What is Nofollow?
Nofollow is a link attribute, rel="nofollow", that tells search engines not to pass ranking credit through a link and not to treat it as an endorsement.
Google introduced it in 2005 to fight comment spam. In 2019 it added rel="sponsored" for paid links and rel="ugc" for user generated content, and now treats all three as hints rather than strict rules.
Many large sites, such as news publishers, Wikipedia and social networks, add nofollow to outgoing links by default. These links can still bring traffic and help Google discover pages.
Nofollow, sponsored and UGC attributes
| Attribute | Use it for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| rel="nofollow" | Links you do not want to vouch for | Untrusted sites, login links |
| rel="sponsored" | Paid, affiliate or sponsored links | Affiliate product links, paid placements |
| rel="ugc" | User generated content | Comments, forum posts |
| Combined | Several reasons at once | rel="ugc nofollow" |
<a href="https://example.com/" rel="sponsored">Partner offer</a> <a href="https://example.com/" rel="ugc nofollow">Forum link</a>
The value of nofollow links today
Since 2019, Google treats nofollow, sponsored and UGC as hints rather than strict rules. It may use them to understand links, though they usually pass little ranking value. Nofollow links from respected sites can still send traffic, build brand awareness and lead to followed links from others who see them.
When to use nofollow on your own site
Paid and affiliate links
Google requires sponsored or nofollow on paid links to avoid link scheme issues.
User comments and forums
Mark user links as ugc so spammers gain nothing.
Not for internal links
Do not nofollow links to your own pages; use noindex or robots rules instead if needed.
Not for every outbound link
Linking normally to trusted sources is good for readers and fine for SEO.
Nofollow examples in code
Sponsored link
<a href="..." rel="sponsored"> for paid placements and affiliate links.
User generated link
<a href="..." rel="ugc"> for comments and forum posts.
General nofollow
<a href="..." rel="nofollow"> when you do not want to vouch for a page.
How Google treats nofollow today
Since 2019, Google treats nofollow, sponsored and ugc as hints rather than strict rules. It may still choose to crawl a nofollow link or use it as a signal, but in most cases nofollow links pass little or no ranking value. The change let Google use link data more flexibly while giving site owners clearer ways to label paid and user generated links.
For your own site, the rules are simple: mark paid, sponsored and affiliate links with sponsored, mark links in comments and forums with ugc, and use nofollow for links you do not want to vouch for. Normal editorial links to helpful sources should stay followed.
Nofollow links and link building
Referral traffic
Nofollow links from popular sites can still send visitors who convert.
Brand visibility
Mentions on news sites and forums build awareness even when nofollow.
Natural link profile
A healthy site earns a mix of followed and nofollow links over time.
Future links
People who discover you through nofollow links may later link with followed links.
How to check nofollow links
- 1Right click a link and inspect the HTML for rel attributes.
- 2Use a browser extension that highlights nofollow links.
- 3Run a crawl to list internal links with nofollow.
- 4Check backlink tools for followed and nofollow counts.
Nofollow on internal links
Avoid nofollow on internal links. It does not save crawl budget or sculpt PageRank as people once believed, and it can stop search engines from discovering pages. Use noindex or robots.txt for pages you want to keep out of search instead.
Why Nofollow matters for SEO
Using nofollow or sponsored on paid and affiliate links keeps you within Google's guidelines and avoids link scheme penalties.
For link building, a healthy profile naturally includes some nofollow links. They still build brand awareness and referral traffic even when they pass little ranking value.
How Nofollow works
There are three related link attributes.
rel="nofollow"
A general signal that you do not vouch for the linked page.
rel="sponsored"
For paid placements, ads, sponsorships and affiliate links.
rel="ugc"
For links in comments, forums and other user generated content.
A travel blogger earns money from hotel affiliate links but leaves them followed. After adding rel="sponsored" to all affiliate links, the site complies with Google's rules and avoids the risk of a manual action.
Nofollow checklist
- ✓Mark paid and affiliate links as sponsored
- ✓Mark comment and forum links as ugc
- ✓Keep editorial links to trusted sources followed
- ✓Do not nofollow your own internal links
- ✓Value nofollow links for traffic and brand
- ✓Check outbound links during audits
Common Nofollow mistakes
Nofollowing internal links
This wastes link value within your own site.
Leaving paid links followed
Paid links without sponsored or nofollow break the guidelines.
Rejecting nofollow link opportunities
They can still bring traffic and visibility.
Nofollowing every outbound link
Linking to good sources normally is fine.
Related SEO terms
Nofollow FAQs
Do nofollow links help SEO?
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They pass little or no ranking value, but Google treats them as hints and they can bring traffic.
What is the difference between nofollow and sponsored?
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Sponsored is specifically for paid or affiliate links. Nofollow is a general signal.
Are links from Wikipedia nofollow?
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Yes, but they can still bring traffic and credibility.
Are social media links nofollow?
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Most links in posts and profiles on major social platforms are nofollow. They still help people discover your content.
Can too many nofollow backlinks hurt?
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No. Nofollow links do not harm rankings. They simply pass little value.
When should I use nofollow?
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For links you do not want to vouch for, and use sponsored for paid links.
Can Google still crawl nofollow links?
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Yes. Google may use them for discovery.
How do I check if a link is nofollow?
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Inspect the link HTML or use a browser extension or SEO tool.
Should affiliate links be nofollow?
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Google asks for affiliate links to be marked sponsored, or nofollow, so they are not treated as editorial endorsements.
Should I nofollow links to competitors?
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There is no need. Link normally when a resource helps readers, and do not link if you would rather not recommend them.