Every link carries an attribute that tells search engines how to treat it. Dofollow is the default: a normal link with no extra tag, the kind that can pass ranking credit. The others, nofollow, sponsored and UGC, are values added in the link's rel tag to describe its nature. Understanding them stops two common mistakes: treating every dofollow as gold and writing off every nofollow as worthless.
Since 2019 Google has treated these attributes as hints rather than strict rules, meaning it may still consider a nofollow or sponsored link rather than ignoring it outright. So the line between "counts" and "does not count" is blurrier than the labels suggest.
The four attributes
| Attribute | What it signals | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Dofollow (default) | A normal editorial link that can pass ranking credit | Genuine editorial mentions, links a site chose to give |
| Nofollow | The site is not vouching for this link | Comments, forums, links a publisher will not fully endorse |
| Sponsored | The link was paid for or part of a partnership | Ads, paid placements, affiliate links |
| UGC | User-generated content | Comment sections, user profiles, forum posts |
Why nofollow is not worthless
A nofollow link from a publication people actually read still earns its place. It sends referral traffic, puts your brand in front of the right audience, and corroborates who you are across the web, which matters for both classic search and AI answers that lean on consistent third-party mentions. A relevant nofollow on a national title beats a dofollow from an abandoned blog every time. The attribute is one input to a link's value, not the whole verdict.
Common mistakes
The frequent errors: paying a premium only for dofollow and ignoring relevance, trusting a supplier who guarantees dofollow on publications that clearly mark commercial links nofollow, and judging a PR campaign a failure because a placement came back nofollow when the coverage itself was strong. Reputable publishers set their own link policy, so no honest agency can promise the attribute in advance on a real editorial title.
How to report it honestly
A good link report names the attribute for every placement: followed, nofollow, sponsored, UGC, redirected or mention-only with no link. Hiding nofollow links as if they were dofollow, or quietly dropping mention-only coverage, makes a campaign impossible to judge. Pair the attribute with the publisher, the anchor and the target page so the profile can be reviewed over time. This is part of the wider backlink quality checklist.
How SEO Backlinks approaches this
With PR backlinks, we aim for genuine editorial coverage on DR 70+ publications and report the link attribute up front for every placement, dofollow or otherwise. We will never promise guaranteed dofollow on a title that controls its own policy, because that promise can only be kept by buying links the wrong way. If you want to understand how the attribute fits the bigger picture of link value, see what makes a good backlink, or book a call to talk through your targets.
Keep reading
- What makes a good backlink?, where the attribute fits
- Anchor text, the other half of how a link reads
- Editorial backlinks, why context beats the attribute
- Backlinks and AI search, why nofollow mentions still count
- PR backlinks, our core service
FAQs
Do nofollow links help SEO at all?
Indirectly, yes. Google treats nofollow as a hint rather than a strict instruction, so it may still consider the link. More importantly, a nofollow link from a relevant, well-read publication drives traffic, brand visibility and corroboration that supports rankings in other ways.
Are PR backlinks dofollow or nofollow?
It varies by publication. Many national titles mark commercial or sponsored links as nofollow or sponsored, while genuine editorial mentions are often dofollow. We secure the most authoritative relevant placement available and tell you the attribute up front rather than promising a dofollow we cannot control.
What is the difference between sponsored and nofollow?
Sponsored marks a link that was paid for or part of an ad or partnership. Nofollow is a more general signal that the site is not vouching for the link. Both tell Google not to pass full ranking credit, but sponsored is the correct tag for anything commercial.
Should I only pay for dofollow links?
No, and a supplier guaranteeing dofollow at scale is a warning sign, because reputable publications control their own link policy. Judge a placement on relevance, audience and context first; the attribute is one factor, not the only one.