Nofollow Link: The Bloggers Guide

Last Updated April 11, 2024

Are you a blogger looking to control the SEO value you give to external sites when linking to them? NoFollow links are the perfect solution. By setting the relationship of a link to “nofollow,” you can tell search engines not to follow the link or give it any SEO value.

What is a NoFollow Link?

A NoFollow link is a type of HTML attribute that instructs search engines and web crawlers not to follow a specific link or pass on any link equity (SEO value) to the target webpage. When you add the rel="nofollow" attribute to a link, it essentially tells search engines like Google to ignore that link when calculating rankings.

Why Use NoFollow Links?

There are several reasons why you might want to use NoFollow links:

Linking to Competitors: If you need to link to a competitor’s website, using a NoFollow link ensures that you’re not inadvertently boosting their search engine rankings.
Paid Links or Sponsored Content: If you’re being paid to link to a website or promoting sponsored content, it’s important to use NoFollow links to comply with search engine guidelines and avoid potential penalties. Keep in mind you’ll also want to add rel="sponsored" to sponsored links as well.
User-Generated Content: If your blog allows user comments or has forums, adding NoFollow to links within user-generated content can help prevent spam and discourage people from leaving links just for SEO purposes. Typically WordPress does this for you in the comments section.

How to Create a NoFollow Link

Creating a NoFollow link is simple. Just add the rel="nofollow" attribute to your HTML link tag, like this:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Example Website</a>

Of course if you’re using the WordPress block editor you can click the “advanced” area and select that you want the link to be set to nofollow without editing HTML.

Checking if a Link is NoFollow

To check if a link on a website is using the NoFollow attribute, simply:

Right-click on the link
Select “Inspect” or “Inspect Element” from the context menu
Look for the rel="nofollow" attribute within the link’s HTML

If the attribute is present, the link is NoFollow. If it’s not there, the link is DoFollow, meaning it passes on SEO value.

Using WordPress Plugins for NoFollow Links

If your blog runs on WordPress, you can easily manage NoFollow links using plugins. One popular option is the “External Links” plugin, which allows you to automatically add the NoFollow attribute to all external links on your site.

What’s great about these plugins is that they often include an “allow list” feature. This enables you to specify certain links or domains that you want to remain DoFollow, giving you granular control over which external sites receive SEO value from your blog.

Conclusion

NoFollow links are a powerful tool for bloggers looking to control the flow of SEO value from their site. By using the rel="nofollow" attribute strategically, you can link to external resources without worrying about unintentionally boosting their search engine rankings.

Whether you’re linking to competitors, managing sponsored content, or dealing with user-generated links, understanding and utilizing NoFollow links is an essential skill for any blogger. So, start implementing NoFollow links today and take control of your blog’s SEO!

Do nofollow links hurt my SEO?

No. A nofollow link just tells search engines not to pass ranking value through that link.

Using nofollow can actually protect your site when you link to a competitor, paid content, or links you do not fully trust. It helps you control where your site’s SEO value goes.

You can still link out to helpful resources for readers. Nofollow is mainly about link equity, not about whether the link is “allowed.”

When should I use rel="nofollow" vs rel="sponsored"?

Use rel="nofollow" when you want to link to a page but you do not want to pass SEO value to it.

Use rel="sponsored" for paid links, affiliate links, or sponsored placements. Many site owners add both rel="sponsored" and rel="nofollow" to be extra clear and stay aligned with search engine guidelines.

If you are unsure, treat anything paid or incentivized as sponsored. Save nofollow for cases like competitor links or untrusted user links.

How can I tell if a link is nofollow or dofollow?

Inspect the link in your browser and look for rel="nofollow" in the HTML. If you see it, the link is nofollow.

On most browsers, you can right-click the link and choose Inspect or Inspect Element. The link code will show whether it includes rel="nofollow".

If there is no rel attribute, it is usually a normal followed link, often called “dofollow.”

How do I add a nofollow link in WordPress without editing code?

In WordPress, you can set a link to nofollow from the link settings in the block editor. You do not have to edit HTML.

After adding a link, open the link options and look for an advanced setting or a toggle for nofollow. This adds rel="nofollow" for you.

If you manage a lot of links, a plugin can automate it. For example, WordPress site owners often use tools that set external links to nofollow by default, then allowlist the domains you trust.

How can RightBlogger help me manage external links and improve SEO?

RightBlogger can help you spot SEO gaps and make link choices more intentional as you write and update content.

Use RightBlogger SEO Reports to review on-page SEO and find improvements you can make before publishing. That makes it easier to keep your content clean, consistent, and search-friendly.

If you are building authority, you can also plan your link strategy with RightBlogger’s Backlink Tool. It helps you focus on earning quality links, while you use nofollow for links you do not want to endorse.