If you're building a link strategy — by buying, by exchanging, or organically — you've probably heard the mantra: "make sure the link is dofollow." That mantra, by the way, is correct — but not the whole story. In 2026, when it comes to dofollow vs nofollow, the picture is far more interesting than most SEO guides present.
In this article we break down exactly how Google treats each type, what changed with the new rel attributes from 2019–2020, and why the healthy ratio in your link profile shouldn't be "100% dofollow."
1. The basics: what is dofollow and nofollow?
Every link in HTML is an <a href="..."> tag. The default is dofollow — Google follows the link and passes "link equity" (authority that flows from one site to another).
When you add the attribute rel="nofollow":
<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">example</a>
you're telling Google "don't follow this link for the purpose of passing equity." The attribute was introduced in 2005 to fight comment spam.
2. What changed in 2019: ugc + sponsored
In September 2019, Google added two new attributes that replace certain uses of nofollow:
rel="ugc"— User Generated Content. For links in comments, forums, etc.rel="sponsored"— for paid links, ads, affiliates.
Why it matters: Google wanted to know why a particular link shouldn't pass equity, not just that it shouldn't. It's still not mandatory — plain nofollow still works — but recommended.
3. 2020+: nofollow as a "hint" rather than a directive
Since March 2020, Google has stated that it treats nofollow as a "hint" rather than a "directive". In other words — it can decide to pass equity through a nofollow if it considers the link high quality. Google explained: "We don't want to miss quality signals just because the link is marked nofollow."
In practice, that means for Google the difference between dofollow and nofollow in 2026 is more of a spectrum than a binary. A nofollow from a strong, relevant site = more value than a dofollow from a weak, irrelevant one.
A nofollow from Wikipedia is still worth a lot. A dofollow from a PBN is worth nothing.
4. The healthy ratio in a link profile
A site whose every incoming link is dofollow — red flag. Why? Because organic links (news, comments, social media, forums) are usually nofollow / ugc. If 100% are dofollow — it's a sign the profile was built manually.
The healthy ratio:
| Type | Healthy share | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Dofollow | 60%–75% | The main SEO value |
| Nofollow | 20%–30% | Comments, forums, social |
| UGC | 3%–7% | User content |
| Sponsored | 2%–5% | Affiliate / ads |
5. Why nofollow isn't worthless
Three reasons not to dismiss nofollow:
- Google can ignore nofollow and pass equity (since 2020). It's not a rule — it's a hint.
- Real referral traffic. A nofollow from a high-traffic site brings you actual people.
- Trust signal. A mention of you in Forbes (even with a nofollow link) strengthens the brand mentions Google measures.
6. When each one is the right call
Choose dofollow when:
- You're exchanging links commercially — the standard is dofollow.
- You're paying for a link and want the equity (but that's risky — Google says it should be sponsored).
- You're linking from regular content to your own pages.
Choose nofollow / sponsored when:
- The link is an affiliate or an ad.
- You don't want to "endorse" the destination site (a negative review).
- You're linking to an untrusted source.
FAQ
How do I check whether a link is dofollow or nofollow?
Right-click in the browser ← Inspect ← look at the <a> tag. If there's rel="nofollow" — it's nofollow. The Chrome extension NoFollow shows it visually.
If you pay for a link — does it have to be sponsored?
Per Google's guidelines — yes. In practice, many sponsored posts are marked plain dofollow. That's a risk to understand: more equity, more exposure to a penalty if caught. See the link-buying guide.
Is a nofollow from Wikipedia worth anything?
A lot. Even nofollow, Wikipedia is one of the strongest trust signals there is. Plus — it sends people. High impact even without direct link equity.
How do I add value to nofollows I already have?
Reach out to the site owner and ask for a change. If it's an automated policy (like in WordPress comments) — you'll get a "no". If it's a one-off decision — sometimes you'll get a "yes".