NoFollow Link
A hyperlink with a rel='nofollow' attribute that signals search engines not to pass ranking credit.
Definition
A nofollow link is a hyperlink with the HTML attribute rel='nofollow' added to the anchor tag, which instructs search engines not to pass link equity (ranking power) from the linking page to the linked page. Nofollow links were introduced by Google in 2005 to combat comment spam. Today, the nofollow attribute is commonly used for paid links and user-generated content links.
Why It Matters
Understanding nofollow vs. dofollow links is essential for link-building strategy. Only dofollow links pass the ranking equity that improves search rankings. Nofollow links still have value: they can drive referral traffic, increase brand visibility, and contribute to a natural-looking backlink profile.