Link to link is unequal, and understanding the differences between the two can be crucial to a successful linking strategy. In this article, I will cover three key concepts such as link rel nofollow, dofollow, UGC (User Generated Content) and sponsored links to better understand how they affect a site’s visibility in Google search results.
Want more specific tips on how to link, tailored to your business? Call or write!
Rel Nofollow link
Link rel nofollow is one of the most common tools used in SEO. Adding the nofollow attribute to a link means that it does not convey power (link juice) for the linked site. The main purpose of using rel nofollow links is to control the so-called “nofollow” links. PageRank flow, which helps avoid excessive power transfer to untrusted or external sites whose positions you do not want to boost. The main benefits of rel noffolow links are: control over links in user-generated content and protection against potential problems associated with untrusted sites.
Dofollow and Nofollow links – key differences
Another point that should be clear to us is dofollow and nofollow links. The main difference between these types of links is that dofollow links transfer PageRank power to the landing page, while nofollow links do not.
Dofollow links are a standard type of link if the “nofollow” attribute is not added. They are tracked by search engines by default and have a direct impact on the positioning of the landing page. The more valuable dofollow links lead to a site, the higher it can appear in search results. Dofollow links are mainly used in situations where the author wants to make a recommendation or wants the link to influence the position of the target page.
Nofollow links are ignored by search engines in terms of transferring value associated with SEO. They do not directly affect the ranking of the landing page. They are often used where the author does not want to carry link juice or is unsure of the credibility or quality of the linked site. To create a Nofollow link, you need to add the “nofollow” attribute in the HTML code of the link. This is often used in blog comments and other situations where we don’t want to convey SEO-related value. For example, if you are linking an article from a large, well-known brand on your site, you probably don’t want to pass on its power.
However, it is worth noting that the dofollow attribute is usually unnecessary, as most links are automatically considered dofollow, and nofollow attributes are only used in cases where you want the link not to be tracked by search engines.
Nofollow UGC
It’s worth knowing that with the rapid growth of user-generated content, Google has introduced attribute
UGC
for links that originate from user-generated content. Links marked as rel UGC allow for better identification and management of links from comments, discussion forums or other forms of community-generated content. Noffolow UGC has its advantages. These are: more detailed information for Google’s robots about which links come from user-generated content; and increased control over links in the area of social media communication.
Rel Sponsored Links (Rel Sponsored)
Another key aspect is sponsored links, labeled rel sponsored. These links are used to signify a paid relationship between the source site and the destination site. Google recommends applying the sponsored attribute to all paid links to improve transparency and fairness in SEO practices. Link rel sponsored has benefits, such as making it easier to identify paid relationships between sites and helping to avoid potential penalties associated with undisclosed sponsored linking.
Dofollow, nofollow, UGC and rel sponsored links for Google are key issues important to any SEO specialist. Understanding the differences between the two allows you to better control your linking practices, which in turn affects the effectiveness of your SEO strategy. If you’re not quite sure how to plan link building effectively and safely, it’s better to leave it to the professionals, so feel free to contact me.
