While adding a link to an anchor text, you have the option of either using a DoFollow link or a NoFollow link. Most webmasters know the different between the DoFollow and NoFollow links but there are still many that don't. To many, the difference is very insignificant while to others it is very important. So how are these two different types of links different? What's their importance to Search Engine Optimisation? Lets start with some background info about Google PageRank.Google PageRank
As you all know, Google has its own very famous ranking system called PageRank. This ranking system is used by several webmasters to determine the price of websites when buying or selling. But how is Google PageRank determined? Mainly, if your website has a good number of backlinks then you will have a high PR. Backlinks are links to your website from another site. Google consider each backlink as a vote from other webmasters to you. The more votes you have, the higher the PageRank you will receive.
The Difference
In 2005, Google's head of webspam team Matt Cutts and Jason Shellen came up with the concept of NoFollow.
nofollow is an HTML attribute value used to instruct some search engines that a hyperlink should not influence the link target's ranking in the search engine's index. It is intended to reduce the effectiveness of certain types of search engine spam, thereby improving the quality of search engine results and preventing spamdexing from occurring in the first place.When other webmasters place a link on your site they can do it in two different ways. They can place either a DoFollow link or a NoFollow link. If they choose to place a DoFollow link to your site then you will receive their vote and that will improve your ranking. But if they use the NoFollow link then you will not receive any vote and your ranking will stay the same. Remember, it will not decrease your ranking but the backlink will simply not count.
By Wikipedia
Sometimes it is easy to manipulate Google PageRank. If you have a big budget then you can easily buy links on high PageRank websites and thus increase the chances of getting a good PageRank for your own website. Google does not like this and has been working hard to punish all those webmasters that sell and buy links by decreasing their websites' PageRank. Google does not have any problem with webmasters selling and buying links but Google asks them to use the NoFollow links when doing so in order to prevent PageRank manipulation.
Does that mean that you are not allowed to post DoFollow links on your websites? You are allowed but one thing that I find confusing is the process through which Google knows if a link is bought or not. How can Google tell if Webmsters are buying links or not?
How to put NoFollow and DoFollow links
By default all natural links are DoFollow so you don't have to do anything different to place a DoFollow link. Just place a link like you usually do and it will be a DoFollow link.
Here is how the code should look for each link:
NoFollow
Image Source
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Useful Links:
Ragogmakan (Google) goes to the Amazon - Google Blog
Knol is open to everyone - Google Blog
We knew the web was big... - Google Blog
Easy as 1-2-3 - Adsense Blog
Web Analytics by the Bay - Analytics Blog
DoFollow
NoFollowHopefully, this post has helped you understand the difference between two types of HTML attribute values: DoFollow and NoFollow. If you are buying links then you might want to check if a link is DoFollow or NoFollow before getting into any deal.
Image Source
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Useful Links:
Ragogmakan (Google) goes to the Amazon - Google Blog
Knol is open to everyone - Google Blog
We knew the web was big... - Google Blog
Easy as 1-2-3 - Adsense Blog
Web Analytics by the Bay - Analytics Blog
I have not read any kind of explanation as clear as this one.
However, I hope you can educate me more about two things.
1.0 How can I check whether a site or forum is a do-follow site?
2.0 As I have understood, blogs with a lot of paid posts experience reduced PR, is it true?
Thanks for sharing this and expect me to share the word.
1. There are several tools online that all you to do so. Right now I am using a firefox plugin which tells you whether a link is dofollow or nofollow. I will find the link for you to download the plug in and write a post here about it. :)
2. Yes if you write paid reviews through websites such as PPP then you will see your PR go down but I think if you do it privately with advertisers than Google won't find out.
I hope I answered your questions well. Let me know if there is something else you would like to know.
i wanna know which is the best for the beginners blog ..bcoz i just started my blog will it good to start with do follow?
@webtrafficroi - Stick with nofollow all the way because you don't want people to comment only because your blog is dofollow. Write good articles and people will comment.
Dan - U made my doubt clear ...and its very good article ...
I am new and i cant write much articles can u people write articles for my blog linking to ur site ..?
-Andrew
@Andrew - People can write articles for you for a link. It's called guest blogging. I am not sure I can do that right now since I am really busy these day but you can try asking other bloggers and they will definitely help you out.
Hey....my blog is dofollow....use it to create linkjuice for yourself !
If you have a big budget then you can easily buy links on high PageRank websites and thus increase the chances of getting a good PageRank for your own website. Google does not like this and has been working hard to punish all those webmasters that sell and buy links by decreasing their websites' PageRank. Google does not have any problem with webmasters selling and buying links but Google asks them to use the NoFollow links when doing so in order to prevent PageRank manipulation.
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terrina
SEO
Hi, Good information. It would also be good if you mention how many backlinks are considered for a pagerank. I think its been calculated by the quality of backlinks which points to a site.
Hey Dan! This is really a nice and helpful article. Usually, I don't take much care of do-follow and no-follow links. But, after reading this post, it pulled my attention and made me clear about "what they are and their impacts on SE ranking".
Thanks once again.
Well-written and succinct explanation of dofollow, if I ever get a question about it, this is the article I'll forward them. Great read.
Thank you for the excellent explanation of these two terms and how to identify.
is it okay to make my blog do follow?
thank you for great article long time i was seeking for this answer...
I am really satisfied to read the detailed answer of an important question before i read this answer i am very confused about the difference between both do follow and no follow. I also do not understand if new site having zero page rank how increase good backlinks quickly
Earlier I had difficulties with getting backlinks as i was not knowing that the backlink I am getting is a dofollow blog or not,wasted lot of time in this.
But here you provided nice info and a trick to tell whether the blog is dofollow or not.
It will help me a lot.
Very helpful post. While I think nofollow is a good idea, I believe that you will see more and more websites using it. Eventually such a large chunk portion of websites will use them & the big G might need to come up with an alternative.
Well written post. I hear that Google is still actually cralwing through no follow links though.
Hi,
I want say thanks for the beautiful article which is great.
Thanks for a great tip. Nofollow in effect stifles the incentive to comment and socialise. I noticed you have a 'u comment, I follow' banner. I think that it is great to advertise the fact that you have this enabled to encourage dicsussion. Would appreciate where to get this.
It's also important to clearly state your commenting rules so everyone is clear what you expect.
This article was helpful.
Thanks , also i noticed that this Site is also do follow site.
Thanx for the information!
@kanishka - you are welcome and yes I made my blog DOFOLLOW few weeks ago when I got a new template. :)
I loved the article. Thanks :)
Good information. It would also be good if you mention how many backlinks are considered for a pagerank. I think its been calculated by the quality of backlinks which points to a site.
great blog it was really informational
Interesting and very helpfull article mostly for those who newly launched there site and wanted new links.
Not sure if you already wrote a post about it but I use Search Status to highlight NoFollow links.
@ David - I haven't used that addon before...will give it a try.
@Dan, so many firefox addons are available for easy identification of nofollow blogs.
This is a great move of yours, I mean, I do seen many blogs and sites that after they move to be a dofollow blog, PR and Traffic increased.
hey Dan,
Useful insights, i didn't much care about dofollow and nofollow as of almost high pr sites are using nofollow in their comment section. if your comment is useful to readers then they'll approve your comments and infect they will give you dofollow link as well traffic also.. as what i believe..
Very good clear explanation. Thanks for your help.
I always use search status nofollow highlight to detect nofollow links faster. Other than that, properties on the links (right click on the link) shows too. The last choice is to look at the source code.
Hi, I have gone through various post which is discussed about do follow and no follow,but they just stick to basic. But here you have discussed something more than that from its origin. Thanks a lot now I got the history of no follow.
Awesome posting and informative contents you have in this blog. I am sure people will get benefit from this post who is seeking to increase knowledge.
very good article thakns
Very good explanation. I regret that many sites like blogs and forums use nofollow policy.
Yes your explanation really clear for me. Now I understand why google don't like do follow. But i still understand with your answer to other comment at July 27, 2008 8:40 AM. On point 2, you said: ....but I think if you do it privately with advertisers than Google won't find out."
What do you mean do it privately? Please advise.
Thanks.
Thats indeed great explanation. Do you think the nofollow tag is recognized by other search engines as well apart from Google?
There is no 'dofollow' or 'follow' value proposed for rel attribute, however nofollow is used when you want to link to someone but don't want to vouch for their legitimacy. It was introduced to prevent spammers from buying links, advertisers are advised to use rel="nofollow" for paid links.rel attribute can have multiple values and they are separated by space.rel="external nofollow" or ref="me bookmark" etc. You can write a simple script to ensure that all rel external open in new window though I prefer leaving that to user's discretion. ref="me" can be used to tell search engine that the page being linked belongs to you.
Thaks for sharing , Difference is very clear in this article , most of webmaster like to put nofollow to stop spam
This is indeed a helpful and eyeopener post. Some people use to add rel="dofollow" to their links hoping to get a dofollow one, which is indeed, very very wrong.
Thanks for this article and thanks for sharing this information about the significant differences between nofollow and dofollow. This information is very useful to me.
Hi thanks, I was looking for that for last 2 hours so it means only the link count as back link which is do follow.........Right?
Great post! Thanks for giving such a valuable difference between dofollow and nofollow. It will help me a lot.
So frm an SEO perspective is it a total waste to even comment on no follow blogs?
Thanks for this great post! I have been wondering for some time now what are the difference between dofollow and nofollow. Thanks for this info.
Thnx for sharing ur wonderful and great information it is very useful information i have never seen that type of information about the difference between dofollow and nofollow links....
http://www.magnetmarketing.in/
Well, a nice article with great & live theory. Is my comment DO-FOLLOW, ha haa... ..
Thnx Dude, 4 sharing, and riting a such wonderful article. LOL
Nofollow will not be followed any more
Since you have a big no. of visitors I recommend you to make a list that any of your visitor have dofollow blog can add it. appreciate that
Look at Matt Cutts blog at mattcutts.com for more on this subject...He is Google's SEO guy.
Actually, Just found the "No follow" video from Matt Cutts at Google http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4UJS-LFRTU