What are nofollow links?
Nofollow links are hyperlinks in which you mark the link with the HTML attribute rel="nofollow". When you do this, you signal to search engines like Google that they should not let the link influence their assessment of authority or PageRank. In other words, you’re telling the algorithm that the link isn’t a recommendation, but simply a reference. This makes nofollow links an important tool when you’re working strategically on link building and SEO.
Google introduced nofollow in 2005 as a defense against spam and link manipulation, particularly in blog comments and on forums. At the time, it was a strict directive, but since 2019, Google has treated nofollow as a suggestion. This means that the algorithm itself decides whether and how the link should influence rankings—depending on relevance, credibility, and context. This has changed the way you should think about nofollow links, because they can now contribute to Google’s understanding of relationships between pages, even without passing link juice.
How do you use nofollow links?
You use nofollow links when you want to link to pages without passing on authority. This might be in sponsored content, ads, affiliate links, comments, or user-generated content where you don’t control the quality yourself. When you insert a nofollow link, simply add the attribute to the code—for example, if you’re linking to a source page that shouldn’t be included in your PageRank calculations.
Example of the nofollow attribute in HTML:
<a href="https://eksempel.dk" rel="nofollow">Læs mere</a>When working with digital content, it’s always a balance between ensuring quality and creating value for the user. In SEO, it’s all about building a natural link profile that includes both dofollow and nofollow links. An overrepresentation of nofollow links can signal a lack of authority, while a network consisting solely of dofollow links can raise suspicions of manipulation. That’s why you should use nofollow links strategically—not mechanically.
That's why you should use nofollow links
Nofollow links protect your site from risks, such as when unclear or unauthorized sources are allowed to link to your domain. You prevent the algorithm from evaluating your site based on links over which you have no control. At the same time, you maintain transparency in your linking strategy, especially if you work with sponsored content.
In other words, it’s not just about avoiding penalties from Google, but about demonstrating integrity. When you clearly indicate which links are paid and which are editorial, you enhance both your users’ experience and your long-term SEO strategy. If, for example, you work with content marketing and paid partnerships, correct link attributes are a requirement under both SEO best practices and advertising transparency laws.
From an overall marketing perspective, nofollow links also play a role in other channels. For example, if you run paid ads through Google Ads or advertise on social media, you can structure your links so that you control where authority is transferred. This way, you align your SEO efforts with your SEM and branding strategy toward a common goal.
What types and varieties are available?
Today, there are several related link attributes that complement "nofollow." Google considers them all to be hints, but each serves a specific purpose:
- Nofollow – generally used to prevent search engine bots from following the link or passing on value. Typically used in comments, forums, and advertisements.
- Sponsored – indicates paid or commercial links, such as those resulting from partnerships, affiliate programs, or advertisements.
- UGC (User-Generated Content) – used in user-generated content, such as forums, where you do not control the links yourself.
You can combine these attributes as needed, for example rel="nofollow sponsored". This provides search engines with better information about how the relationship to the link should be interpreted. It also makes it easier for you to document your link strategy in content that includes both editorial and commercial elements.
How do you use nofollow links in practice?
In practice, you use nofollow links to control how search engines interpret your outbound links. For example, if you’re writing content that references an external page you don’t want to endorse, you mark the link with nofollow. In WordPress and other CMSs, you can add the attribute manually or through SEO plugins that offer checkbox options for this purpose.
You can analyze the balance between your link types using tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or Moz. These tools show you what your overall link profile looks like and whether there’s a natural distribution between nofollow and dofollow links. This allows you to adjust your strategy to avoid patterns that resemble manipulated link building.
When working on digital strategy and SEO, “nofollow” shouldn’t be a standalone measure. You should always view it as part of your overall optimization strategy, where user experience, link structure, and technical SEO are all interconnected. This is also where collaboration with designers and content creators comes into play, because clear navigation and link hierarchies help the algorithm better understand your website.
What should you keep in mind?
When using nofollow links, it’s all about balance and intent. You need to ensure that you don’t overuse the attribute, but only use it when there’s a clear purpose. If you make your entire link profile nofollow, you may effectively prevent search engines from accurately assessing your authority. At the same time, you should always properly label sponsored links, because it’s both an SEO best practice and a requirement of good marketing ethics.
Finally, keep in mind that even though nofollow links don’t pass link juice directly, they can still generate traffic, exposure, and brand value. A nofollow link from a relevant site can drive qualified visitors who may later convert through your other marketing channels. This shows that SEO isn’t just about technical signals, but also about a holistic understanding of user journeys and digital strategy.
