A dofollow link is a standard HTML hyperlink without a rel="nofollow" attribute, which instructs search engine crawlers to follow the link and pass ranking authority (link equity) from the linking page to the destination page.
Quick Answer
A dofollow link is a standard HTML hyperlink without a rel="nofollow" attribute, which instructs search engine crawlers to follow the link and pass ranking authority (link equity) from the linking page to the destination page.
Dofollow is the default — any link without rel="nofollow", rel="sponsored", or rel="ugc" passes full link equity
One high-authority dofollow link can outperform 100 nofollow links for ranking impact
Audit your backlink profile quarterly to confirm links remain dofollow — publishers sometimes add nofollow post-publication
Key Takeaways
Dofollow is the default — any link without rel="nofollow", rel="sponsored", or rel="ugc" passes full link equity
One high-authority dofollow link can outperform 100 nofollow links for ranking impact
Audit your backlink profile quarterly to confirm links remain dofollow — publishers sometimes add nofollow post-publication
How Dofollow Link Works
Dofollow is technically the default state of any HTML hyperlink — the term exists only in contrast to nofollow links. When Google's crawler encounters a dofollow link, it follows the link, indexes the destination page, and passes a portion of the linking page's authority to the destination. This authority transfer is the mechanism through which backlinks improve rankings. Virtually all editorial links from reputable publications are dofollow.
Why Dofollow Link Matters for B2B Marketing
For B2B link building campaigns, earning dofollow links from authoritative, relevant websites is the primary objective. A single dofollow link from an industry publication with DR 70+ can lift rankings for multiple target keywords within 60-90 days. The cumulative effect of a sustained dofollow link acquisition program — 10-20 quality links per month — compounds into significant domain-level authority over 12-24 months.
Dofollow Link: Best Practices & Strategic Application
Tactics for earning dofollow links include digital PR campaigns (press releases, data studies, expert commentary), guest posting on industry blogs, building linkable assets (free tools, original research, comprehensive guides), broken link building, and resource page link building. Each tactic should target publishers who use editorial dofollow links as standard practice.
Agency Perspective: Dofollow Link in Practice
Agency insight: When auditing a link building campaign, always verify link attributes in the actual HTML source rather than relying on metrics tools alone. Some publishers add nofollow after initial publication. Use Ahrefs' backlink report filtered by "Dofollow" to ensure your link building investment is generating actual authority transfer rather than just referral traffic.
Frequently Asked Questions: Dofollow Link
A dofollow link is a standard HTML hyperlink without a rel="nofollow" attribute, which instructs search engine crawlers to follow the link and pass ranking authority (link equity) from the linking page to the destination page.
Dofollow links pass ranking authority from the linking page to the destination page. Nofollow links include rel="nofollow" in the HTML, which tells Google not to pass authority through the link. Dofollow links are the primary currency of link building — they directly improve your site's rankings. Nofollow links can still drive referral traffic and brand awareness but have limited direct SEO value.
Right-click the link and select "Inspect" in your browser to view the HTML. If the anchor tag contains rel="nofollow", rel="sponsored", or rel="ugc", it's not a full dofollow link. If none of those attributes are present, it's dofollow. You can also check at scale using Ahrefs' backlink report, which filters by link type.
Dofollow links are the priority for SEO authority, but a natural backlink profile includes a mix of dofollow and nofollow links. A profile with 100% dofollow links can appear manipulative. Nofollow links from high-traffic sites (Wikipedia, Reddit, Quora, news sites) still drive valuable referral traffic and brand mentions that indirectly support rankings.
MV3 Marketing helps B2B companies apply these strategies to drive measurable pipeline growth. Our team executes digital pr for technology, SaaS, and professional services companies.
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