How to Find Dofollow Backlinks: 15 Actionable Steps

If you’ve ever asked “how to find dofollow backlinks” and felt overwhelmed by tools, jargon, and endless outreach templates, this guide is for you. Dofollow backlinks remain one of the strongest signals search engines use to evaluate a site’s authority and topical relevance when used ethically. This article explains not only where and how to find dofollow backlinks but also how to evaluate them, prioritize opportunities, approach outreach, and avoid the traps that will harm your site. Throughout, the focus keyword — how to find dofollow backlinks — appears naturally to keep the article actionable and friendly for both humans and on-page SEO tools like Yoast.

Why dofollow backlinks matter 

Search engines treat backlinks as votes of confidence. A dofollow backlink is an HTML link that passes link equity — sometimes called “authority” or “link juice.” While the entire SEO ecosystem has evolved (quality matters far more than quantity), correctly targeted dofollow links can still accelerate rankings, referral traffic, and visibility for key pages. Learning how to find dofollow backlinks means learning how to find votes that actually matter: relevant, authoritative, and editorially placed links.

Before you start: set goals and guardrails

Before hunting for links, define what success looks like. Are you trying to boost a product page, a cornerstone blog post, or an entire domain? Set realistic KPIs: organic traffic, keyword ranking improvements, domain visibility, or just referral clicks. Decide what you’ll accept as a link — guest post links, author bios, resource pages, .edu domains — and what you’ll avoid (e.g., paid links that are not disclosed, low-quality directories). These guardrails keep outreach efficient and ethical.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Find Dofollow Backlinks

Step 1 — Audit your current link profile

Start by understanding where you already have links and which of them are dofollow. Export your backlinks from your chosen backlink tool and your Google Search Console (GSC) Links report. Collate the data and flag pages that link to you with dofollow attributes versus nofollow. This historical view helps you identify patterns — what types of sites link to you today, from which geographies, and which content types attract dofollow links.

Step 2 — Define high-value target pages and anchor strategy

Decide which pages deserve new dofollow links and why. A homepage link may be great for brand authority; a long-form guide deserves contextual dofollow links from topical blogs. Map target keywords and craft anchor text guidelines: a mix of branded anchors, long-tail variations, and natural phrases that don’t over-optimize. Clear priorities will guide your prospecting and outreach.

Step 3 — Run competitor backlink research

One of the fastest ways to learn how to find dofollow backlinks is to study competitors. Use backlink tools to pull the link profiles of top rivals for your target keywords. Look for patterns: guest post domains, resource pages, popular industry blogs, and recurring referring domains. These domains represent proven places where editors are already linking to similar content — prime prospects for your outreach.

Step 4 — Use Google search operators and manual prospecting

Search operators are simple, powerful, and free. Use queries like “intitle: resources inurl :links site:.edu” or “intitle:‘best resources’ + [topic]” to find pages that frequently link out. Look for “resources,” “recommended reading,” “further reading,” and “links” pages in your niche. When you find a page, inspect the link HTML or use your backlink tool to confirm the link is dofollow. Manual prospecting uncovers gems that automated lists miss because it surfaces the editorial context.

Step 5 — Target resource pages and curated lists

Resource pages often link to helpful guides and tools; they can provide strong dofollow links when your content fits. When approaching resource curators, explain clearly why your content adds value to their list. A short, personalized pitch that references an exact paragraph or link placement increases success. Always confirm existing links are dofollow before investing outreach effort.

Step 6 — Guest posting on reputable, relevant sites

Guest posts remain a reliable way to earn contextual dofollow links when done correctly. Prioritize sites with genuine editorial standards, relevant audiences, and a clean link profile. When contacting editors, propose specific topics that match their audience and include a concise outline. Build relationships first — editors are more likely to give editorial dofollow placements to authors they trust.

Step 7 — Broken link building: provide a replacement that’s better

Broken link building is tactical and highly effective. Identify broken outbound links on authoritative pages in your niche, then offer your content as a replacement. This approach is inherently win-win: you help improve the linking page and earn a relevant dofollow link. Be precise in your outreach: cite the broken URL, explain why your page is a good fit, and offer to make the update painless.

Step 8 — Unlinked mentions and brand monitoring

Many websites mention brands without linking. Set up alerts and use mention tools to find unlinked mentions. When you find one, reach out to the author or webmaster and politely request a link, ideally a dofollow link placed contextually. Offer the exact URL and suggested anchor text to make it easy for them.

Step 9 — Leverage HARO and expert roundups

Help A Reporter Out (HARO) and expert roundups are opportunities to get dofollow links from media and niche publishers. Respond with succinct, original insights and include a short author bio with your site link if allowed. Be selective and timely: quality responses are more likely to be published and yield dofollow links.

Step 10 — Use link reclamation for expired domains and rebrands

If your site or brand formerly used a different domain or name, reclaim links that still point to the old URL. Redirects help, but reaching out to ask for updated links can convert weak redirects into direct dofollow links with cleaner signals. The same applies to mentions of old brand names or product names.

Step 11 — Build content that naturally attracts dofollow links

Some of the best dofollow links are earned, not requested. Create research, original data, interactive tools, and in-depth guides that become authoritative resources. The better the content, the more likely blogs, news sites, and resource curators will link naturally. Invest in promotion and outreach to amplify, but remember that exceptional content reduces long-term acquisition costs.

Step 12 — Identify niche directories and association links (careful selection)

Not all directories are spammy. Industry associations, trade organizations, and well-moderated directories can provide legitimate dofollow links. Vet these sites by checking editorial standards, domain quality, and relevance. Avoid bulk submission directories and automated listings that offer no editorial value.

Step 13 — Analyze link metrics and filter for quality

Not all dofollow links are equal. Use metrics like domain authority (DA), domain rating (DR), organic traffic estimates, referring domains, and topical relevance to evaluate prospects. Also check link placement: editorial in-content links carry far more weight than footer or sidebar links. Prioritize fewer high-quality dofollow links over many low-value ones.

Step 14 — Outreach at scale while staying personalized

Scale is vital, but so is personalization. Build outreach templates that are easily customizable: reference one or two specifics about the prospect, suggest a relevant piece from your site, and explain the benefit to their audience. Track responses, follow up politely, and refine subject lines and pitch frames based on what converts.

Step 15 — Track, verify, and report your acquired dofollow links

After a link is published, verify whether it’s dofollow and where it sits on the page. Use backlink monitoring tools and manual checks to ensure links remain live and unchanged. Create a reporting dashboard with acquisition dates, anchor text, link location, and estimated referral traffic so you can measure impact on rankings and traffic.

Tools and tactics that make the hunt efficient

Backlink explorers like Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, and Majestic provide large-scale backlink data and filters to show only dofollow links. Google Search Console gives authoritative data for your own domain. Complement tools with manual checks: view page source to see rel attributes and inspect link placement. Use alerts and monitoring tools to catch unlinked mentions quickly. Tools speed discovery, but judgment determines quality.

How to evaluate a dofollow opportunity: checklist in prose

When you find a potential link, ask yourself: Is the linking domain topically relevant? Does it have organic traffic and editorial signals? Is the link editorially placed in content (not footers or comment sections)? Is the link dofollow (no rel=”nofollow” or rel=”sponsored”)? Would the anchor text look natural? If the answer to most of these is yes, the opportunity is worth pursuing.

Outreach templates — make it human, not robotic

Successful outreach is brief, specific, and value-driven. Open by referencing a recent post or the exact page you want to be included on. Explain why your resource fits and how it will benefit their readers. Offer to help with fixes (in the case of broken links) or suggest a guest post idea with a short outline. Close with gratitude and a simple call to action. Personalization beats generic messages every time.

Common mistakes when looking for dofollow backlinks (and how to avoid them)

Chasing metrics alone without topical relevance leads to noisy links. Overusing exact-match anchor text creates over-optimization risk. Relying on low-quality guest post networks or paying for links (without proper disclosure) risks penalties. Avoid mass submissions to directories, and don’t accept links that appear in spammy or irrelevant contexts. Focus on editorially placed, relevant dofollow links.

Measuring impact: what to expect and when

High-quality dofollow links can improve rankings and referral traffic, but results take time. Expect incremental changes over weeks to months, and track both rankings and organic traffic. Some links deliver immediate referral clicks; others contribute to cumulative authority that helps multiple pages. Use controlled experiments when possible: build a campaign targeting a small set of keywords and measure changes pre- and post-acquisition.

Ethics, safety, and long-term strategy

Search engines reward natural, editorially earned links. Avoid schemes that promise thousands of links overnight. If you buy links, be mindful of Google’s guidelines and the disclosure requirements by publishers — always prefer transparency. The long game — publishing great content, building genuine relationships, and contributing to your niche — wins sustainably.

Realistic timelines and priorities

A one-off guest post may yield a dofollow link in 2 to 8 weeks. Broken link outreach can convert faster if the webmaster is responsive. Building a portfolio of high-quality links typically spans months. Prioritize quick wins (resource pages, unlinked mentions) alongside long-term plays (research, flagship content).

A short case example (an illustrative scenario)

Imagine a SaaS company that wants to rank for “project time tracking.” They audit competitors and find several authoritative blogs linking to competitor guides. The team creates a longer, data-backed guide, then runs broken-link outreach to those same blogs, pitches guest post ideas to adjacent productivity blogs, and monitors unlinked mentions. Within three months they earn several editorial dofollow links and see steady ranking improvements for mid-tail keywords. The key: research, targeted content, and consistent outreach.

Advanced tactics 

Reclaiming links from outdated pages, using co-authored pieces to tap into partner audiences, and sponsoring high-quality research (which gets cited) are advanced ways to earn dofollow links. Each tactic requires ethical execution and transparency. Steer clear of automated link farms, private blog networks (PBNs), and mass low-quality directories.

How to maintain link health over time?

Links can disappear, be altered to nofollow, or be removed. Regularly monitor your backlink profile and set up alerts. If a high-value link is removed, consider polite outreach to request reinstatement. Maintain a balanced link profile with a mix of follow and natural nofollow links — a healthy profile looks organic.

Middle Section Reminder: where the keyword appears

At this point, you should have a clear method for how to find dofollow backlinks: run competitor analysis, use search operators, mine resource pages, pitch guest posts, reclaim unlinked mentions, and create link-worthy content. The practical combination of tools and human outreach is what separates theories from results.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is a dofollow backlink, and how does it differ from nofollow?
A dofollow backlink passes SEO value from the linking site to the linked site, while a nofollow link includes an attribute (rel=”nofollow”) telling crawlers not to pass link equity. Both types can send referral traffic, but dofollow links typically influence ranking signals more directly.

Can I use free tools to find dofollow backlinks?
Yes. Google Search Console, Google search operators, manual site inspections, and free backlink reports from some tools can help you discover where dofollow links exist. Paid tools provide scale and filtering features that speed discovery for larger campaigns.

Are guest post links still worth pursuing?
When guest posts appear on reputable, relevant sites and include editorial in-content links, they remain valuable. Avoid low-quality networks or sites that accept paid guest posts without editorial oversight.

How many dofollow backlinks do I need to rank?
There’s no fixed number. Relevance, quality, anchor diversity, and the competitive landscape determine how many links you need. One high-quality, relevant dofollow link can outperform dozens of low-quality links.

What anchor text should I use when requesting links?
Prefer natural, varied anchor text: branded anchors, descriptive phrases, and long-tail variations. Avoid overusing exact-match anchors, which can look manipulative to search engines.

How do I check if a link is dofollow?
Inspect the page source or use the browser inspector to view the link’s HTML. If the link does not contain rel=”nofollow”, rel=”sponsored”, or rel=”ugc”, it is typically a dofollow link. Backlink tools also often display link attributes.

Is it safe to buy links to get dofollow backlinks?
Buying links can be risky. If the publisher properly discloses sponsored content and the link is marked accordingly, some sites provide paid placements. However, buying links to manipulate rankings (without disclosure) can violate search engine guidelines and lead to penalties. Prioritize transparent, high-value partnerships.

Conclusion

Learning how to find dofollow backlinks is a mix of research, creativity, and relationship building. Start with a solid audit, prioritize high-value target pages, mine competitor profiles and resource pages, and use a combination of guest posting, broken link replacement, and content creation to earn editorial placements. Measure results, refine your approach, and always favor quality and relevance over quantity. When done right, a focused dofollow link strategy accelerates visibility, drives targeted referral traffic, and builds lasting authority for your site.

If you follow the step-by-step process in this guide and keep the focus on relevance and editorial value, you’ll be able to systematically discover and acquire the kinds of dofollow backlinks that genuinely move the needle.