A no-follow backlink is a hyperlink that contains the rel="nofollow" attribute in its HTML. This attribute was introduced by Google in 2005 as a way to instruct crawlers not to follow the link for PageRank purposes — essentially telling search engines "I'm linking to this page, but don't count this as a ranking endorsement." No-follow links are commonly used by websites for paid links, user-generated content, and comment links to prevent manipulation of search rankings.

The Evolution of No-Follow

In September 2019, Google updated its no-follow policy significantly. Previously, no-follow was treated as an absolute directive — Google guaranteed it would not follow or pass PageRank through such links. Under the updated policy, no-follow became a "hint" rather than a strict directive. Google now has discretion to follow no-follow links for crawling and indexing purposes and may pass some ranking signals through them when it determines this is appropriate. Google also introduced two additional link attributes: rel="sponsored" (for paid/affiliate links) and rel="ugc" (for user-generated content links).

Key point: While no-follow links do not pass the same direct PageRank as do-follow links, they still have SEO value: they can drive referral traffic, assist with brand discovery, and Google may treat them as hints for crawling and context.

Where No-Follow Links Commonly Appear

No-follow links appear in specific contexts across the web:

  • Comment sections on blogs and news websites
  • Wikipedia citations and external reference links
  • Social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn use no-follow on most external links)
  • Paid advertisements and sponsored content links
  • Links in forum posts and user-generated content sections
  • Press release distribution services

Why It Matters for SEO

Understanding no-follow links is important for building a natural, balanced link profile. A backlink profile consisting entirely of do-follow links can appear unnatural to Google. A healthy mix that includes no-follow links from relevant, high-authority sources — Wikipedia, social platforms, forums — reflects genuine brand visibility and can contribute to overall authority signals. While prioritizing do-follow links for direct ranking impact, SEOs should not dismiss no-follow links, especially from highly authoritative domains that may drive significant referral traffic and brand awareness.