Link Quality & Risk
Dofollow Links
The default type of hyperlink, which passes link equity (ranking value) from the linking page to the destination page.
What Is Dofollow Links?
A dofollow link is simply an ordinary hyperlink with no special attribute added — the default state of any link on the web. The term exists mainly in contrast to "nofollow," which is an explicit `rel="nofollow"` attribute added to tell search engines not to pass ranking credit through that link. Because dofollow is the unmarked, default case, search engines treat these links as a genuine editorial endorsement: the linking site is voluntarily vouching for the destination page without any signal telling the crawler to discount it. This is why dofollow links from relevant, reputable sites are considered the most valuable type of backlink for SEO purposes — they carry the full weight of the linking page's authority and relevance, unlike nofollow, sponsored, or user-generated-content links, which are marked to indicate they may not represent a genuine, unprompted endorsement.
Why Dofollow Links Matters for SEO
Passes full ranking value
Dofollow links are the primary mechanism through which one page's authority contributes to another's ranking potential.
Signals genuine endorsement
Because the link carries no disclaimer attribute, it reads to search engines as an unprompted, editorial vote of confidence.
The target of most link-building effort
Nearly all outreach, guest posting, and content-driven link building is aimed at earning dofollow links specifically, since that's where the ranking benefit concentrates.
A Simple Example
A well-known industry publication reviews a company's product and links to its homepage in the body of the article with no special attribute added. That plain, dofollow link passes real ranking value and functions as a genuine third-party endorsement — a meaningfully different outcome than if the same link had carried a nofollow or sponsored tag.
Best Practices
- Focus outreach and content efforts on earning genuine editorial links, which are naturally dofollow.
- Don't obsess over converting every possible link to dofollow — a healthy profile includes some nofollow links too.
- Disclose paid placements honestly with the appropriate attribute rather than disguising them as plain dofollow links.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming every backlink needs to be dofollow to have value; nofollow links still contribute referral traffic and brand signals.
- Paying for or arranging dofollow links in bulk, which violates search engine guidelines.
- Ignoring context and relevance in the pursuit of any dofollow link regardless of source quality.
Key Takeaways
- Dofollow is the default, unmarked state of a hyperlink.
- It passes ranking value (link equity) to the destination page.
- It signals a genuine, unprompted editorial endorsement.
- Most deliberate link-building work targets dofollow links specifically.