Dofollow Link
What is a Dofollow Link?
A dofollow link is a hyperlink on a website that allows search engines to follow it and consider the linked page as a recommendation. When a website links to another website without any special attributes, it is a dofollow link, and this helps search engines like Google to consider the linked page as trustworthy and relevant. By linking to another website on your website through a dofollow link, you are passing authority to the linked site.
How Dofollow Links Work?
- Connects two webpages
When a webpage adds a hyperlink without any special tags that links to another webpage, that link becomes a dofollow link by default. In this way, the linking page is indirectly recommending the linked page to search engines.
- Link juice is passed
Link juice refers to the power or authority that is transferred from one website to another. By linking a website through a dofollow link, the linking website is giving a share of its power and trust to the linked website.
- Vote of Confidence
Search engines count these dofollow links as “votes of confidence”, meaning if a reputed website links to your website, it is like your website is getting more votes, thereby increasing the chances of being ranked higher.
- Improved Rankings
By dofollow links, the linked page can improve its rankings. As a result, it can attract more traffic and higher click-through rates.
Dofollow Links vs Nofollow Links
| Dofollow Links | Nofollow Links |
| All links are dofollow by default unless modified | Must be manually added |
| It passes authority to the linked page | It does not pass authority |
| No special attribute is required | Requires rel=“nofollow.” |
| Helps improve rankings | Does not directly improve rankings |
| Used in blog posts, articles, editorial content, and resource links | Used in comments, sponsored posts, ads, and user-generated links |
Benefits of Dofollow Links
- Improves search engine rankings which leads to increased traffic and click-through rates
- Builds website credibility
- Passing authority (link juice) strengthens overall SEO performance
- Helps search engine crawlers to discover your page and index your content quickly
- Consistent dofollow backlinks from reputed websites help to perform better in search results