To get your website to show up more often in search engines like Google, you need to do search engine optimization (SEO). Building links is one of the most important parts of SEO. Links are like votes of confidence that tell search engines that your material is worth something. But did you realize that not all links help your SEO work the same way?
A lot of website owners and digital marketers want to know if dofollow links assist SEO. In this piece, we’ll talk about that. When making a successful SEO plan, it’s important to know the difference between dofollow and nofollow links. So, let’s look at how nofollow links affect SEO and if they should be part of your overall strategy.
What are nofollow links and how do they work?
Before we talk about how nofollow links affect SEO, we need to know what they are. Nofollow links are hyperlinks that carry a particular attribute rel=”nofollow” which notifies search engines not to follow the link. In short, this means that search engines won’t give any “link juice” (SEO value) to the page that is linked to.
On the other hand, dofollow links send this link juice and directly help the connected page’s ranks. Nofollow links don’t directly help SEO, but they are still useful in other ways. This difference is important for figuring out if dofollow links benefit SEO.
Do links that say “nofollow” change SEO rankings?
At first glance, it could look like nofollow links don’t do anything to help your SEO rankings. They don’t really help the linked page’s ranking, do they? The truth is a little more complicated.
Nofollow links don’t directly affect search engine results, but they do have a number of indirect benefits. First, they contribute to a more natural link profile. Search engines might think a website is too optimized if it just had dofollow links. This could raise red flags. Adding nofollow links makes your backlink approach more natural.
Additionally, nofollow links might still send visitors to your site. For instance, when people talk about your website on a forum, in a blog comment, or on social media, they might include nofollow links. People can still get to your website using these links, which can make your site more popular. When more people visit your site, it can lead to social shares, backlinks, and other important SEO signals that can help your rankings in the long run.
The Role of Nofollow Links in a Balanced SEO Strategy
Nofollow links don’t directly help with search rankings, but they are an important part of a healthy and balanced SEO strategy. Here’s why:
Adding different types of links to your profile:
Search engines want to see a variety of backlinks. A mix of nofollow and dofollow links shows that your website is being cited in many locations, from social media to blogs, forums, and more. Having solely dofollow links could arouse suspicion and make your link-building activities appear deceptive.
Bringing in Traffic:
Nofollow links can still bring in useful traffic. Even if the link is “nofollow,” it can still bring more visitors to your website if it’s on a prominent blog or social media site. People that click on the link may look about your site and come back later, which will help your site’s organic reach.
Building Credibility and Trust:
Nofollow links from trusted sources like news sites, social media, or well-known blogs can help your business look more trustworthy. Even though these links don’t pass ranking power, they signify to Google that your website is being cited by reliable sources.
Avoiding Over-Optimization:
If you use too many dofollow links, your site could look too optimized, which could make search engines suspicious. A mix of nofollow and dofollow links that seems natural helps you stay out of trouble and makes sure your link profile looks real and varied.
Final Thoughts
Let’s go back to the main question: do links that don’t follow improve SEO? The short answer is yes, but not in the way you might think. Nofollow links don’t directly affect how high a website ranks in search results, but they are still good for SEO in other ways.
Nofollow links can help you get more visitors to your site, develop trust, and improve your link profile as a whole. They also help you prevent over-optimization, which makes sure that search engines see your website as natural. So, even if they don’t convey link juice directly, they help your SEO strategy in a lot of other ways.
When you establish your website’s backlinks, be sure to include both dofollow and nofollow links. This method will help you build a more balanced, natural, and effective SEO plan that will help you develop your online presence over time.
Summary:
- In short, nofollow links don’t directly effect rankings, but they do help get more visitors and develop trust.
- A good SEO strategy needs a link profile that is natural and balanced, which means having both nofollow and dofollow links.
- These links are a critical aspect of long-term SEO performance, helping you avoid penalties and devel