Nofollow Link
A hyperlink that contains a rel='nofollow' attribute, signaling to search engines not to count it as a vote of confidence for the linked site.
Description
In the SEO industry, a nofollow link is a type of hyperlink that has a special HTML attribute (rel='nofollow'). This attribute tells search engines like Google not to follow the link to its destination, effectively preventing the linked page from gaining any SEO value or 'link juice' from the linking site. Nofollow links are often used in situations where a website doesn't want to endorse or pass authority to another site. For example, they are commonly found in user-generated content like blog comments and forum posts, as well as in sponsored or paid links. While nofollow links don't directly contribute to a site's search engine rankings, they can still drive traffic and increase visibility when clicked by users.
Examples
- A blogger writes a post about their favorite recipes and includes a link to a popular cooking website. To avoid passing SEO value, they add rel='nofollow' to the link.
- A company runs a paid advertisement campaign on a prominent website. The website includes a link to the company's site but uses the nofollow attribute to comply with search engine guidelines regarding paid links.
Additional Information
- Nofollow links were introduced by Google in 2005 to combat spammy link-building practices.
- Although nofollow links don't pass SEO value, they can still contribute to a site's overall traffic and brand awareness.