Ten specialists who work with link attributes, link building strategy, and technical SEO answered one question: what role do nofollow links play in modern search optimization? Their perspectives span algorithm mechanics, link profile analysis, outreach strategy, risk management, and competitive intelligence.
A nofollow link is a hyperlink that includes a rel=”nofollow” attribute in its HTML code, signaling to search engines that the linking site does not want to pass ranking credit to the linked page. When Google introduced the nofollow attribute in 2005, the original purpose was combating comment spam: website owners could add nofollow to user-generated links to prevent spammers from gaining SEO benefit from posting links in comments, forums, and guestbooks.
The attribute tells search engines that the link exists but shouldn’t be treated as an editorial endorsement for ranking purposes. In technical terms, a standard link passes link equity from the linking page to the destination page, contributing to the destination’s ranking potential. A nofollow link traditionally did not pass this equity, creating a distinction between links that influence rankings and links that don’t.
Google has since evolved its treatment of nofollow. In 2019, Google announced that nofollow would be treated as a hint rather than a directive, meaning Google may choose to consider nofollow links for ranking purposes in some cases rather than ignoring them entirely. This shift, along with the introduction of additional attributes like rel=”sponsored” for paid links and rel=”ugc” for user-generated content, changed how practitioners think about nofollow links and their strategic value.
M. Lindström, Search Algorithm Researcher
I study how search engines process links, and the evolution of nofollow reflects Google’s ongoing effort to understand link intent rather than just link existence.
The original nofollow implementation was binary: either a link passed value or it didn’t. Website owners adding nofollow told Google “I don’t vouch for this link,” and Google responded by not counting that link in ranking calculations. This solved the immediate spam problem but created new complications. Legitimate links on Wikipedia, major news sites, and authoritative platforms were all nofollowed, meaning valuable editorial signals were being discarded simply because those sites applied nofollow as blanket policy.
The 2019 shift to treating nofollow as a hint acknowledged this limitation. Google now reserves the right to evaluate nofollowed links and decide whether they contain useful ranking signals worth considering. A nofollow link from the New York Times might carry more implicit endorsement value than the attribute suggests, and Google’s systems can potentially recognize and use that signal.
This doesn’t mean nofollow links now equal followed links. The attribute still communicates publisher intent, and Google likely weights that intent in its calculations. But the strict binary distinction has softened. Practitioners should understand that nofollow links exist on a spectrum of potential value rather than being categorically worthless for rankings.
J. Okafor, Link Profile Analyst
I audit backlink profiles, and nofollow links are a normal, expected component of healthy link profiles. Their presence isn’t a problem; their absence might be.
Organic link profiles contain a mix of followed and nofollowed links because that’s what natural linking produces. When real websites link to content, some of those links come from platforms that nofollow by default: social media, forums, Wikipedia, many news sites, blog comments where owners use nofollow as standard practice. A profile with zero nofollow links actually looks unnatural because it suggests only deliberate link building occurred, with no organic mentions across the broader web.
When I analyze profiles, I look at the nofollow ratio as one health indicator. Based on patterns I’ve observed, organic profiles often show somewhere between 20 and 40 percent nofollow links, though this varies considerably by industry, brand recognition, and site type. A site frequently discussed on social media and forums might have higher nofollow percentages. A site in a niche with less social activity might have lower percentages. These ranges are observations of what natural linking tends to produce, not targets to engineer toward.
Profiles with suspiciously low nofollow ratios sometimes indicate manipulation. If someone built links exclusively through tactics that produce followed links while avoiding all the natural channels that produce nofollow links, the resulting profile looks artificial. Nofollow links, somewhat counterintuitively, contribute to profile naturalness.
R. Andersson, Digital PR Specialist
I earn links through media coverage, and many of the most valuable placements I secure come with nofollow attributes. I pursue them anyway because their value extends beyond direct ranking impact.
Major publications increasingly nofollow external links as editorial policy. The New York Times, Forbes, Business Insider, and many other authoritative outlets add nofollow to outbound links by default. When I secure coverage in these publications, the resulting links are nofollowed, yet these placements remain among the most valuable I deliver to clients.
The value comes from multiple channels. Referral traffic from authoritative publications can be substantial and highly qualified. A mention in a major publication drives direct visitors who click through to learn more. Brand visibility and credibility from association with respected outlets matters for business outcomes beyond SEO. The coverage itself often triggers secondary coverage and links from other sources, some of which may be followed.
There’s also the hint factor to consider. A nofollow link from the New York Times still communicates something to Google about your site’s relevance and credibility, even if the attribute limits direct equity transfer. Given Google’s treatment of nofollow as a hint, these high-authority nofollowed links may contribute more to rankings than their attribute suggests.
I advise clients not to dismiss nofollow links from authoritative sources. The publication’s credibility matters more than the link attribute in many cases.
A. Nakamura, Link Building Strategist
I build links for clients, and my approach to nofollow has evolved as Google’s treatment has evolved. Nofollow links are no longer categorically excluded from link building value.
In the past, link builders sometimes avoided opportunities that would produce nofollow links, reasoning that effort should focus exclusively on followed links that directly impact rankings. This made sense under the old binary model but may be too rigid today.
My current framework considers total link value rather than just equity transfer. A link opportunity might provide: direct ranking signal (strongest for followed links but potentially present for nofollowed links under the hint model), referral traffic (independent of link attribute), brand exposure (independent of link attribute), and relationship building with the publisher (potentially leading to future followed opportunities).
A nofollow link from a highly relevant, high-traffic industry publication often scores higher on total value than a followed link from an obscure, low-traffic site with no audience. The context matters more than the attribute.
I still prioritize followed links when all else is equal, but I no longer automatically dismiss nofollow opportunities. Some of the highest-impact placements I’ve achieved for clients were technically nofollowed but delivered meaningful business results through traffic, credibility, and potential indirect ranking effects.
K. Villanueva, Technical SEO Consultant
I work with site architecture and link attributes, and understanding when to use nofollow on your own outbound links is as important as understanding incoming nofollow links.
Website owners control the attributes on links they create. Adding nofollow to outbound links signals that you don’t editorially endorse the destination or don’t want to pass ranking credit for some reason. Appropriate uses include: links to untrusted content you reference but don’t vouch for, links within user-generated content where you can’t verify quality, paid links or sponsored content where the link resulted from compensation, and affiliate links where the relationship is commercial rather than editorial.
Using nofollow appropriately protects your site’s credibility with search engines. If you link to low-quality sites without nofollow, you’re implicitly endorsing them. If you participate in link schemes where money changes hands for followed links, you risk penalties. Nofollow allows you to link where necessary without passing endorsement.
The 2019 update also introduced rel=”sponsored” for paid links and rel=”ugc” for user-generated content. These more specific attributes help Google understand link context better than generic nofollow. While nofollow remains valid, the newer attributes provide clearer signals about why a link isn’t being vouched for editorially.
S. Santos, Penalty Recovery Specialist
I help sites recover from Google penalties, and nofollow has historically been one tool for addressing problematic link profiles, though its role has evolved.
In the past, some practitioners tried to mitigate penalties by contacting linking sites and asking them to add nofollow to problematic links, reasoning that nofollowed links couldn’t hurt rankings. This was an alternative to getting links removed entirely or disavowing them through Google’s disavow tool.
The effectiveness of this approach is now less clear given the hint model. If Google can choose to consider nofollowed links, then a nofollowed spam link might still carry negative signal, just weighted differently. Disavowing remains the more reliable method for addressing toxic links because it explicitly tells Google to ignore specific links in ranking calculations regardless of their attributes.
That said, nofollow still matters for prevention. If your site accepts user-generated content, guest posts, or comments, implementing nofollow on those outbound links by default prevents your site from inadvertently participating in link schemes. You can’t control what links users post, but you can ensure those links don’t pass value and don’t expose your site to manipulation.
For penalty recovery specifically, I focus on disavow for incoming toxic links and proper nofollow implementation for outbound link hygiene going forward.
T. Foster, Content Platform Manager
I manage content platforms where user-generated links are common, and nofollow is essential infrastructure for maintaining site quality and search standing.
Any platform accepting user submissions faces link spam risk. Forums, blog comments, profile pages, community boards, and content aggregators all attract spammers seeking to place links for SEO benefit. Without nofollow, every user-submitted link would pass value to potentially spam destinations, associating your site with manipulation schemes.
Implementing nofollow on user-generated links by default removes the spam incentive. Spammers seeking SEO value won’t waste time posting on platforms that don’t pass equity. This reduces spam volume and improves content quality. The spammers who remain are seeking referral traffic rather than link equity, which is a smaller and more manageable problem.
The rel=”ugc” attribute introduced in 2019 provides even clearer signaling for user-generated content. Using ugc tells Google explicitly that the link came from user contributions rather than editorial decision-making. I’ve migrated most platforms I manage from generic nofollow to ugc for user-submitted links, providing Google with better context about link origins.
For platforms with mixed content, I implement tiered link policies: editorial content links can be followed when editors vouch for destinations, while user-submitted links are automatically ugc or nofollow. This preserves legitimate link signals while protecting against abuse.
C. Bergström, Competitive Link Analyst
I analyze competitor backlink profiles, and nofollow distribution patterns reveal strategic information about how competitors built their profiles.
When I examine a competitor’s links, I segment by follow status. A profile with very few nofollow links despite apparent activity on social platforms, forums, and media sites might indicate that their followed links came from deliberate building while organic mentions aren’t translating into links. Alternatively, it might indicate aggressive link building focused exclusively on followed opportunities.
A profile with high nofollow percentages from authoritative sources suggests strong brand presence and PR activity. Those nofollow links from major publications indicate the competitor is earning coverage even though the direct SEO benefit is limited by the attribute. This represents competitive strength that doesn’t show up in simple followed-link counts.
I also examine where competitors’ followed links come from versus where their nofollow links come from. If followed links cluster around guest posts and directory-style sites while nofollow links come from organic mentions and high-authority coverage, that pattern reveals the link building versus earned media split in their strategy.
Understanding competitor nofollow patterns helps me calibrate expectations and strategy. If competitors in a space have strong nofollow profiles from PR and social presence, matching their ranking performance may require similar brand-building activity beyond traditional followed link acquisition.
E. Kowalski, SEO Measurement Specialist
I measure SEO performance, and attributing value to nofollow links requires looking beyond direct ranking impact.
Traditional link metrics focus on followed links because those directly influence domain authority scores and ranking potential in most tools. Nofollow links are often filtered out or weighted minimally. This creates measurement blind spots when nofollow links deliver real business value through non-ranking channels.
I track referral traffic from nofollow link sources to quantify their contribution. A nofollow link from a major publication that drives 500 qualified visitors delivers measurable value regardless of ranking impact. I also track brand mention velocity around nofollow placements because increased brand searches following coverage may indirectly benefit rankings through other signals.
For comprehensive link building ROI, I’ve developed composite value metrics that weight links by: estimated direct ranking impact (favoring followed links from authoritative relevant sources), referral traffic potential (independent of attribute), brand exposure value (based on source reach and relevance), and relationship asset value (likelihood of future opportunities with the publisher).
Under this framework, a nofollow link from a major industry publication often scores higher than a followed link from an obscure site because the traffic, exposure, and relationship components outweigh the direct ranking difference.
H. Johansson, SEO Risk Consultant
I advise on SEO risk, and nofollow is central to compliance when links involve commercial relationships.
Google’s guidelines require that links resulting from payment, sponsorship, or commercial exchange not pass PageRank. This means sponsored content, paid placements, affiliate links, and any link where compensation influenced its existence should carry nofollow, sponsored, or similar attributes. Failing to attribute paid links violates guidelines and risks penalties for both the linking site and the destination.
The risk calculus matters for both sides. If you’re placing sponsored content and the publisher doesn’t nofollow your links, you could face penalties for participating in a link scheme even though you didn’t control the publisher’s implementation. I advise clients to require nofollow or sponsored attributes in sponsored content agreements and verify implementation before considering placements complete.
For sites accepting paid content or sponsored posts, implementing proper attributes isn’t optional. Google has issued penalties to major publishers for selling followed links through sponsored content programs. The penalties affect both ranking performance and reputation.
The 2019 introduction of rel=”sponsored” specifically for paid links provides clearer compliance mechanism. Using sponsored rather than generic nofollow explicitly acknowledges the commercial relationship, which may be viewed more favorably than using nofollow to obscure commercial intent.
My compliance checklist includes: affiliate links marked nofollow or sponsored, sponsored content links marked appropriately, clear policies for any content accepting payment, and regular audits verifying implementation.
Synthesis
Lindström explains nofollow’s evolution from binary directive to hint, establishing that Google now potentially considers nofollowed links for ranking rather than ignoring them entirely. Okafor positions nofollow links as normal components of healthy link profiles whose presence actually indicates organic activity across the web. Andersson argues that nofollow links from authoritative sources deliver substantial value through traffic, brand exposure, and potential indirect ranking effects despite the attribute. Nakamura advocates evaluating total link value rather than dismissing opportunities solely because they’re nofollowed. Villanueva details when and how to apply nofollow to outbound links, including the newer sponsored and ugc attributes. Santos addresses nofollow’s role in penalty context, noting that disavow remains more reliable for addressing toxic links while nofollow helps prevent future problems. Foster describes nofollow as essential infrastructure for user-generated content platforms, removing spam incentives while protecting site quality. Bergström uses nofollow distribution patterns in competitive analysis to understand rival strategies and brand presence. Kowalski builds measurement frameworks that capture nofollow link value beyond direct ranking impact. Johansson frames nofollow as a compliance requirement for commercial link relationships, essential for avoiding penalties when payment influences link placement.
The perspectives converge on key points. Nofollow links deliver value beyond their limited direct ranking impact, contributing to profile naturalness, driving traffic, building brand credibility, and potentially carrying some ranking signal under Google’s hint model. Proper nofollow implementation on outbound links protects sites from penalty risk and manipulation association. The binary mental model of followed versus nofollowed has softened since 2019 but hasn’t disappeared entirely.
The perspectives diverge on prioritization. Some practitioners still weight followed links significantly higher in opportunity evaluation. Others assess links holistically and pursue valuable nofollowed placements actively. The appropriate approach depends on whether goals emphasize direct ranking impact versus traffic, brand building, and relationship development.
The practical implication is that nofollow should inform but not dictate link strategy. Links from authoritative, relevant sources often deliver value regardless of attribute. Proper nofollow implementation on your own outbound links remains essential for compliance and site hygiene. Understanding nofollow’s nuanced role helps practitioners make better decisions about which opportunities to pursue and how to evaluate link building success.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between nofollow, sponsored, and ugc attributes?
All three signal that a link shouldn’t pass full editorial endorsement for ranking purposes, but they provide different context. Nofollow is the general attribute indicating the publisher doesn’t vouch for the link. Sponsored specifically indicates the link resulted from payment or commercial arrangement. Ugc (user-generated content) indicates the link was created by users rather than editorial staff. Google treats all three as hints rather than strict directives and may still consider the links in some capacity.
Do nofollow links help SEO at all?
Nofollow links can contribute to SEO in several ways. Under Google’s hint model, some nofollow links may still pass ranking signals, particularly from highly authoritative sources. Nofollow links contribute to a natural-looking link profile, which itself supports overall site health. They drive referral traffic that can lead to engagement signals. They create brand exposure that may generate followed links from secondary sources. The value varies by source authority and relevance.
Should I pursue nofollow link opportunities?
Yes, when the source is authoritative and relevant. A nofollow link from a major publication in your industry delivers traffic, credibility, and potential indirect ranking benefits that often exceed the value of followed links from obscure, irrelevant sites. Evaluate total link value rather than dismissing opportunities based solely on the nofollow attribute.
What percentage of my link profile should be nofollow?
There is no ideal target percentage. Organic profiles typically contain 20 to 40 percent nofollow links from natural activity across social platforms, forums, media sites, and other sources that nofollow by default. These ranges vary significantly by industry and brand presence. Profiles with unusually low nofollow percentages can appear unnatural, suggesting only deliberate link building occurred without organic brand mentions.
When should I add nofollow to my outbound links?
Add nofollow or more specific attributes to: links in user-generated content you cannot editorially verify, paid or sponsored links where compensation influenced placement, affiliate links with commercial relationships, links to content you reference but don’t endorse, and any link where you don’t want to pass editorial vouching to the destination.
Can nofollow links hurt my site?
Incoming nofollow links generally cannot hurt your site because the attribute limits their ranking influence. However, if you fail to nofollow outbound paid links, you risk penalties for participating in link schemes. The risk applies to your outbound link practices rather than incoming nofollowed links to your site.
Has nofollow changed since Google’s 2019 announcement?
Yes. Before 2019, nofollow was a directive that Google followed strictly, ignoring nofollowed links for ranking purposes. Since 2019, Google treats nofollow as a hint and may choose to consider nofollowed links in some cases. Google also introduced sponsored and ugc attributes for more specific signaling. The change softened the binary distinction between followed and nofollowed links.
How do I check if a link is nofollow?
Inspect the link’s HTML code by right-clicking and viewing page source or using browser developer tools. Look for rel=”nofollow”, rel=”sponsored”, or rel=”ugc” within the anchor tag. SEO browser extensions and backlink analysis tools can also identify link attributes automatically across larger link sets.
Should I disavow nofollow links I didn’t build?
Generally no. Nofollow links from sources you didn’t build rarely warrant disavowing because the attribute already limits their influence. Disavow is most appropriate for followed toxic links or clear manipulation patterns. Random nofollow links from unknown sources are typically harmless and don’t require action.
Do social media links count as nofollow?
Yes, links from major social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram are nofollowed. These links don’t directly pass ranking equity but can drive referral traffic, increase content visibility, and potentially trigger secondary links from users who discover your content through social sharing. Social links contribute to natural link profile diversity.