When it comes to SEO, backlinks are a huge deal. But not all backlinks are created equal — especially when it comes to no-follow links. You might’ve heard people say they’re useless because they don’t pass “link juice.”
But is that really true?
Let’s dive into what no-follow links are, how they work, and whether they’re worth your time and attention.
What Are No-Follow Links?
A no-follow link is a hyperlink with an extra tag — rel=”nofollow” — that tells search engines not to pass on any authority (also called link equity or “link juice”) to the destination site.
This type of link is mostly used when a website wants to share a URL but doesn’t want to endorse or influence that site’s search engine rankings.
Example:
<a href="https://theseobuck.com" rel="nofollow">The SEO Buck</a>
In this example, Google and other search engines are instructed not to follow the link or give it SEO credit.
Why Were No-Follow Links Created?
In the early days of SEO, people used to spam links in blog comments, forums, and other public places to manipulate search engine rankings. This made the web messy and full of low-quality, spammy links.
To fight this, Google introduced the ‘nofollow’ tag in 2005. No-follow was designed to:
- Stop spam in user-generated content (like blog comments and forums);
- Allow website owners to link to content they didn’t trust without affecting SEO;
- Protect websites from being penalized for linking to untrusted or unknown sources.
By using the no-follow tag, websites could keep their pages clean from link manipulation.
Do No-Follow Links Pass Link Equity?
Originally, no-follow meant Google would completely ignore the link when it comes to SEO value.
But things changed in 2019, when Google made a key announcement:
Nofollow is now a “hint” — not a strict command.
This means:
- Google might still crawl the link;
- Google might count it for ranking — depending on the page and context.
So, while no-follow links are less powerful than do-follow links, they are no longer entirely ignored. If the link appears on a high-quality or relevant website, it might still help with visibility and rankings.
The Hidden Value of No-Follow Links
Even if no-follow links don’t always boost rankings directly, they offer several indirect SEO benefits:
1. Referral Traffic
If people click on your link and visit your site, you gain traffic — regardless of whether Google follows the link or not. For example; a Reddit or Quora post may use no-follow links, but if thousands of users click them, it can lead to real business and engagement.
2. Brand Exposure
Being mentioned on popular platforms (even with no-follow links) puts your name in front of a large audience. If people remember your brand or search for it later, this sends positive signals to Google (like branded searches).
3. Link Diversity
Google expects to see a mix of do-follow and no-follow backlinks. If all your backlinks are do-follow, it may look unnatural or manipulative. No-follow links help maintain a natural backlink profile.
4. Authority and Trust
Getting no-follow links from well-known platforms like ‘Wikipedia’ or ‘Medium’ shows that credible sources are referencing your site. This boosts your website’s perceived value and trust — even if it doesn’t immediately affect rankings.
5. Opens Doors for Do-follow Links
Sometimes, a no-follow link leads to bigger things. If your content gets attention, someone else might link to it naturally later — using a do-follow link.
Let’s say, you post something helpful on Reddit with a no-follow link. A blogger sees it, loves your content, and links to it from their blog — with a do-follow link. No-follow helps get your content discovered!
Examples of Valuable No-follow Links
Even though these sites use no-follow by default, they are still worth targeting:
- Wikipedia: Adds credibility and authority. A great place to be cited;
- Quora: Can drive tons of relevant traffic if your answers are helpful;
- Reddit: Highly active community. A viral post here can bring massive attention;
- YouTube Descriptions: Often no-follow, but great for traffic and branding;
- Medium: Most links are no-follow, but articles can rank in Google.
These platforms help you build trust, visibility, and traffic — all without needing a do-follow link.
When Should You Use No-follow Tags?
If you manage your own website, it’s important to know when to add no-follow to outgoing links:
1. Sponsored or Paid Links
If someone pays you to post a link, always use rel=”sponsored” or rel=”nofollow”. Google can penalize sites that sell links without disclosing it.
2. User-Generated Content (UGC)
Blog comments, guestbook entries, forum posts — these are unpredictable. Always nofollow these links to avoid spam.
3. Untrusted or Unknown Sources
If you’re linking to a site that you’re unsure about, it’s safer to use no-follow. That way, you don’t “recommend” a bad site and hurt your own SEO.
How to Check If a Link is No-follow?
You can check whether a link is no-follow in several ways:
- Right-click > Inspect Element: Look for rel=”nofollow” in the code;
- Browser Extensions: Use tools like “NoFollow” (Chrome extension) to highlight nofollow links automatically;
- SEO Tools: Platforms like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz can show which backlinks are nofollow or dofollow.
Final Verdict: Are No-follow Links Useless?
No — no-follow links are not useless at all.
Even if they don’t always pass link equity, they:
- bring real traffic;
- build your brand’s reputation;
- help maintain a natural backlink profile;
- improve your site’s overall authority.
Smart SEOs don’t ignore no-follow links. They use them as part of a bigger strategy.
Summary:
No-follow links were made to fight spam — but they’re not useless. Today, Google treats them as “hints,” not rules — they can bring traffic, trust, and visibility. A natural backlink profile includes both do-follow and no-follow links.
So yes — no-follow links still matter! Don’t ignore them in your SEO strategy.
SIMILAR ARTICLES: