.

Templates.

Service pages.

Useful resources.

Step 2: Find Relevant Websites

Search for websites where your target audience spends time.

Look for publications, communities, forums, Q&A websites, industry organizations, and social platforms.

Relevance should be your first filter.

Step 3: Study Their Linking Policies

Before submitting content or contacting a publisher, check their rules.

Some websites automatically make user generated links nofollow.

Others use sponsored or UGC attributes.

Knowing the policy helps you set realistic expectations.

Step 4: Create Something Worth Sharing

Do not start by asking for a backlink.

Start by creating something useful.

For example, publish a detailed guide that answers a difficult question better than most existing resources.

Step 5: Promote the Content

Share your resource with relevant communities and industry professionals.

Use social media.

Participate in discussions.

Reach out to publishers.

Contact people who have previously covered similar topics.

Step 6: Participate in Industry Communities

Join relevant communities and contribute regularly.

Answer questions.

Share practical experience.

Help other members.

When appropriate, reference your own resource.

Step 7: Use Expert Contributions

Look for opportunities to provide expert commentary to journalists, publications, podcasts, newsletters, and industry websites.

A published expert contribution can increase brand visibility and potentially generate a backlink.

Step 8: Track Your Results

Record where your links are published.

Track referral traffic.

Monitor brand mentions.

Check new referring domains.

Look for increases in organic visibility over time.

This helps you understand which activities are actually producing results.

Should You Build Nofollow Backlinks Intentionally?

Yes, but with the right objective.

You should not create hundreds of nofollow links simply to make your backlink count larger.

Instead, pursue links because they can provide:

Relevant traffic.

Brand exposure.

Audience access.

Industry credibility.

Content discovery.

Relationship opportunities.

Potential secondary links.

If a valuable website offers you a nofollow link, that does not automatically mean you should reject the opportunity.

How to Use Nofollow Backlinks in a Link Building Strategy

A strong SEO campaign should not be built around one type of backlink.

Instead, combine several legitimate strategies.

Create high quality content.

Earn editorial links.

Build relationships with relevant websites.

Use digital PR.

Promote original research.

Contribute expert insights.

Participate in relevant communities.

Build legitimate business citations.

Use guest contributions where appropriate.

Promote content through social channels.

This creates a broader and more sustainable approach to link building.

Common Nofollow Backlink Mistakes

Mistake 1: Thinking Nofollow Means Useless

A nofollow link can still generate traffic and visibility.

Mistake 2: Chasing Quantity

Thousands of low quality links are not necessarily better than a few relevant links.

Mistake 3: Ignoring Referral Traffic

Sometimes the biggest value of a backlink is the audience it sends to your website.

Mistake 4: Spamming Communities

Posting links everywhere can damage your reputation and may violate community rules.

Mistake 5: Focusing Only on SEO Metrics

Domain metrics do not tell the entire story.

Look at relevance, audience, trust, and traffic.

Mistake 6: Buying Links for Ranking Manipulation

Paid link schemes designed to manipulate rankings can create SEO risks.

How Many Nofollow Backlinks Do You Need?

There is no magic number.

You do not need a specific percentage of nofollow links.

Your backlink profile should develop naturally based on your content, marketing activities, publicity, partnerships, and audience.

Instead of setting a target such as “100 nofollow links,” focus on earning links from relevant websites that can actually benefit your business.

Do Nofollow Backlinks Help With Referral Traffic?

Absolutely.

A nofollow attribute does not prevent users from clicking the link.

If your link appears in a popular article, forum discussion, newsletter, or publication, it can generate valuable referral visits.

For example, a nofollow backlink from a website with thousands of relevant readers could send more qualified traffic than a followed backlink from a website that receives almost no visitors.

This is why traffic should always be considered when evaluating backlink opportunities.

Do Nofollow Backlinks Help Build Authority?

They can contribute to your broader online authority and visibility, although you should distinguish this from direct ranking signals.

When your company is consistently mentioned across reputable websites, communities, publications, and industry resources, more people become familiar with your brand.

That increased visibility can lead to searches, mentions, shares, citations, and additional backlinks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a nofollow backlink?

A nofollow backlink is a link containing the rel=”nofollow” attribute. It tells search engines that the publisher does not want the link treated as a standard followed endorsement.

Are nofollow backlinks bad?

No. Nofollow backlinks are not inherently bad. They can provide referral traffic, brand exposure, content discovery, and other marketing benefits.

Are nofollow backlinks useful for SEO?

Yes, they can be useful as part of a broader SEO strategy. However, you should not assume that every nofollow link will directly pass ranking credit.

Can nofollow links increase traffic?

Yes. Users can click nofollow links and visit your website. A link on a popular, relevant website can generate valuable referral traffic.

Should I remove nofollow backlinks?

Usually, there is no reason to remove a legitimate nofollow backlink simply because it is nofollow. Evaluate the website, context, traffic, and overall quality before making a decision.

What is the difference between nofollow and dofollow backlinks?

A nofollow backlink contains the rel=”nofollow” attribute. A normal link without that attribute is generally treated as a followed link unless other instructions affect it.

Are social media links nofollow?

Social platforms can apply their own link attributes and policies. You should not assume that every social media link works exactly the same way. The important benefit is that social links can drive visibility, traffic, and content discovery.

Should I buy nofollow backlinks?

You should not buy links solely to manipulate search rankings. If you pay for advertising or sponsorship, use the appropriate link attributes and follow the publisher’s and search engine’s guidelines.

Conclusion

Nofollow backlinks are not useless backlinks.

They are simply a different type of link signal.

A nofollow link can send referral traffic, increase brand visibility, help users discover your website, support content promotion, and contribute to a diverse backlink profile.

The best strategy is not to obsess over whether every backlink is followed or nofollow. Instead, focus on earning relevant, trustworthy, useful links from websites that your target audience actually visits.

Create valuable content, participate in relevant communities, build relationships with publishers, promote original research, contribute expert insights, and track the results.

When you combine these activities consistently, nofollow backlinks can become a valuable part of a broader SEO and digital marketing strategy.