The Dofollow Obsession Has a Flaw
Here's a scenario that plays out constantly: a site owner checks their backlink profile, sees that a Forbes mention is nofollow, and feels disappointed. Meanwhile, a competitor with 40 exact-match-anchor dofollow links from DR 15 directories is celebrating.
Six months later, the Forbes-mentioned site is ranking. The exact-match directory spammer is fighting a Google penalty.
The dofollow/nofollow distinction matters — but not in the way most SEO guides frame it. The May 2024 Google API leak confirmed what experienced link builders already suspected: link type is one of seven PageRank variants Google tracks internally, and it intersects with tiered indexing, engagement signals, and topical relevance in ways that make the binary dofollow/nofollow framing incomplete.
This guide covers the technical reality, the updated rules after Google's 2019 hint model change, and exactly where to build dofollow backlinks that actually move rankings.
What Dofollow vs. Nofollow Actually Means
The Technical Definition
A dofollow link is the default state of any HTML hyperlink. No special attribute required:
<a href="https://example.com">anchor text</a>This tells Google's crawler two things: follow this link during indexing, and pass PageRank (link equity) from this source page to the destination.
A nofollow link adds a rel attribute:
<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">anchor text</a>Introduced by Google in January 2005, nofollow was originally designed as an absolute directive: "do not follow this link and do not pass PageRank." Bloggers used it on comment sections to prevent spammers from gaming rankings by carpet-bombing comment fields with links.
Two additional link attributes were added in September 2019:
rel="sponsored"— for paid and affiliate linksrel="ugc"— for user-generated content (forum posts, blog comments)
How PageRank Flows (and Doesn't)
PageRank distributes across all outbound dofollow links on a page. If a page with significant authority has 10 outbound links and 5 are dofollow, those 5 links split the available PageRank. The nofollow links don't receive it — under the original model.
The operative phrase: *under the original model.*
What the 2024 Google API Leak Changed
On March 27, 2024, internal Google Content Warehouse API documentation was accidentally uploaded to a public GitHub repository. After Rand Fishkin (SparkToro) surfaced the findings on May 5, 2024, Google confirmed the leak's authenticity. The documentation revealed over 14,000 ranking signals and attributes.
Key revelations about link signals:
Seven types of PageRank exist internally. The leak documents rawPagerank, pagerank2, and a deprecated pageRank_NS (nearest-seed PageRank focused on document clustering). The public Toolbar PageRank was retired in 2016, but internal PageRank calculations are very much alive with multiple variants.
siteAuthority is a real metric. Despite years of Google spokespeople denying any equivalent to "Domain Authority," the leak confirmed an internal metric called siteAuthority — a host-level quality signal that influences ranking potential across all pages of a domain. Google was not using Moz's DA. But they were using their own version of the same concept.
Tiered indexing exists. Google categorizes websites into High, Medium, and Low indexing tiers based on traffic, freshness, and engagement. A nofollow link from a High-tier site (Forbes, Reddit, major universities) may pass more ranking signal than a dofollow link from a Low-tier site — because the tier classification affects how much weight any signal from that source carries.
Link recency matters. Links from newer pages are weighted more strongly than links from old, stale content. A dofollow link in a post from 2015 on a dormant blog may be worth less than a nofollow link in a fresh editorial piece.
The implication: the dofollow/nofollow binary is a simplification of what Google actually evaluates. Source tier, topical relevance, recency, and engagement signals all interact with link type to determine actual ranking impact.
The 2019 Nofollow "Hint" Change: What It Means in Practice
Google announced the shift on September 10, 2019. Nofollow links became a hint, not an absolute directive, for ranking purposes. On March 1, 2020, the hint model extended to crawling and indexing.
Before 2019: Google would not follow a nofollow link, would not crawl the destination, and would not pass PageRank. No exceptions.
After September 10, 2019 (ranking): Google *may* choose to use the link signal from a nofollow link if it deems the linked content genuinely relevant and authoritative.
After March 1, 2020 (crawling/indexing): Google *may* crawl and index a nofollow-linked destination if the page is considered sufficiently important.
Google's own language from the announcement: *"In most cases, the move to a hint model won't change the nature of how we treat [link spam]. We'll generally treat them as we did with nofollow before and not consider them for ranking purposes."*
Translation: the average nofollow link is still treated as nofollow. But a nofollow link from Forbes or the New York Times? Google may factor it in — particularly given the NavBoost signals from the same 2024 leak, which confirmed that user engagement signals (clicks, dwell time) are tracked per source.
The Statistics: What Dofollow vs. Nofollow Profiles Actually Look Like
Before targeting exclusively dofollow links, look at what first-page rankings actually have:
| Metric | Data Point | Source | |---|---|---| | % of all backlinks that are dofollow | ~89.4% | Ahrefs, analysis of top 110,000 sites | | Average nofollow % in first-page backlink profiles | 20–40% | Backlinko, 11.8M result study | | Correlation coefficient, nofollow links and rankings | 0.32 | Multiple 2024 analyses | | Link builders who target nofollow links | ~50% | Industry survey | | Sites with at least one nofollow backlink | ~55% | Ahrefs | | Traffic increase: strong profiles vs. weak profiles | +67% | Ahrefs 2025 |
The most counterintuitive finding from Ahrefs' correlation research: *"The correlation for the number of 'dofollow' backlinks is slightly weaker than that of total backlinks — which could indicate that Google values some nofollowed links from strong pages more than followed links from weak pages."*
Put differently: a nofollow link from a DR 95 source can outrank a dofollow link from a DR 20 source. This isn't a loophole — it's a direct consequence of the tiered indexing system and engagement signal stacking confirmed in the 2024 API leak.
The All-Dofollow Profile Problem
A backlink profile that is 100% dofollow is a red flag to Google's spam detection systems. Real editorial links include nofollow links naturally — blog comments, forum mentions, press coverage with nofollow policies (Wikipedia, major news outlets), social media profiles.
An all-dofollow profile is the fingerprint of purchased links and link schemes, not earned editorial endorsements. The healthy ratio per industry consensus: 60–90% dofollow, with the remaining 10–40% being natural nofollow from legitimate sources.
The 7 Myths About Dofollow Links (Debunked)
Myth 1: Nofollow links have zero SEO value. Debunked. Since 2019, nofollow is a hint. High-tier nofollow links correlate with rankings (0.32 coefficient). They drive referral traffic, build brand signals, and per the 2024 leak, may pass ranking signal via engagement data and indexing tier mechanics.
Myth 2: You should exclusively pursue dofollow links. Debunked. Pages ranking #1 average 20–40% nofollow links in their profiles. An all-dofollow profile signals link buying, not organic growth.
Myth 3: A higher dofollow count always means better rankings. Debunked. Ahrefs found the correlation for dofollow count alone is *weaker* than for total link count. Relevance, source quality, and engagement signals matter more than raw dofollow totals.
Myth 4: Nofollow links from high-authority sites are worthless. Debunked. A nofollow link from Forbes reaching 5 million monthly readers drives real referral traffic and brand recognition. Per the 2024 API leak's tiered indexing revelation, High-tier sources pass signals regardless of rel attribute in some contexts.
Myth 5: rel="nofollow" prevents Google from crawling the destination. Debunked (post March 2020). Nofollow became a hint for crawling. Google will crawl nofollow-linked pages it deems sufficiently important. Your pages can be indexed via nofollow links.
Myth 6: Exact-match anchor text on dofollow links is the most powerful signal. Debunked. Over-optimized anchor text profiles trigger Penguin penalties. Sites with 40%+ exact-match anchor text frequently face ranking suppression or manual actions.
Myth 7: More dofollow links = faster ranking. Debunked. Link velocity matters. Unnatural spikes in dofollow links from low-tier sources are a spam signal. Ahrefs' study of high-ranking pages confirms natural, gradual link acquisition from relevant sources consistently outperforms volume-heavy, rapid acquisition.
How to Check if a Link is Dofollow or Nofollow
Method 1: Browser Dev Tools (free, instant)
1. Right-click any link on the page
2. Select "Inspect"
3. Find the <a> tag in the HTML panel
4. If you see rel="nofollow", rel="ugc", or rel="sponsored" — it's a nofollow/hint
5. No rel attribute or just rel="dofollow" — it's dofollow
Method 2: Browser Extensions (visual, real-time) - Nofollow (Chrome Web Store) — highlights all nofollow links on any page in bold red automatically - MozBar — color-codes followed vs. nofollow links - Ahrefs SEO Toolbar — shows link type on any page
Method 3: SEO Platform Backlink Audit - Ahrefs Site Explorer → Backlinks → filter by "Dofollow" or "Nofollow" - Semrush Backlink Audit → categorizes all inbound links by link type - Backlynk Analyzer (/analyze/) — shows link type distribution in your current backlink profile
Method 3 is the only one that tells you about your *incoming* links at scale. The browser methods work for checking individual links on pages you're visiting.
Where to Get Dofollow Backlinks in 2026
The framework: sort by DR first, then by topical relevance to your niche, then by acquisition difficulty. The easiest high-DR dofollow wins are profile and platform links — most are free and take under 10 minutes each.
Tier 1: Platform & Profile Links (DR 88–99, Free, 5–10 Min Each)
These are the highest-DR dofollow links available without editorial gatekeeping. The tradeoff: they're all building the same profiles, so they contribute to topical relevance less than editorial links. But at DR 88–99, the raw equity is significant.
| Platform | DR | Link Type | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | GitHub (profile + READMEs) | DR 96 | Dofollow | Project bio and repository descriptions | | WordPress Plugin Directory | DR 98 | Dofollow | Free via SVN submission; 14-day editorial review | | VS Code Marketplace | DR 94 | Dofollow | Extension metadata page links | | Medium (published articles) | DR 95 | Dofollow | Links within your published posts | | Crunchbase (company profile) | DR 91 | Dofollow | 2-minute setup, appears in Knowledge Panels | | Slideshare (presentations) | DR 95 | Dofollow | Link in presentation description | | Google Business Profile | DR 100 | Dofollow | Local SEO critical; backed by google.com | | Product Hunt (company profile) | DR 91 | Dofollow | Setup + launch submission |
For developer and SaaS products: package registry listings (npm at DR 91, PyPI at DR 82, RubyGems) also yield dofollow links from within their respective ecosystems — each showing up in Google results for "[package name]" searches.
Tier 2: Editorial Links (DR Varies, Earned, Highest Impact)
Editorial links — links placed in content because an author chose to cite your site — are the highest-quality dofollow links available. They carry topical relevance, trust signals, and anchor text diversity that platform profiles can't replicate.
Guest posting on niche blogs. Identify blogs in your vertical with DR 30–70 and genuine readership (check Ahrefs for organic traffic — ignore blogs with high DR but no traffic). Pitch topic-specific angles with original data. A guest post on a DR 50 niche blog with 10,000 monthly readers outperforms a generic content mill placement at DR 80 with zero engaged audience.
Digital PR and data studies. Commission original research — a salary survey, a product benchmark, a consumer behavior study — and distribute via PR channels. Original data is the most linkable asset in any niche. Backlinko's regular data studies (routinely earning 1,000+ backlinks per piece) are the canonical example. One study can earn 50–200 editorial dofollow links.
Broken link building. Use Ahrefs Content Explorer or Check My Links extension to find pages in your niche with broken outbound links. Create a replacement resource and contact the page owner. Conversion rates of 5–20% are common. The links you earn are naturally dofollow (the original links were dofollow and you're replacing them).
Testimonials and case studies. Many SaaS companies actively solicit customer testimonials and publish them on their marketing pages with dofollow links back to the customer's site. If you use any software tools, reach out to their marketing team and offer a testimonial. Acceptance rates are high — they want the social proof. Response takes under 10 minutes. Backlynk's link building tools include a testimonial prospecting feature for finding these opportunities at scale.
Resource page outreach. Search Google for "[your topic]" + "resources" + "useful links" or intitle:"useful resources" [your keyword]. These curated pages actively link out to quality content in their niche. Outreach conversion on relevant resource pages runs 5–15% with a well-personalized email. The resulting links are editorial dofollow in context-rich pages.
Tier 3: Directory Submissions (DR 40–95, Free and Paid)
Directory backlinks are a systematic, scalable source of dofollow links — particularly valuable during a site's early growth phase when editorial links are harder to earn. See Backlynk's full directory database for 200+ vetted directories filtered by DR and category.
The priority stack: 1. Universal listings (Google Business Profile, Yelp, Bing Places, Apple Maps) — all free, all DR 90+ 2. Platform-specific listings (G2, Capterra, Product Hunt, Crunchbase — based on your product type) 3. Niche directories in your vertical — prioritize by DR, then by organic traffic
For automated submission to 200+ vetted directories, Backlynk's submit tool handles form processing, automated verification, email confirmation, and submission tracking.
Tier 4: Web 2.0 Content Platforms (DR 70–95)
Publishing original content on high-DR content platforms earns dofollow links within those posts:
- Medium (DR 95) — publish thought leadership articles with links to your site
- Substack (DR 88+) — newsletter with dofollow author profile link
- WordPress.com (DR 95) — blog with dofollow links in posts
- Tumblr (DR 91) — posts with dofollow outbound links
- Blogger (DR 90) — Google-owned platform; use carefully, don't bulk-publish
The caveat: Google deprioritizes Web 2.0 links that are thin or obviously created only for link acquisition. These platforms work best when you're publishing genuine content that also earns real readers — the engagement signals amplify the dofollow link value.
Anchor Text Strategy for Dofollow Links
Dofollow links carry anchor text directly into Google's ranking calculations. This makes anchor text the double-edged sword of link building: optimized correctly, it accelerates rankings; over-optimized, it triggers Penguin.
The Safe Distribution Framework
For homepage links (the most scrutinized):
- Branded anchors ("YourBrand", "YourBrand.com"): 60–70%
- Naked URLs ("yourbrand.com", "https://yourbrand.com"): 15–20%
- Generic anchors ("click here", "read more", "this article"): 10–15%
- Partial-match ("mortgage calculator tool"): 5–10%
- Exact-match ("best mortgage calculator"): Under 5%
For inner pages (blog posts, tool pages):
- Partial-match and related phrases: 50–60%
- Branded, naked URL, and generic: 35–45%
- Exact-match: Under 10%
Ahrefs' 2020 study of 384,000 web pages found that first-ranked pages had a *median of 3.7 exact-match anchors* in their entire backlink profile. Not 37. Not 370. 3.7. Exact-match is deployed surgically, not at volume.
Anchor Text Red Flags
If you're doing directory submissions or outreach at scale, these patterns trigger Penguin devaluation:
- More than 40% of your dofollow links using the same anchor text phrase
- Sudden spike of exact-match anchor text from low-DR sources (common in purchased link packages)
- Keyword-heavy anchors from unrelated topical sources (a construction site linking to your SaaS with "best project management software" doesn't look natural)
The goal: your anchor text profile should look like what would emerge if random journalists and bloggers linked to your site over time — branded, varied, and predominantly non-commercial.
Use Backlynk's backlink analyzer to audit your current anchor text distribution before launching any link building campaign. If exact-match is already above 15%, diversify before adding more.
Building Dofollow Links: Realistic Timeline and Expectations
One of the most damaging misconceptions in SEO is treating backlink acquisition as a one-time project. The highest-ranking sites treat it as an ongoing operation, not a campaign.
Month 1–2: Claim all platform and profile links (GitHub, Crunchbase, WordPress Plugin Directory, VS Code Marketplace, Google Business Profile, Yelp, Product Hunt). This takes approximately 10–15 hours total and establishes a baseline of high-DR dofollow links. These are crawled by Google within 2–4 weeks.
Month 2–4: Directory submissions at scale. Submit to 150–500 vetted directories using Backlynk's automation. Expect 40–70% approval rates depending on niche and listing quality. First ranking movements become visible for lower-competition keywords within 45–90 days.
Month 4–ongoing: Editorial link acquisition. This is where rankings compound. Guest posts, digital PR studies, broken link building, and testimonial outreach. Each editorial dofollow link earned is worth multiples of directory links — and the effect is cumulative.
Per Ahrefs' 2025 study: websites with strong backlink profiles (including both dofollow and nofollow) receive 67% more organic traffic than competitors with weak profiles. The gap compounds monthly because high-ranking pages attract more editorial links, which improves rankings further.
FAQ: Dofollow Backlinks
What is the difference between a dofollow and nofollow link?
A dofollow link passes PageRank (link equity) from the source page to the destination — it's the default state of any HTML link. A nofollow link contains rel="nofollow" and was originally designed to block PageRank transfer. Since Google's September 2019 update, nofollow became a "hint" rather than an absolute directive, meaning Google may still consider nofollow links from high-authority sources for ranking purposes.
Do nofollow links help with SEO at all?
Yes, in several ways. High-authority nofollow links (from Forbes, Reddit, Wikipedia-level sources) correlate with rankings due to referral traffic, brand signals, and the 2019 hint model. Ahrefs found a 0.32 correlation coefficient between nofollow links and rankings. They also drive real clicks and engagement, which feed into NavBoost signals confirmed in the 2024 Google API leak. Never ignore a nofollow link from a DR 80+ source.
How many dofollow backlinks do I need to rank?
There's no universal number — it depends entirely on your competitors' backlink profiles for that specific keyword. Use Ahrefs or Semrush to check the DR and referring domain count of pages currently ranking positions 1–10 for your target keyword. Your target is to match or slightly exceed the field. For low-competition keywords (KD 0–20), pages with under 20 referring domains rank regularly. For high-competition keywords (KD 60+), you're looking at hundreds to thousands of referring domains.
Is it safe to buy dofollow backlinks?
No — purchasing dofollow links violates Google's spam policies and can result in manual actions (penalties applied by human Google reviewers) delivered via Search Console. Google's SpamBrain algorithm also detects patterns of paid link acquisition algorithmically. The risk-adjusted return is negative. The legitimate alternative is automated directory submission (which submits to directories that want your listing) and outreach-based link building.
What anchor text should I use for dofollow links?
For homepage links: 60–70% branded, 15–20% naked URL, under 5% exact-match keyword. For inner pages: 50–60% partial-match and related phrases, under 10% exact-match. Sites with over 40% exact-match anchor text frequently face Penguin devaluation. Match the anchor text diversity you'd see if real writers were linking to you organically.
How do I check if my backlinks are dofollow or nofollow?
Use Ahrefs Site Explorer or Semrush Backlink Audit for your full profile — both filter by dofollow/nofollow. For individual links, right-click the link and "Inspect" to view the HTML: look for rel="nofollow" in the <a> tag. The MozBar and Ahrefs SEO Toolbar browser extensions highlight link types automatically as you browse. Backlynk's analyzer shows your full backlink profile with link type breakdown in one dashboard.
How long does it take for dofollow backlinks to impact rankings?
High-authority dofollow links (DR 70+) from editorially curated sources: visible ranking impact typically within 4–8 weeks of Google crawling the link. Directory submissions (DR 40–70): 30–90 days for first measurable impact. Low-tier links (DR 20–39): minimal measurable impact. Factors that accelerate the timeline: high crawl frequency of the source site, fresh content on the source page, and existing link equity on your destination page.
---
*Audit your current dofollow/nofollow ratio before building new links — an imbalanced profile can work against you. Run a free backlink analysis to see your current link type breakdown, anchor text distribution, and DR profile. Then explore Backlynk's directory database to identify the highest-DR dofollow sources in your niche, and automate submissions to build your foundation efficiently.*