If you are building backlinks for your website, you may have seen words like UGC, nofollow, and dofollow. These are types of links that tell Google how to treat them.
In this post, we’ll explain:
- What UGC nofollow links are;
- How they are different from other links; and
- Whether they help your website or not.
Let’s keep it simple!
What Is A UGC Nofollow Link?
Let’s break this down!
- ‘UGC’ means ‘User-Generated Content‘. This is content made by people visiting a website, not by the owner of the website;
- ‘Nofollow’ is a tag that tells Google not to pass SEO value through that link.
So, a ‘UGC nofollow’ link is a link that was added by a user (like in a blog comment or a forum post), and it tells Google not to count that link for SEO purposes.
For example; if someone writes a comment on a blog and includes your website link, that link is likely to be a UGC nofollow link.
This type of link says to Google: “This link was made by a user, and you don’t have to count it for rankings.”
What Are The Different Types Of Links?
To understand UGC nofollow links better, let’s first look at the three common types of links in SEO.
1. Dofollow Link
This is a normal backlink that passes SEO value to your site. It tells Google, “I trust this site. Count this link.”
- Helps you rank higher in search engines;
- Most valuable type of link.
Example: If a famous blog links to your site using a normal link, that’s a dofollow link.
<a href="https://yourwebsite.com">Click here</a>
2. Nofollow Link
This link tells Google, “Don’t give any SEO benefit to this link.” It’s usually used when a site owner doesn’t want to endorse the link.
- Safe to use;
- Doesn’t directly help with ranking.
Example: If someone pays to be linked, the site might add a nofollow tag so that Google knows it’s not a natural recommendation.
<a href="https://yourwebsite.com" rel="nofollow">Click here</a>
3. UGC Link
This tells Google, “This link was added by a user, not me.” It’s mostly used in places like forums and comment sections.
- Good for community sites;
- May or may not pass SEO value.
So when both tags are used together — rel="ugc nofollow" — it’s a way of saying,
“This link was made by a visitor and should not affect SEO rankings.”
<a href="https://yourwebsite.com" rel="ugc">Click here</a>
Why Do Websites Use UGC Nofollow Links?
Websites add ‘ugc nofollow‘ to user-created links for two reasons:
- To stay safe from spam: Many people try to spam links in comments or forums. Adding “ugc nofollow” tells Google not to trust these links.
- To protect SEO: If a website links to bad sites through user comments, it can harm their own SEO. Nofollow tags prevent this!
This is why most comment sections, community forums, or guestbooks use 'ugc nofollow‘ for all user-submitted links.
Do UGC Nofollow Links Help Your Website?
Now the big question: If Google doesn’t count them for SEO, are they even helpful?
Yes, they are! Let’s see why:
1. Brings Traffic to Your Website
Even if the link doesn’t help with SEO, people can still click on it. If you leave a helpful comment or answer in a forum with your website link, curious users might visit your site. So it brings real people to your website.
2. Increases Your Brand Awareness
When people see your website link again and again (in comments, forums, or social media), they start to recognize your name. This builds trust and makes your brand look more active online.
3. Makes Your Backlink Profile Look Natural
If you only have dofollow links, Google might think your links are fake. A healthy website has a mix of link types: dofollow, nofollow, and UGC.
Having UGC nofollow links shows your website is getting attention in real conversations, which looks more natural.
4. Builds Trust In Communities
If you share your link in a helpful way — like answering questions or solving problems — people in that community will start trusting you. This can lead to more visitors and maybe even dofollow links in the future.
Can UGC Nofollow Links Improve SEO?
UGC nofollow links don’t directly improve your rankings, but they may still help!
In the past, Google didn’t count them at all. But now, Google uses them as a “hint” — which means Google may sometimes consider them, especially if they come from trusted websites.
So if your link appears on a high-quality site, Google might still pay attention to it — even if it’s labeled “ugc nofollow.”
Should You Try To Get UGC Nofollow Links?
Yes! Even if they don’t directly boost rankings, they offer other important benefits:
- They bring real people to your site
- They increase your online visibility
- They help make your backlink profile more natural
- They are easy to get by participating in forums or blog comments
Just remember:
- Don’t spam.
- Be helpful.
- Add your link only when it makes sense.
This way, people trust you — and Google doesn’t see you as a spammer.
Final Words
UGC nofollow links may not give your site a big SEO push, but they are still very useful.
They help people discover your website, they build trust in online communities, and they make your backlink profile look real and natural.
So yes — even though they are not the most powerful links, UGC nofollow links are still good for your website. Keep sharing helpful content, be active in forums or blogs, and your website will grow over time.
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