Follow and No Follow links: What they are, differences and their impact on SEO
Surely you've heard about “follow” and “no follow” links, but maybe you're not sure what they mean or how they actually influence the positioning of your website. Although these technical terms may seem confusing at first, understanding their differences and knowing how to manage them correctly can make a big difference in the online visibility of your business or project. In this article, we'll explore in a simple and close way what exactly these types of links are, how they affect your SEO strategy, and how you can identify them to make the most of their benefits and avoid common mistakes.
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For strategic SEO management, remember to periodically review the attributes of your outbound and inbound links. A quick inspection with free tools or simply reviewing the HTML code can reveal if your links are “follow” or “no follow”. This way you will precisely control the authority you transmit and receive, optimizing the organic positioning of your website.
What are follow links and how do they transmit link juice
A follow link is a hyperlink that, by not including any attribute to the contrary, allows the transmission of authority or PageRank from the source page to the destination page. This transfer of authority, known as Link Juice, is part of Google's algorithm and is one of the factors that influence the organic visibility of websites. When a page links to another through a follow link, it is indicating to search engines that it trusts that content and that it is relevant, thus making it easier for the linked page to improve its ranking in search results.
What are no-follow links and how do they block link juice
On the other hand, a no follow link incorporates the attribute rel="nofollow” in your HTML code. This attribute communicates to search engines that such a link should not be followed nor should it transfer SEO authority. In practical terms, a no-follow link cuts off the flow of link juice, preventing the landing page from receiving some of the relevance or authority of the page it links to. Google introduced this attribute as a measure to combat spam and so that administrators could control outbound links that they don't want to support from an SEO point of view.
Key Differences Between Follow and No Follow
The fundamental difference between the two types of links lies in the transfer of authority. Follow links allow link juice to flow from the source page to the destination page, contributing to PageRank and, potentially, to search engine rankings. On the other hand, no-follow links interrupt this flow, preventing the authority of the source page from benefiting the linked page. In addition, Google interprets both links differently: follow tracks and evaluates them, while non-follow links indicate that this link should have no weight in terms of positioning, although with nuances.
The role of link juice in link strategy
Link juice is the SEO value that is transferred from one page to another through follow links. This flow of authority helps search engines consider the landing page relevant and trustworthy. However, when links include the no follow attribute, this flow stops, so there is no direct transfer of authority. The correct management of this flow is an essential component in any link building strategy, since it directly impacts the visibility and positioning of a website.
How follow and no follow links affect positioning
The use of follow links favors the improvement of PageRank and position in search results, since it increases the authority of the linked page. On the contrary, no-follow links do not directly convey authority and, therefore, do not contribute to the positioning of the destination page. However, no-follow links can have an indirect value, since they can generate traffic, improve brand visibility and favor the appearance of natural follow links in the future.
When to use follow links
The follow attribute should be used when linking to content that is trustworthy and relevant to the user, as well as when you want to reinforce the authority of your own or external pages that complement the information. It is recommended to use it in internal links and external links that respond to an SEO strategy aimed at strengthening the authority of a site.
When to use no-follow links
The use of no-follow links is advisable in situations where you do not want to transfer authority, such as in user comments, paid links or content generated by third parties whose quality has not been verified. It is also common to use it in links to external sites that are not to be recommended from an SEO point of view.
Other attributes and their influence on link juice
In addition to the no follow attribute, there are others such as rel="sponsored” and rel="ugc”. The former applies to sponsored or advertising content links, while the second is intended for user-generated content. Both attributes, as well as no follow, indicate to search engines that they should not consider these links as a sign of trust or relevance, thus limiting the transfer of authority.
How to identify a follow or no follow link
It is possible to identify the type of link by inspecting the HTML code from the browser. By right-clicking on a link and selecting the “Inspect” option, you can check if it contains the attributes rel="nofollow”, rel="sponsored” or rel="ugc”. There are also specific extensions and tools that allow you to view this information quickly and easily, facilitating analysis for SEO professionals.
Frequently asked questions about follow, no follow and link juice
What does it mean for a link to transmit link juice?
The concept of Link Juice refers to the authority or relevance that one page transmits to another through a follow link. This flow of authority helps to improve the positioning of the linked page in search results, as it is interpreted by search engines as a sign of trust.
Can a no-follow link position a page?
Although no-follow links don't directly transfer authority, they can have an indirect value for SEO. These links can generate traffic, increase the visibility of content and encourage other sites to link to that content over time using follow links, which does have an impact on positioning.
How to know if a link is follow or no follow from the browser?
To check if a link is follow or no follow from the browser, it is sufficient to inspect the element. When you right click on the link and select “Inspect”, you can see in the HTML code if the link contains the attribute rel="nofollow” or other similar ones. There are also extensions and tools that make this task easier.
How many no-follow links can I put on my website without affecting SEO?
There is no specific limit of no follow links that could negatively affect SEO. The use of this type of link does not penalize a website, although excessive use does not contribute to the transfer of authority, so it does not provide direct benefits in terms of positioning.
What's the difference between a no-follow and a sponsored link?
The main difference between attributes Nofollow and Sponsored lies in the nature of the link. The attribute rel="sponsored” is specifically used to identify links to sponsored or advertising content, while rel="nofollow” blocks the transfer of authority without specifying the cause, applying to any link that the issuer does not wish to support at the SEO level.
If a link has no follow, does Google completely ignore it?
Google doesn't always completely ignore no-follow links. Although these links do not convey direct authority, they can be taken into account by search engines for the detection, crawling or indexing of new pages, as well as for the analysis of the link profile of a website.
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