Difference between Follow and Nofollow Links

Follow and Nofollow links are terms used in the context of hyperlink attributes, influencing how search engines crawl and index web pages. Let’s explore the differences between them:

Follow Links: Dofollow links or follow links are the standard type of hyperlink on the web. This link helps in terms of SEO by passing the authority of the origin site to the destination site

Nofollow Links: Nofollow links are hyperlinks with the rel=”nofollow” attribute in their HTML code. A nofollow link is a link which does not pass authority on to the website it is linking to

Difference between Follow and Nofollow Links

Difference	Follow Links	Nofollow Links
Crawlability	Permits search engine crawling and indexing	Instructs search engines not to follow the link, limiting indexing
Link Juice Transfer	Passes authority or “link juice” to the destination page	Prevents the transfer of authority, signaling that the linked content should not impact rankings
Search Engine rejection	Implies a rejection of the linked content by the source page	Does not reject the linked content, signaling a potential lack of rejection
Use Cases	Commonly used for editorial links, rejections, and citations	Applied to user-generated content, paid links, or situations where the source page may not fully reject the linked content
Impact on SEO	Directly influences the target page’s search engine ranking	Does not directly influence the target page’s search engine ranking
PageRank Sculpting	Can be used for intentional distribution of PageRank within a website	Useful for controlling PageRank flow and sculpting the site’s internal linking structure
Influence on User Behavior	May encourage users to explore linked content based on endorsements	May not necessarily encourage user exploration due to the lack of endorsement
External Link Building	Typically sought after for building external link authority	May be used to maintain a natural link profile and avoid potential penalties

In summary, Follow and Nofollow links play different roles in influencing search engine rankings and controlling the flow of authority. Understanding when to use each type of link attribute is crucial for effective SEO and managing the credibility of linked content.