Dofollow vs Nofollow vs Sponsored vs UGC: When Each Link Attribute Matters
Complete guide to link attributes in SEO: dofollow, nofollow, sponsored and UGC. Learn when Google follows each type, how they impact link juice, and how each affects your link building strategy.
When you earn a backlink, not all links are technically equal. The rel attribute on a link tells search engines how to process it. Understanding the differences between dofollow, nofollow, sponsored and UGC is essential for evaluating the real value of each backlink in your link building strategy — and for ensuring your site does not violate Google's policies when publishing content.
The 4 Link Attributes and What They Tell Google
| Attribute | HTML Code | Instruction to Google | Link juice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dofollow | <a href="url"> | Follow and transmit authority | Full |
| Nofollow | rel="nofollow" | Hint: may ignore | Reduced |
| Sponsored | rel="sponsored" | Paid/affiliate link | Greatly reduced |
| UGC | rel="ugc" | User-generated content | Greatly reduced |
A critical detail many SEOs overlook: in 2019, Google changed its position on nofollow. It went from being a directive (Google promised not to follow the link) to being a hint (Google may follow it at its discretion). In practice, this means some high-authority nofollow links do have an impact on rankings.
Dofollow: The Standard and Most Valuable Link Type
A dofollow link is simply a link without a restrictive rel attribute — the default HTML behavior. Google follows it, crawls the destination page, and includes PageRank transmission in its calculations. 100% of the link juice flows from the source to the destination page (minus the natural damping factor).
In link building, dofollow links in editorial content are the primary objective because they transmit maximum SEO value. However, in certain contexts links must be nofollow or sponsored to comply with Google's policies.
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The nofollow attribute (rel="nofollow") was created in 2005 to help control spam in comments and forums. With the 2019 update, Google converted it to a hint, not a directive.
Cases where nofollow is mandatory or recommended:
- Links in blog comments (to prevent spam)
- Links in forum or social media profiles
- Links to untrusted sites you do not want to endorse
- Links in widgets or embeds
When does a nofollow still have value for you? A nofollow link from Forbes or The New York Times (DA 90+) still matters because: (1) Google may follow it as a hint and process it; (2) it generates real referral traffic from qualified audiences; (3) it contributes to your domain's entity authority that LLMs recognize.
Sponsored: The Required Attribute for Paid Links
The sponsored attribute (rel="sponsored") was introduced in 2019 specifically for links in paid content: sponsored articles, advertorials, brand content, and affiliate links. Google requires that any link in paid content carry this attribute.
Implication for link building in publications: when you publish a sponsored article in a media outlet and the link includes rel="sponsored", Google knows it is a paid link and processes it differently from organic editorial content. In theory, the SEO impact is less than an editorial link. In practice, the distinction is nuanced — Google also evaluates the total authority of the domain making the link and the relevance of the content.
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UGC and the Reality of Links on Social Media and Forums
UGC (User Generated Content) is the attribute for links created by users on platforms: comments, forums like Reddit, answers on Quora. These links transmit minimal link juice but have secondary value: referral traffic, brand visibility, and popularity signals that Google may use indirectly.
Reddit (DA 94), Quora (DA 83) and Stack Overflow (DA 91) use nofollow or UGC on all user links — but a viral Reddit link generating 10,000 clicks in 24 hours creates behavioral signals that Google monitors. Real popularity generates editorial attention that can eventually translate into organic dofollow links from publications that cover the topic.
Esbuenisimo Links builds exclusively editorial links in verified publications where content is curated by professional editors — generating the maximum possible PageRank impact and link juice for every backlink in the campaign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a nofollow link have any SEO value in 2026?+
Yes, with important nuances. Since the 2019 update, nofollow is a hint for Google, not an absolute directive. In practice: nofollow links on very high-DA sites (Forbes DA 94, NYT DA 95, Wikipedia DA 96) have a probability of being followed by Google because these sites have extremely high PR and their links, even with nofollow, can have impact. Nofollow links on low-DA sites (20-40) have a very low probability of generating direct impact. Additionally, any high-DA nofollow link has indirect value: real traffic, brand visibility, and contribution to the entity authority that LLMs recognize.
What happens if I publish a paid article without including the sponsored attribute?+
It technically violates Google's link schemes policy. Google can detect that the content is sponsored through signals like article language, the publication's publishing patterns, or sponsored content declarations, and devalue the link anyway. The real risk is not so much a manual penalty (rare) as algorithmic devaluation. However, in practice, many legitimate publications publish brand articles or collaboration content where the link is editorially integrated and not marked as sponsored — this gray area is common and Google processes it case by case.
How do I know if a link I receive is dofollow or nofollow?+
Three methods: (1) Inspect the HTML directly — right-click on the link, Inspect, and look for the rel attribute in the code. If there is no restrictive rel attribute, it is dofollow. (2) Ahrefs Site Explorer, Backlinks, the Type column shows the attribute for each link. (3) Chrome extension NoFollow Simple — visually highlights all nofollow links on any page you visit. For your strategy: when you get a new link, always verify the attribute before reporting it as a quality backlink.
Should I ask publications to change my links from nofollow to dofollow?+
It depends on the publication and the relationship. Some publications have a strict nofollow policy for all external links — it is their editorial decision and asking them to change it can damage the relationship. Publications that implement nofollow because it is policy but without a strong reason often agree if you request it politely, explaining that the link is editorial and legitimate. Do not ask if the article is sponsored content — in that case nofollow or sponsored is what is appropriate. Prioritize getting good dofollow links from the start rather than trying to convert nofollow links afterwards.
Do links on social networks like LinkedIn or Twitter affect my SEO?+
Directly: almost nothing. LinkedIn (DA 98), Twitter/X (DA 95), Facebook (DA 96) use nofollow or sponsored on all external links — Google does not transmit PageRank from social networks to your site by design. Indirectly: the impact can be real. An article that goes viral on LinkedIn generates: real referral traffic (behavioral signal for Google); exposure that can lead to editorial links in publications that see the content; audience growth for your domain that improves the organic CTR of your pages. Social networks do not build PageRank directly but create the conditions for you to build it.
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