Nofollow Link: The Bloggers Guide

Q: When should I use rel="nofollow" vs rel="sponsored"?

Use rel="nofollow" when you want search engines to ignore the link for ranking purposes. This is helpful for links you do not fully endorse or where you do not want to pass SEO value. Use rel="sponsored" for paid relationships, like ads, sponsorships, or paid reviews. Many bloggers also include both values for sponsored links to be extra clear. This helps you follow search engine guidelines and lowers the risk of penalties. It also keeps your link profile clean as your site grows.

Last Updated April 11, 2024

Are you a blogger looking to control the SEO value you give to external sites when linking to them? NoFollow links are the perfect solution. By setting the relationship of a link to “nofollow,” you can tell search engines not to follow the link or give it any SEO value.

Watch "NoFollow Links: What Are They & Actionable Tips" on YouTube

What is a NoFollow Link?

A NoFollow link is a type of HTML attribute that instructs search engines and web crawlers not to follow a specific link or pass on any link equity (SEO value) to the target webpage. When you add the rel="nofollow" attribute to a link, it essentially tells search engines like Google to ignore that link when calculating rankings.

Why Use NoFollow Links?

There are several reasons why you might want to use NoFollow links:

Linking to Competitors: If you need to link to a competitor’s website, using a NoFollow link ensures that you’re not inadvertently boosting their search engine rankings.
Paid Links or Sponsored Content: If you’re being paid to link to a website or promoting sponsored content, it’s important to use NoFollow links to comply with search engine guidelines and avoid potential penalties. Keep in mind you’ll also want to add rel="sponsored" to sponsored links as well.
User-Generated Content: If your blog allows user comments or has forums, adding NoFollow to links within user-generated content can help prevent spam and discourage people from leaving links just for SEO purposes. Typically WordPress does this for you in the comments section.

How to Create a NoFollow Link

Creating a NoFollow link is simple. Just add the rel="nofollow" attribute to your HTML link tag, like this:

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

Of course if you’re using the WordPress block editor you can click the “advanced” area and select that you want the link to be set to nofollow without editing HTML.

Checking if a Link is NoFollow

To check if a link on a website is using the NoFollow attribute, simply:

Right-click on the link
Select “Inspect” or “Inspect Element” from the context menu
Look for the rel="nofollow" attribute within the link’s HTML

If the attribute is present, the link is NoFollow. If it’s not there, the link is DoFollow, meaning it passes on SEO value.

Using WordPress Plugins for NoFollow Links

If your blog runs on WordPress, you can easily manage NoFollow links using plugins. One popular option is the “External Links” plugin, which allows you to automatically add the NoFollow attribute to all external links on your site.

What’s great about these plugins is that they often include an “allow list” feature. This enables you to specify certain links or domains that you want to remain DoFollow, giving you granular control over which external sites receive SEO value from your blog.

Conclusion

NoFollow links are a powerful tool for bloggers looking to control the flow of SEO value from their site. By using the rel="nofollow" attribute strategically, you can link to external resources without worrying about unintentionally boosting their search engine rankings.

Whether you’re linking to competitors, managing sponsored content, or dealing with user-generated links, understanding and utilizing NoFollow links is an essential skill for any blogger. So, start implementing NoFollow links today and take control of your blog’s SEO!

Do nofollow links hurt my SEO?

No. Nofollow links do not hurt your SEO by themselves. They simply tell search engines not to pass SEO value through that specific link.

Using nofollow can actually protect your site when you need to link out but do not want to “vote” for the other page. This is common for competitors, affiliate deals, or sponsored mentions.

A good rule is to link out when it helps your reader, then choose nofollow when the link is not an editorial recommendation. If you want to better understand how link value works, see RightBlogger’s guide to PageRank and how link equity flows.

When should I use rel="nofollow" vs rel="sponsored"?

Use rel="nofollow" when you want search engines to ignore the link for ranking purposes. This is helpful for links you do not fully endorse or where you do not want to pass SEO value.

Use rel="sponsored" for paid relationships, like ads, sponsorships, or paid reviews. Many bloggers also include both values for sponsored links to be extra clear.

This helps you follow search engine guidelines and lowers the risk of penalties. It also keeps your link profile clean as your site grows.

How can I check if a link is nofollow on any website?

You can check in seconds by inspecting the page HTML. Right-click the link, choose Inspect or Inspect Element, and look for rel="nofollow" inside the link tag.

If you see it, the link is nofollow. If you do not see it, the link is usually dofollow, which means it can pass SEO value.

This is useful when you are reviewing guest posts, sponsored posts, or your own older content. It also helps when you are comparing backlink quality during SEO research.

Should I nofollow all external links on my blog?

Usually no. Most blogs should keep normal editorial links as dofollow, especially when you are linking to sources that support your content.

Nofollow is best for links you do not want to endorse, like competitor references, user-generated links, or certain affiliate and paid placements. The goal is control, not blocking every outbound link.

If you want to learn the basics of outbound linking, read RightBlogger’s glossary definition of an external link. That can help you decide which links should stay dofollow.

How can RightBlogger help me improve links and SEO on my posts?

RightBlogger can help you spot SEO gaps and improve on-page quality faster. It is easier to update older posts when you have a clear checklist of what to fix, including links.

A helpful place to start is RightBlogger SEO Reports, which can guide your updates and keep your content more consistent. This makes it simpler to review link usage across a post, including when nofollow makes sense.

If you are building backlinks, you can also use RightBlogger’s Backlinks tool to research and track opportunities. That way, you stay focused on links that actually move the needle.