Backlinks look mere connectors between two websites that people can click to navigate the internet world. But they aren’t that simple. Behind the scenes, a lot of things happen. In the world of SEO, They raise pages to the top. That’s why they were manipulated in the past.
When Google introduced nofollow links against link manipulation, the traditional links got another name, “do follow.” Do follow backlinks carry more weight than others and bring leads and free traffic.
So it’s important for website owners to know what is do follow backlink, how it works, dofollow vs nofollow, how both differ, How both influence rankings, and what tool can help to monitor them.
What Are Dofollow Backlinks and How Do They Work?
Most links that take place on the Internet are, by default do follow backlinks—Unless they are altered manually or a website setting changes them automatically. Dofollow links are also called follow links because they don’t contain link attributes.
Search engine crawlers (unlike nofollow links) crawl them and pass link juice to sites they are linked to. They also lead internet users from one website to another when they click them.
It all begins when website owners find your content valuable and decide to use it. So, they mention a portion of it on their website and direct a link to your website as a reference. In the same manner, you can also place a link on your site that can be pointed to other’s valuable content.
Businesses spend thousands of dollars to acquire as many do follow backlinks as possible. But why?
Why Are Do Follow Backlinks Important?
We learned dofollow backlinks meaning and how they work. It’s time to discuss what is a do follow link in SEO. Why do businesses spend big bucks on them?
Dofollow SEO links are important because they help search engines find new pages, speed up indexing, and determine content relevancy.
Google algorithm Pagerank uses do follow backlinks to give points to the website they are linked to. They also help brands become an authority within the industry and in the search engine’s eyes. A website with more dofollow SEO backlinks has a better chance of ranking on the first page than others. These features make them very important for businesses.
What Are Dofollow & Nofollow Backlinks, and How Do They Work?
Nofollow and do follow backlinks work similarly. Either other web owners direct a link to your website, or you direct to their website.
When it comes to noffollow, however, the one who points the link is telling search engines not to follow or pass authority to the website it is pointed. That’s because the site owner doesn't trust the content, finds the content irrelevant to the niche, or the link is paid, etc.
Nofollow vs dofollow, what similarities and differences do they have?
Similarities.
- Both links look the same to the outside world.
- Both work similarly.
- Both bring free traffic to the website.
- Both affect rankings.
Now the differences:
- No follow links contain an additional rel=”nofollow” attribute, while dofollow doesn’t.
- Do follow passes equity to the linked website and speeds up the indexing process, while nofollow isn’t crawlable.
- Do follow affects rankings significantly, but no follow is only taken as a hint by search engines.
- Do follow backlinks are only one type, and no follow backlinks have different types.
Types of No Follow Backlinks
In 2019, Google introduced two more no follow backlinks to mitigate link manipulation. They are called sponsored and UGC. They carry rel=”sponsored” and rel="ugc" attributes.
Sponsored links: They are used to show Google that the link is compensated in some form. These links can be affiliate links or can come from ads and sponsored content.
UGC links: UGC stands for user generated content. These links tell Google that users are generating links in the comment section or forums. These links, according to Ahref’s study, are only used by 1% of websites.
The rel=”nofollow” attribute, however, can be used instead of both above-mentioned attributes.
How to Create a Dofollow Backlink?
Do follow links are originally just backlinks. And a backlink means they come from other websites. So, you need to provide value to others to get backlinks. One way to do that is by creating helpful content. This way, others will use your content and refer a link. This is one strategy; there are others.
What are do follow backlinks strategies?
Guest posting: it is quite common and simple. Find a relevant website, ask if they are currently accepting guest posts, create content, submit it, and wait. Once they publish your content, you’ll get a do follow backlink.
Reciprocal strategy: this is also a common strategy— 43.7% of the top-ranking pages use it to get backlinks, according to Thrivemyway. This strategy works (as the name suggests) you give me a link and I will return the favor. The exchange happens between website owners. A word of warning though, doing it carelessly will penalize the content.
How Long Do Follow Link Takes to Work?
Do follow backlinks are unpredictable. There is no exact time for them to show effect. They may take anywhere from 3 to 12 months, according to search engine journal, while the founder of SEOchatter say that some take ten weeks and some take a few days. But why is there no exact time given by Google?
That’s because many factors, such as domain authority, website age, and site content, are at play. If a website's DR rating is high, has existed for years, and publishes quality content, then do follow backlinks may take only days to show effect. Otherwise, they may take years or never work.
How to Tell if a Backlink is dofollow?
To know if a backlink is a dofollow:
- Go to any page on the Internet that contain links.
- Right-click and find the “view page resource” option.
- Click that option, and a new page with codes will open.
- Next, hit the CTRL + F buttons on Android or command + F on Mac; this will open a search box.
- Now, write nofollow in the box.
If the page has a nofollow link, the text will be highlighted; if not, that means all links on that page are dofollow backlinks—because what is a do follow backlink? It’s a link that contains no additional attribute.
Best Tools to Check Do Follow Backlinks of Your Site
You can check do follow backlinks on any page by going to its code page. But when an external page directs a link to your website, then you won't get any clue to get to that page. Due to the Internet’s expanse, finding directed links manually is next to impossible. But you can find them with tools.
You can also monitor your site's backlink profile every once in a while with them. Doing so will give you a better idea of what changes to make or not in your link-building strategies.
Here are a few good tools to check do follow backlinks.
- Ahref site explorer
- Dofollow link checker
- Sitechecker
- Semrush
- Mozbar SEO checker
- Automatic backlink checker extension.
Conclusion
Links influence ranking positively and negatively. That’s why it’s important to know what are dofollow links, and how they work. You should also monitor backlink profiles and see the source they are coming from. It will help you in the SEO journey.
Also, don’t overlook the importance of no follow backlinks; they can be used strategically to diversify the backlink profile.
When it comes to creating backlinks, there are a lot of good and bad strategies. Try to choose those that align with Google guidelines. When you succeed in getting backlinks and don’t see immediate changes, just be patient. They sometimes take a while before showing effects.
FAQS
Are YouTube Links Dofollow?
It depends on where they are placed on YouTube. If they are inserted on YouTube profiles, video descriptions, video cards, and end screens, they are do follow backlinks. If links are commented, then they are no follow.
What is the Major Difference Between a No Follow Backlink and a Do Follow Backlink?
The one major difference is that, do follow backlinks pass authority to the website it’s linked, and nofollow is just a hint for search engines.
Are Nofollow Links Bad?
Nofollow links aren't bad for SEO because Google itself encourages web owners to use them.
Are No Follow Links Worth It?
Nofollow links diversify backlink profiles and help in SEO campaigns but aren’t a major ranking factor. So we can say, they are worth it, just not a lot.
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