Follow Links
Lets search engines crawl the link and may pass ranking signals to the linked page, acting as an editorial endorsement.
If you assume every follow link is valuable regardless of the linking site’s relevance or authority, you are missing the real signal.
Key points
- Earn links from relevant, authoritative sites, not large quantities.
- Check the linking page’s topical relevance before counting a follow link as a win.
- Treat follow links as editorial endorsements, not just traffic sources.
- Use link building practices like digital PR and outreach, not manipulation.
- Know the types of links in SEO—follow, nofollow, sponsored, UGC—and use the correct attribute.
A gardening blog sends a follow link to a seed shop
A gardening blog (domain authority 65) publishes a 1,200-word article on soil preparation. It includes a dofollow link to a seed shop’s product page. The seed shop’s page rises from position 8 to position 4 for 'organic seed packets' within three months. The link also drives 340 referral visits in the first month. The link passes authority because the blog is topically relevant and the link is editorially earned.
Three things a follow link is not
- Not a guarantee of rank A follow link from a low-quality site may not pass authority, similar to a nofollow link. Google discounts links from spammy or irrelevant sources, so the link alone does not ensure a ranking boost.
- Not a substitute for relevance A follow link from a car site to a cooking page may pass minimal topical relevance. Search engines consider context.
- Not a free pass on quality Even with many follow links, a thin page may not rank. The destination must still satisfy user intent.
Three mistakes to avoid with follow links
- Buying or trading links Paying for follow links or participating in link exchanges violates Google’s guidelines. Such links can be ignored or lead to a manual action against your site.
- Ignoring the linking site Assuming every follow link is valuable ignores the quality and relevance of the source. A single link from a trusted authority beats a hundred from directories.
- Confusing follow with internal links Follow links between sites (backlinks) serve a different purpose than internal follow links. Internal links help navigation, while external links pass authority.
Common questions
What is a nofollow link?
A nofollow link has a rel='nofollow' attribute, telling search engines not to pass ranking credit to the destination page. It does not block crawling but limits authority transfer.
What is the difference between dofollow and nofollow links?
Dofollow links can pass authority and ranking signals by default; nofollow links instruct search engines to ignore the link for ranking purposes. Both can still drive traffic.
Sources
- Google Search Central Explains how Google treats follow links and why crawlable links matter.
- Moz Beginner's Guide to Link Building Covers link building fundamentals and the value of editorial follow links.
- Ahrefs SEO Glossary Defines link building and explains the role of follow links in SEO.