Nofollow Link
Quick Definition
A nofollow link uses the rel="nofollow" attribute to tell search engines not to pass link equity to the linked page. Nofollow is commonly used for paid links, user-generated content, and untrusted sources.
Why It Matters
Nofollow is an HTML attribute added to links that tells search engines "do not pass ranking credit through this link." It is important because it gives you control over your site's link equity. Understanding when to use nofollow helps you build proper internal and external linking strategies.
Real-World Example
When a blog accepts user comments, those comments might contain links to random websites. Adding rel="nofollow" to comment links means your site is not vouching for those external pages. Wikipedia uses nofollow on all external links to prevent people from gaming rankings by editing Wikipedia articles.
Signal Connection
Trust -- nofollow helps you manage which sites you vouch for with your links. By nofollowing untrusted or user-generated links, you maintain your own site's trust signals and prevent link spam from affecting your credibility.
Pro Tip
Use nofollow for links in user-generated content (comments, forums), paid/sponsored links, and links to pages you do not want to endorse. Your own internal links should almost always be followed (dofollow) so that link equity flows through your site.
Common Mistake
Adding nofollow to your own internal links. If you nofollow links to your own important pages, you are telling Google not to pass ranking power to them. Internal links should be dofollow so your site's authority flows to all your pages. Nofollow is for external links you do not control or trust.
Test Your Knowledge
Which scenario is the correct use of the nofollow attribute?
Show Answer
Answer: B. A sponsored link in a paid partnership blog post
Sponsored or paid links should use rel="nofollow" (or the more specific rel="sponsored") to comply with Google's guidelines. Paid links that pass link equity without nofollow violate Google's policies. Internal links on your own site should generally be dofollow to let authority flow naturally.