What does nofollow mean?

Nofollow is an HTML attribute that can be added to hyperlinks to instruct search engines not to follow the link. This attribute was originally introduced by Google to combat spam and manipulation of search results. When a search engine bot sees a nofollow link, it will not pass PageRank or other ranking signals to the linked page, which can reduce spam and improve search quality.

How does nofollow work?

When you add the nofollow attribute to a link, it looks like this in the HTML code:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Example Link</a>

In this example, search engines, when crawling the page, will see rel="nofollow" and choose not to follow the link or transfer any SEO value to the destination.

Why use nofollow?

There are several situations where using nofollow can be advantageous:

1. Spam prevention: To prevent spammers from exploiting the comment section and forums to place links that manipulate search results.
2. Paid links: Google requires that paid links and sponsored content use nofollow to avoid affecting search results.
3. User content: When users can add links to a page, such as in comments or guest posts, nofollow can be used to ensure that only trustworthy and relevant links influence SEO.

Benefits of nofollow

1. Improved control: By using nofollow you can control which links should influence your SEO and which should not.
2. Protection against spam: Nofollow helps protect against linkspam by ensuring that spammers cannot use your pages to boost their own SEO.
3. Clarity for search engines: It provides a clear message to search engines about which links should not transfer PageRank, which can improve search quality.

Drawbacks of nofollow

1. No SEO value: Links with the nofollow attribute transfer no SEO value, meaning they do not help improve the ranking of the linked page.
2. Reduced link authority: If you overuse nofollow on internal links, it can reduce your page's overall SEO effectiveness by not fully leveraging link equity.

When should you use nofollow?

Nofollow should be used strategically when you want to avoid transferring SEO value to certain links. It can be useful in the following cases:

• Comment links: Links added by users in the comments section should generally be nofollow to prevent spam.
• Sponsored posts: If you have paid content or sponsored links, you should use nofollow to comply with Google's guidelines.
• Low-quality external links: If you link to pages you do not want to support or transfer SEO value to, nofollow may be appropriate.

The nofollow attribute is a useful tool in SEO that gives website owners control over how links affect their and others' search engine rankings. By using nofollow strategically, you can protect your site from spam and comply with search engines' guidelines.