When to Use NoFollow and DoFollow Links for Outbound Links

When managing outbound links on a website, webmasters and SEO professionals must understand the difference between NoFollow and DoFollow links. These attributes influence how search engines interact with the links and distribute ranking authority (also known as “link juice”). Knowing when to use each type of link is crucial for maintaining SEO health and avoiding penalties.

Understanding NoFollow and DoFollow Links

DoFollow Links

By default, all links are DoFollow unless specified otherwise. A DoFollow link allows search engines to crawl and follow the link, passing SEO value to the linked page. This helps the linked site gain authority and rank higher in search engine results.

NoFollow Links

A NoFollow link, on the other hand, has an HTML attribute (rel="nofollow") that instructs search engines not to follow or pass link authority to the destination page. This means the linked page does not gain any direct SEO benefit from the linking website.

When to Use DoFollow Links

You should use DoFollow links in the following scenarios:

1. Linking to High-Quality, Trustworthy Websites – If the outbound link points to an authoritative source, such as a well-known publication, research paper, or industry leader, allowing search engines to follow the link can enhance credibility.
2. Editorial and Natural Links – When you naturally mention other websites in your content (e.g., citing a source or referencing useful content), these links should be DoFollow.
3. Internal Linking – Links within your website should be DoFollow to improve the structure and SEO performance of your pages.
4. Partnership and Trusted Affiliate Links – If you have partnerships or affiliations where passing SEO value is beneficial and appropriate, DoFollow links can be used.

When to Use NoFollow Links

Use NoFollow links in the following cases:

1. Sponsored or Paid Links – If you’re linking to a website as part of a paid advertisement, affiliate marketing, or sponsored content, you must use NoFollow (or rel="sponsored") to comply with Google’s guidelines and avoid penalties.
2. User-Generated Content (UGC) – Comments, forum posts, and other UGC links should be NoFollow (rel="ugc") to prevent spammers from manipulating your site’s SEO.
3. Untrusted or Low-Quality Websites – If you need to reference a site but don’t want to pass SEO authority due to its questionable credibility, use NoFollow.
4. Links in Press Releases or Syndicated Content – If you distribute press releases or republish content, use NoFollow to prevent Google from treating them as unnatural link-building tactics.
5. Avoiding Excessive Link Exchange Manipulation – If you’re frequently linking to the same site without a natural reason, using NoFollow can help avoid potential SEO penalties.

How to Implement NoFollow and DoFollow Links

To create a NoFollow link, add the rel="nofollow" attribute within the anchor tag:

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

By default, all links are DoFollow unless explicitly marked otherwise:

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

Conclusion

Understanding when to use NoFollow and DoFollow links is essential for a balanced SEO strategy. Use DoFollow links for reputable, valuable content to support your SEO efforts, and apply NoFollow when linking to sponsored, user-generated, or untrusted sources to comply with best practices. By strategically managing outbound links, you can enhance your website’s authority while maintaining a strong SEO foundation.