Dofollow Link
A hyperlink that search engines can follow and that may pass link equity to the linked page when no restrictive rel attribute is present.
If you have ever earned a dofollow link from a low-quality site and seen no ranking change, you already know the attribute alone is not the whole story.
Key points
- A dofollow link is the default state of any normal hyperlink; it is not a special HTML attribute.
- Link quality, relevance, and placement matter more than whether the link is dofollow.
- Use natural anchor text rather than keyword-stuffed phrases when earning or placing links.
- Dofollow links can help with discovery and crawling, not just authority transfer.
- Check the HTML source or browser inspect tools to verify whether a link is dofollow.
A dofollow link from a niche blog vs. a dofollow link from a directory
A gardening blog with 500 monthly visitors links to your seed shop using a dofollow link with natural anchor text. A low-quality directory also links to your shop with a dofollow link but uses exact-match anchor text. The blog's link may pass more relevant authority because of its topical fit and editorial placement, while the directory's link may be ignored by Google's algorithms. Both are dofollow, but their impact differs greatly.
Three situations where this changes your decision
- Link building outreach When pitching guest posts, prioritise sites with relevant content and editorial placement over sites that simply offer dofollow links. Relevance often outweighs the attribute.
- Auditing your backlinks Use a backlink checker to identify dofollow links from low-quality sources. Disavowing them can prevent potential algorithmic penalties.
- Internal linking strategy Dofollow internal links help search engines discover and understand your site structure. Use them to point to your most important pages.
Three ways it goes wrong
- Assuming all dofollow links are equal A dofollow link from a spammy site can harm your rankings. Quality, relevance, and trust matter more than the attribute.
- Over-optimising anchor text Using keyword-rich anchor text in every dofollow link can trigger a Google penalty. Keep anchor text natural and varied.
- Treating dofollow as a ranking guarantee Dofollow links are one signal among many. Google's algorithm weighs hundreds of factors, and a single dofollow link rarely moves the needle alone.
Common questions
What is a dofollow backlink?
A dofollow backlink is a hyperlink from another site that search engines can follow and that may pass link equity to your page.
What is the HTML code for a dofollow link?
A dofollow link uses a standard <a href="URL"> tag without any rel="nofollow", "sponsored", or "ugc" attribute.
What is the difference between dofollow and nofollow links?
Dofollow links may pass link equity and help with crawling; nofollow links tell search engines not to pass ranking credit.
Sources
- Google Search Central Official guidance on qualifying outbound links with rel attributes.
- Ahrefs Glossary Definition and context for dofollow links in SEO.
- Semrush Blog Practical advice on dofollow links and link building.
- Backlinkor — Dofollow vs nofollow Lukas Falkenberg on how follow attributes are used in practice.