Video: What’s The Difference Between Do Follow and No Follow Links (Neil Patel)
Whether a link lifts your rankings or simply points at your site comes down to one small line of code. Every link on the web is either do-follow or no-follow, and knowing the difference is the first thing to get right when you buy or build links. The short explainer above walks through it; here is the detail.
Key takeaways
- A do-follow link passes authority and can lift your rankings. A no-follow link does not pass that authority directly.
- No-follow links still bring referral traffic, brand exposure, and a natural-looking profile.
- A profile of only do-follow links looks manipulated. Real sites earn a mix.
- The quality and relevance of the source site matter more than the tag alone.
What is a do-follow link?
A do-follow link is a normal link with no special instruction attached. By default, links are do-follow, which means search engines follow them and pass along a share of the linking page’s authority, often called link equity or PageRank. These are the links that build ranking power, which is why they cost more and are worth more.
What is a no-follow link?
A no-follow link carries a rel=”nofollow” attribute that tells search engines not to pass authority through it. Google introduced it so sites could link out without vouching for the destination. You will also see two relatives: rel=”sponsored” for paid or affiliate links, and rel=”ugc” for user-generated content like comments and forum posts. Google explains all three in its guidance on qualifying outbound links.
Do no-follow links help SEO?
Yes, just not in the direct way people expect. No-follow links do not pass link equity, but they still send referral traffic, put your brand in front of new audiences, and keep your overall profile looking natural. Google has also said it treats the no-follow attribute as a hint rather than a strict rule, so the line is softer than it once was. A no-follow link from a major publication with real readers can beat a do-follow link from a dead site.
Should backlinks be do-follow or no-follow?
For links you actively pursue to build authority, do-follow is the goal, because that is what moves rankings. But the healthiest profile is a mix. If 100 percent of your backlinks are do-follow with exact-match anchors, that pattern screams manipulation, and it is exactly what cheap link sellers produce. Real brands naturally pick up no-follow mentions from news, social, and directories alongside their do-follow placements.
How this fits into buying links
When you pay for a placement, you are usually paying for a do-follow editorial link on a real, relevant, trafficked site, which is the combination that actually works. The tag alone is not enough. A do-follow link on a site with no audience passes almost nothing. We cover how to judge the source site in how to vet a guest post site in 5 minutes, and what fair pricing looks like in how much do backlinks cost.
How AstroLinks handles it
Every placement in the AstroLinks marketplace is a do-follow editorial link on a hand-vetted US publisher with real organic traffic, and you approve the site and draft before it goes live. You get the ranking value of do-follow plus the credibility of a genuine source. See what is included on our backlink service.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between do-follow and no-follow links?
A do-follow link passes authority, or link equity, from the source page to your site and can lift rankings. A no-follow link carries a rel attribute that tells search engines not to pass that authority, though it still sends referral traffic and visibility.
Do no-follow links help SEO?
Yes, indirectly. No-follow links do not pass link equity, but they drive referral traffic, build brand exposure, and keep your link profile looking natural. Google also treats the no-follow attribute as a hint rather than a strict rule.
Should backlinks be do-follow or no-follow?
Links you pursue for ranking power should be do-follow, but the healthiest profile is a natural mix. A profile of only do-follow links with exact-match anchors looks manipulated, while real brands earn no-follow mentions alongside do-follow placements.
Next step: Tell us your niche and target Domain Authority and we will send matching US sites with do-follow editorial placements and real data attached. Get a free quote.