Dofollow backlinks are inbound links from other websites that pass SEO ranking power to your page. Unlike nofollow links, they contain no rel="nofollow" attribute, which means search engines follow them and count them as endorsement votes. In HTML, a dofollow link is simply a normal anchor tag — dofollow is the default state of every link unless marked otherwise.
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If you are new to SEO, the dofollow/nofollow distinction can seem like technical trivia. It is not. This single attribute determines whether a backlink actively boosts your rankings or merely sends referral traffic. Understanding the difference shapes every link building strategy you will ever run.
This guide explains exactly what dofollow backlinks are, how they differ from nofollow links, why they matter for rankings, how to check any link’s status in seconds, and how to earn more of them.
You can check backlinks and site authority for free with our website authority checker.
What Are Dofollow Backlinks?
A dofollow backlink is a hyperlink from an external website to your page that search engine crawlers are allowed to follow and that passes ranking credit (often called “link equity” or “link juice”). The term “dofollow” is actually informal — there is no rel="dofollow" attribute in HTML. Dofollow simply describes the default behavior of every link: unless a webmaster adds rel="nofollow", rel="sponsored", or rel="ugc", the link is dofollow by nature.
Here is what a dofollow link looks like in HTML:
<a href="">helpful SEO guide</a>Nothing special — no extra attribute. Compare that with a nofollow link:
<a href="" rel="nofollow">helpful SEO guide</a>The rel="nofollow" attribute instructs search engines not to pass ranking credit through that link. Google introduced nofollow in 2005 to combat comment spam, and later added the sponsored and ugc (user-generated content) variants for finer-grained signaling. But the core idea behind the dofollow link meaning has never changed: it is a link that counts as a vote.
Think of it this way. The web is a democracy of pages, and dofollow backlinks are the votes. When a reputable site links to your article with a standard link, it is effectively telling Google: “this page is worth visiting.” Accumulate enough of these votes from quality sources, and your rankings climb. Learn the broader context in our guide to what backlinks are and how the whole system fits together.
Dofollow vs Nofollow: The Key Differences
The dofollow and nofollow difference comes down to one question: does the link pass ranking power? Here is the full comparison.
Ranking power: Dofollow links pass PageRank and contribute directly to the linked page’s ability to rank. Nofollow links were historically treated as not passing ranking signals at all, though Google now treats nofollow as a “hint” rather than a strict directive — meaning it may consider them in some cases, but you should not count on it.
Crawling: Search engine bots follow dofollow links to discover new pages. Nofollow links may still be crawled, but they do not reliably lead crawlers to new content. If an important page is only reachable through nofollow links, it may struggle to get indexed.
Typical placement: Dofollow links appear in editorial content — articles, resource lists, and genuine recommendations where the site owner vouches for the destination. Nofollow links dominate user-generated areas: blog comments, forum posts, Wikipedia references, and paid placements (which should use rel="sponsored").
SEO value vs traffic value: This is the nuance most guides miss. A nofollow link from a high-traffic page can send thousands of qualified visitors even though it passes little ranking power. Dismissing all nofollow links as worthless ignores the traffic dimension entirely. The smart approach: pursue dofollow links for rankings, but welcome nofollow links from real audiences for traffic and brand exposure.
For a deeper side-by-side breakdown, see our full dofollow vs nofollow comparison.
Why Dofollow Backlinks Matter for SEO
Dofollow backlinks remain one of Google’s strongest ranking signals because they represent independent editorial endorsement. Anyone can publish content claiming their page is the best; a dofollow link from an unrelated third party is much harder to fake at scale.
PageRank flow. Google’s foundational algorithm treats dofollow links as conduits of authority. When a high-authority page links to yours with a dofollow link, a portion of its PageRank flows to your page. This is not the whole ranking story in 2026 — content relevance, user signals, and hundreds of other factors matter — but link authority remains a primary differentiator in competitive niches. Moz’s guide to link equity explains the mechanics in detail, and Ahrefs’ dofollow vs nofollow analysis covers the practical differences.
Indexation and discovery. Crawlers find new pages by following links. A new page with several dofollow backlinks from crawled sites gets discovered and indexed quickly. A page with no inbound links at all may sit unnoticed for weeks. This is why a small initial round of outreach after publishing can meaningfully speed up indexation.
Anchor text relevance. Dofollow links carry anchor text signals that help Google understand what the linked page is about. When multiple sites link to your guide with anchors like “dofollow backlink checker,” Google gains confidence that your page covers that topic. (Nofollow links carry far weaker anchor signals.)
Competitive moats. In most niches, the pages ranking #1 have substantially stronger dofollow backlink profiles than positions #5-10. Analyzing the gap between your profile and the top results — using any backlink checker — reveals exactly how many quality dofollow links you need to compete. It is one of the most actionable metrics in SEO.
Dofollow Link Benefits for Your Website
Beyond the raw ranking mechanics, dofollow link benefits compound across your entire site in ways that are easy to underestimate.
Faster ranking for new content. Sites with strong dofollow profiles rank new pages faster. Google already trusts the domain, so new articles start from a higher baseline. This is the “authority snowball” — each quality link makes the next piece of content easier to rank, which attracts more natural links in turn.
Referral traffic from relevant sources. Editorial dofollow links usually sit inside genuinely useful content, which means real readers click them. A dofollow link from a popular industry blog can become a lasting traffic source independent of search rankings.
Brand credibility and partnerships. Being linked — with endorsement-passing links — by respected publications builds authority with humans, not just algorithms. Those relationships often lead to further mentions, collaborations, and links. One strong editorial relationship can outperform dozens of one-off link placements.
Resilience against algorithm updates. Sites with diverse, editorially-earned dofollow profiles tend to survive updates better than sites relying on thin content or manipulative tactics. Genuine endorsement is the hardest signal to game, so Google rewards it consistently across updates.
How to Check If a Backlink Is Dofollow
Checking a link’s status takes seconds. Here are three methods, from fastest to most thorough.
Method 1: Right-click inspect. Right-click the link on the page, choose “Inspect” (or “Inspect Element”). In the developer tools panel, find the
<a>tag. If you see rel="nofollow", rel="sponsored", or rel="ugc", it is not a full dofollow link. If there is no rel attribute at all, it is dofollow. This takes about five seconds once you have done it twice.
Method 2: View page source. Press Ctrl+U (Cmd+U on Mac) to view the page source, then Ctrl+F and search for the destination URL. Examine the surrounding anchor tag for rel attributes. Useful when you want to check multiple links on one page quickly.
Method 3: SEO browser extensions. Extensions like the MozBar or Ahrefs SEO Toolbar can highlight nofollow links automatically as you browse. This is the fastest option for auditing many pages, though the manual inspect method builds better intuition for how links actually work.
One caution: some sites apply nofollow via JavaScript or meta-level directives that are not visible in the raw anchor tag. For high-stakes verification (a paid placement, for example), cross-check with a dedicated backlink analysis tool rather than relying solely on inspection.
How to Get More Dofollow Backlinks
Earning dofollow backlinks is the core skill of off-page SEO. The tactics that work share one trait: they give the linking site a genuine reason to endorse you.
Create link-worthy assets. Original data, comprehensive guides, free tools, and striking visuals earn editorial links naturally. A single original study can attract dozens of dofollow links from journalists and bloggers citing your numbers. This is the highest-leverage activity in link building — one exceptional asset outperforms ten mediocre outreach campaigns.
Guest posting on relevant sites. Writing genuinely useful guest articles for publications in your niche typically earns a dofollow bio or contextual link. Focus on sites with real audiences, not link farms. Quality over quantity: five links from respected industry sites beat fifty from thin blogs.
Broken link building. Find dead links on resource pages in your niche, then suggest your working content as a replacement. Site owners appreciate the help, and you earn an editorial dofollow link. It is one of the highest-conversion outreach tactics because you lead with value.
Digital PR and HARO. Responding to journalist queries (through services like Connectively, formerly HARO) earns dofollow links from news sites and major publications. These are among the most authoritative links available — and they compound, because other writers discover you through that coverage.
Reclaim unlinked mentions. Search for brand mentions that do not link to you, then politely ask for the link. These convert well because the site already chose to mention you; adding the link is a small step.
Avoid shortcuts: paid links without proper attribution, link schemes, and automated spam violate Google’s guidelines and risk penalties that erase years of progress. Sustainable link building strategies are slower but permanent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are dofollow backlinks the only ones that matter?
No. Dofollow links drive rankings most directly, but nofollow links from real audiences deliver referral traffic, brand exposure, and a natural-looking link profile. A healthy profile includes both — a site with 100% dofollow links looks manipulated.
How many dofollow backlinks do I need to rank?
It depends entirely on competition. Check the top-ranking pages for your keyword with a backlink tool and compare referring domain counts. Low-competition keywords may need only a handful; competitive terms can require hundreds. Quality consistently beats quantity.
Do social media links count as dofollow backlinks?
Almost all social media links are nofollow (or equivalent). They do not pass significant ranking power, but they drive discovery — content shared widely gets seen by people who do link from their websites with dofollow links.
Can I convert a nofollow link to dofollow?
Sometimes. If you have a relationship with the site owner, you can ask them to remove the nofollow attribute — particularly for editorial mentions where nofollow was applied by default (many CMS platforms nofollow all external links automatically). Not every owner will agree, but asking costs nothing.
Does Google still use dofollow as a ranking signal?
Yes. While Google’s algorithm now incorporates hundreds of signals and treats nofollow as a “hint,” dofollow editorial links remain among the strongest indicators of a page’s authority and trustworthiness.
Written by Mubashir Safeer. Continue learning with our dofollow vs nofollow deep-dive and our guide to checking competitor backlinks.
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