Let\u2019s begin with the basics: a dofollow link informs search engines to ignore it. So, while follow links boost your search engine rankings, dofollow links don\u2019t pass on their value. From this point of view, dofollow links are less important than follow links. But, as we explain below, dofollow links are as important now as they ever have been.<\/p>\n
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Nofollow vs Follow <\/strong><\/p>\n Lots of SEOs focus exclusively on acquiring follow links and ignore the value of pursuing dofollow links. As a result, lots of sites end up with backlink profiles consisting of follow links that pour value into their sites, which is ultimately where everyone wants to be. However, it\u2019s important not to just dismiss dofollow links as worthless, as they still have significant SEO value. This is particularly the case when dofollow links come from trusted and relative sources.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The value of dofollow links <\/strong><\/p>\n Each time you link out to a source from your website, you immediately become a backlink for that website, whether it\u2019s a follow or dofollow link. To help you understand the value of links for your site, it\u2019s helpful to regard them as points, and the more points you have, the more valuable your site is. In this respect, follow links give you points, while dofollow links don\u2019t, which causes some people to render them ineffective.<\/p>\n But in reality, Google acknowledges both link types and observes how many each page has and what their source is. If Google determines that there are lots of sites linking to a specific page, it establishes it as a good sign. It then offers preference to that site over others, as it believes that it is most likely to provide the best results for users.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Why do dofollow links exist? <\/strong><\/p>\n Initially, Google introduced the dofollow HTML tag to combat spam. This was because if they ranked highly enough, spam sites were able to push genuine, high-quality sites down the rankings, which ultimately affected the quality of the search results provided to users. Also, even though a link to your site might be dofollow, someone is likely to find it and realise that it is useful. This might then encourage them to link back to it from their own website, increasing its SEO value as a result. If Google recognises that people find value in dofollow links, they\u2019ll pick it up.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What\u2019s the goal with dofollow links?\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n Ultimately, your job is to establish a healthy balance between follow and dofollow links, as they will contribute to the ideal backlink profile for your website. While there\u2019s no doubt that follow links are better for your SEO, dofollow links reduce suspicion from Google and support the flow of genuine, organic traffic to your website. Therefore, while they\u2019re not as attractive or sought after as follow links, dofollow links still play a vital role in your SEO strategy, and they\u2019re too important to ignore.<\/p>\n