Dofollow links: what they are and SEO best practices
A dofollow link is a standard hyperlink without rel='nofollow', rel='sponsored' or rel='ugc' that search engines may crawl and treat as a linking signal; its SEO value depends on publisher quality, indexability and editorial context.
Why dofollow links matter
A “dofollow” link is industry shorthand, not an HTML attribute. In practice it means a normal hyperlink that does not include rel='nofollow', rel='sponsored' or rel='ugc'. Search engines can crawl that link and may use it as one of many signals when processing a page's relationship to others.
Distinguish crawling, indexing and ranking: a backlink can help crawlers discover a URL (crawl), and being referenced from indexed pages makes it easier for a page to enter the index (indexing). Whether that backlink changes where a page appears in search results (ranking) depends on many signals beyond a single link — publisher relevance, content quality, and algorithmic factors all matter.
Key features to look for
When evaluating a potential placement, prioritize the combination of editorial context, indexability and visibility over a single metric. Important features include:
• Editorial context — Is the link embedded in relevant, topically aligned content or in a footer/sidebar? Editorially placed links carry stronger contextual signals.
• Indexability — Is the publisher page accessible to search engines and not blocked by robots rules? If Google doesn’t index the page, the link’s signal is typically reduced.
• Anchor text relevance — Natural, descriptive anchors help clarify the topic being referenced; avoid exact-match over-optimization.
• Placement visibility — Links within the main content are generally more valuable than links buried in lists or widgets.
• Publisher quality — Use third-party metrics (Ahrefs, Moz, Majestic) and direct signals like traffic and engaged readership as context, not as definitive proof of value.
When marking links in HTML, use explicit rel attributes where appropriate: a standard link without special rel is written as example. For paid placements use example. For user-generated content use example. For links you don’t want to signal, use example.
How BlogDrip fits
When sourcing placements on marketplaces, focus on publisher indexability and editorial fit rather than raw third-party scores. BlogDrip connects advertisers with a network of verified publishers and surfaces contextual details that help you judge whether a placement is editorial, indexable and relevant to your niche. That editorial and indexability context is often more important for SEO impact than a single metric.
How to evaluate options
Compare common link types side-by-side to understand tradeoffs:
Dofollow (normal link) — Pros: crawled as a linking signal, stronger editorial context when inside content. Cons: may attract scrutiny if purchased and not disclosed; value varies by indexation and relevance.
rel='nofollow' — Pros: useful for links where you don’t want to pass editorial endorsement. Cons: Google treats it as a hint; its exact effect on ranking signals is not public.
rel='sponsored' — Pros: appropriate for paid or compensated links; aligns with Google’s guidance. Cons: disclosed paid links may be treated differently by algorithms.
rel='ugc' — Pros: signals user-generated content context (comments, forums). Cons: typically lower editorial control and variable quality.
Dofollow links check: technical checklist
Below are practical checks you can run from outside the publisher site. Each line follows the format: **{Check name}** — where to verify — passes when {condition}.
**Link exists in HTML** — curl or view-source on the publisher URL — passes when the anchor element with the expected href appears in the page HTML (use curl without -I to fetch the body).
**Link is visible in rendered DOM** — Chrome DevTools Elements panel or View Source vs rendered DOM — passes when the anchor is visible to users and not injected solely by client-side scripts that may be blocked to crawlers.
**rel attribute check** — inspect the anchor in HTML — passes when the anchor does not include rel='nofollow', rel='sponsored' or rel='ugc' (i.e., it's a normal link).
**HTTP status & robots headers** — curl -I <publisher-page-url> — passes when the page returns 200 OK and does not include X-Robots-Tag: noindex or robots directives blocking indexing.
**Indexation signal (public)** — site: operator or a unique snippet search — passes when the page can be surfaced by site:publisher.com "unique phrase" (note: site: is an indicative signal, not definitive).
**Editorial context** — manual review of surrounding text — passes when the link sits inside relevant, substantive content rather than a link list, footer or widget.
**Third-party metrics as context** — Ahrefs/Moz/Majestic/site-traffic tools — passes when metrics and traffic trends align with relevance and editorial quality; treat these as signals, not guarantees.
Tools and commands to run
Inspect headers: use curl -I https://publisher.example/page to see HTTP status and X-Robots-Tag. To fetch HTML body for an anchor check, use curl https://publisher.example/page. For rendered DOM verification, open the page in Chrome, open DevTools > Elements, and search for the anchor. Use Bing Webmaster Tools Site Explorer to view how Bing sees the page. Use the site: operator in Google as a public indexation hint; remember it is not definitive.
If you own the destination site and need authoritative indexation information for your URL, use Google Search Console URL Inspection; external publishers will not grant that access, so the above external checks are necessary when assessing third-party placements.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is there an HTML attribute called dofollow?
A: No. “Dofollow” is SEO shorthand for a normal link that lacks rel='nofollow', rel='sponsored' and rel='ugc'.
Q: Do all dofollow links improve rankings?
A: No. A link’s potential value depends on publisher relevance, indexability, placement and algorithmic judgement. Links from pages that aren’t indexed or that sit in poor editorial contexts are typically less influential.
Q: How should paid links be handled?
A: Google’s guidance is to clearly label paid or sponsored links with rel='sponsored' or rel='nofollow'. Links intended primarily to manipulate rankings can be treated as link spam; disclose paid placements and use rel='sponsored' when appropriate.
Q: Can a rel='nofollow' link still help SEO?
A: Google treats rel='nofollow' as a hint. Such links can still drive referral traffic, bring visibility and — in some cases — be used by algorithms as a signal. Treat them as complementary to editorial placements.
Find publishers for your linkbuilding
When selecting placements, prioritize indexability and editorial relevance. BlogDrip connects advertisers with verified publishers and surfaces contextual signals so you can judge whether a placement is editorial, indexable and topically relevant; use marketplace filters to narrow by niche and publisher metrics. Browse publishers for backlinks
Want to learn more first? Read the Link Building Guide
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