Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a critical aspect of digital marketing that aims to increase the visibility and ranking of websites on search engine results pages (SERPs). Link building is one of the vital elements of SEO, and it involves creating links from other websites to your site. However, not all links have equal importance in SEO, and nofollow links are essential links that can improve your website’s SEO strategy.
So, what are nofollow links? Simply put, nofollow links are links that contain a special HTML tag that instructs search engines not to follow them. This means that search engines do not count them as votes for the linked website. This is in contrast to dofollow links that are followed by search engines and contribute to the improvement of a website’s ranking.
Why Use Nofollow Links?
Nofollow links can be valuable to your SEO strategy for several reasons. Firstly, they can improve the user experience of your website. When a user clicks on a nofollow link, they will be directed to a page relevant to their search query. This improves the user experience by ensuring that users find what they are looking for, which increases their chances of revisiting your site.
Secondly, nofollow links can boost the credibility of your website. When a reputable website links to your website, it indicates that your website is trustworthy. This improves your website’s reputation and can increase the number of visitors to your site.
Thirdly, nofollow links can improve your website’s ranking on SERPs. Although search engines do not follow these links, they consider the number of links pointing to a website when determining its ranking. Therefore, having a considerable number of nofollow links can contribute to your website’s improved ranking on SERPs.
How to Use Nofollow Links
To use nofollow links effectively, it is important to ensure that they are relevant to your website. Irrelevant links will not be seen as trustworthy by search engines and may be considered spammy. It is also essential to ensure that nofollow links are from reputable websites that have a high domain authority. If the linking website is not reputable, search engines may consider the link spammy, which can negatively impact your website’s ranking.
Additionally, you should only link to websites that are regularly updated. Websites that are not frequently updated may be considered spammy by search engines and can lead to penalties. Therefore, it is essential to check the frequency of updates of a website before linking to it.
Can I Buy NoFollow Links?
Yes, you can buy nofollow links. In fact, many websites sell nofollow links as a way to generate revenue. However, it is important to note that buying links, whether they are nofollow or dofollow, is against Google’s guidelines and can result in penalties.
It is also worth mentioning that purchasing nofollow links solely for the purpose of improving your SEO is not a good strategy. As mentioned earlier, nofollow links do not directly contribute to improving your website’s ranking in search engines. Instead, they can indirectly help by improving the user experience and credibility of your website.
It is important to focus on creating high-quality content that naturally attracts links from reputable websites. This will help to improve your website’s reputation and ranking in search engines in a sustainable way. Additionally, you can actively seek out opportunities to earn nofollow links by participating in relevant forums, contributing guest posts to reputable websites, and engaging with influencers in your industry.
DoFollow VS. NoFollow Links
Both nofollow and dofollow links are types of hyperlinks that are used on websites. The difference between them lies in how search engines treat them and how they can impact your website’s search engine rankings.
Dofollow links are the standard type of links that are used on websites. When a search engine crawls a page with a dofollow link, it will follow the link and index the linked page. This means that the linked page receives “link juice” or “link equity” from the linking page, which can help to improve its search engine ranking.
On the other hand, nofollow links have a special HTML tag attached to them that instructs search engines not to follow the link. When a search engine crawls a page with a nofollow link, it does not pass on any link equity to the linked page. This means that the linked page does not receive any direct benefit from the link in terms of search engine ranking.
The nofollow attribute was introduced by Google in 2005 as a way to combat spammy link building practices. By marking certain links as nofollow, website owners could prevent spammers from artificially inflating their search engine rankings by creating large numbers of low-quality links to their site.
While nofollow links do not directly impact a website’s search engine ranking, they can still provide some benefits. For example, they can drive referral traffic to your site and increase your visibility to potential customers. Nofollow links from reputable websites can also help to improve your website’s overall authority and credibility, which can indirectly impact your search engine rankings over time.
In summary, dofollow links pass on link equity and can directly impact your website’s search engine ranking, while nofollow links do not pass on link equity but can still provide some benefits for your website’s visibility and credibility. It’s important to have a mix of both types of links in your link building strategy and to ensure that all links are relevant, from reputable sources, and not spammy.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about nofollow links and their impact on SEO:
- What is the purpose of nofollow links?
Nofollow links were created to prevent spam and manipulation of search engine rankings. They are used to indicate to search engines that a particular link should not be counted as a vote of confidence for the linked website. - Do nofollow links have any SEO value?
Nofollow links don’t pass on any direct SEO value, but they can still be valuable for driving traffic and building brand awareness. - How do nofollow links affect my website’s ranking?
Nofollow links themselves don’t have a direct impact on your website’s ranking, but they can indirectly affect it by improving your website’s credibility and driving traffic to your site. - Should I only use dofollow links for SEO?
While dofollow links can provide direct SEO benefits, a healthy backlink profile should include a mix of both dofollow and nofollow links. - Are all social media links nofollow?
No, not all social media links are nofollow. Some social media platforms, such as Twitter and Pinterest, use nofollow links, while others, such as LinkedIn and Instagram, use dofollow links. - Can I buy nofollow links?
It is possible to buy nofollow links, but it is not recommended as it goes against Google’s guidelines on link schemes and can result in penalties for your website. - How can I tell if a link is nofollow or dofollow?
You can inspect the HTML code of a webpage to see if a link is marked with a rel=”nofollow” attribute. Alternatively, there are browser extensions and online tools available that can highlight nofollow links on a webpage.
Conclusion
Nofollow links can be a valuable part of your SEO strategy. They can help to improve the user experience of your website, improve the credibility of your website, and improve your website’s ranking in SERPs. When using nofollow links, it is important to ensure that they are relevant to your website, from reputable websites, and from websites that are regularly updated.
If you need help with your SEO strategy, contact AS6 Digital Agency today. Our team of experts can help you to create a comprehensive SEO strategy that will help to improve your website’s ranking in SERPs.
