What Is a Nofollow Link (rel="nofollow")?
Also known as: rel="nofollow", Nofollow attribute, Nofollow tag
A nofollow link is a hyperlink carrying the rel="nofollow" attribute, which tells search engines the linking site does not want to vouch for or pass ranking credit to the destination page.
Last reviewed: 2 August 2026 · Reviewed by iNet Ventures Link Building Team
In plain English
By default, every link on the web is treated as a small endorsement. Adding rel="nofollow" is a way of linking to something without that endorsement — useful for untrusted content, paid placements, or anywhere a site does not want to be seen as vouching for what it links to. Since September 2019, Google no longer treats nofollow as an absolute instruction to ignore the link; instead it is one of three "hint" attributes, alongside sponsored and ugc, that Google may use its own judgement about.
Technical definition
The nofollow value is set via the rel attribute on an anchor element, for example <a href="..." rel="nofollow">. Prior to September 2019, Google treated nofollow as a directive that categorically excluded the link from PageRank calculation and, in most cases, from crawling. Following Google's 2019 announcement and the subsequent March 2020 change, nofollow, sponsored and ugc are all treated as hints for both ranking and crawling and indexing purposes, meaning Google may choose to crawl and weigh such links using other signals rather than excluding them outright.
Quick example
A news site publishes a sponsored article and marks every link within it rel="sponsored nofollow", satisfying Google's disclosure requirement for paid links while also using the older, more widely recognised attribute for backwards compatibility.
Quick facts
| Meaning | A link attribute signalling that a site does not want to vouch for a linked page |
|---|---|
| Main category | Link building |
| Used by | Publishers, SEOs, and anyone managing paid links, UGC or untrusted outbound links |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Importance | Moderate |
| Common examples | Paid links, affiliate links, blog comments, forum posts, widely untrusted outbound links |
| Still relevant? | Yes, though its meaning shifted materially in 2019-2020. It is a hint Google may use, not a guarantee a link is excluded from ranking. |
Why Nofollow matters
Nofollow governs how much of your outbound linking is treated as editorial endorsement versus disclosed, non-vouched linking — and getting it wrong on paid links specifically can trigger Google's spam policies.
It is required for paid and sponsored links
Google's guidelines require any link created as part of an advertisement, sponsorship or other compensation arrangement to carry rel="sponsored" or, at minimum, rel="nofollow". Failing to mark paid links is a link scheme violation.
The 2019 change altered its meaning fundamentally
Nofollow used to mean "never counted, never crawled." Since the hint model, Google may still crawl a nofollowed link and may still use it as a signal if other evidence suggests it is meaningful, particularly for well-established sites.
It is heavily used, arguably over-used, across the web
Research following the 2019 change found nofollow present on a substantial share of outbound links from major sites, often applied broadly to avoid perceived risk from linking out, rather than for any of its intended specific purposes.
Sponsored and UGC give more precise options
The two newer attributes let a site distinguish paid links from user-generated ones, rather than lumping every non-endorsed link under the single, more ambiguous nofollow label.
It still does not pass link equity by default
Despite the hint model, sites should not expect nofollowed links to reliably pass ranking value. Building a strategy around dofollow links from relevant, quality sources remains the sound approach.
How it works
How Google has treated nofollow, in two distinct eras.
- 1
2005-2019: A strict directive
For fourteen years, nofollow instructed Google to exclude a link entirely from PageRank calculations and generally not crawl it. Sites used it to fight comment spam and to mark paid links.
- 2
September 2019: Sponsored and UGC introduced
Google announced two additional rel values, sponsored for paid or compensated links and ugc for user-generated content such as comments and forum posts, giving sites a more precise way to describe the nature of a link.
- 3
September 2019: Nofollow becomes a ranking hint
Alongside the new attributes, Google announced that nofollow, sponsored and ugc would all be treated as hints for ranking purposes rather than absolute exclusions, meaning Google may still use signals from such links where it judges appropriate.
- 4
March 2020: Nofollow becomes a hint for crawling too
The change extended to crawling and indexing, meaning Google may now choose to crawl a page through a nofollowed link, whereas previously it generally would not.
- 5
Ongoing: sites continue to use whichever attribute suits them
Google has stated that using the older nofollow attribute alone remains acceptable, including for paid links, and that sites are not required to adopt sponsored or ugc if they do not want the added precision.
Types and variations
The three attributes Google now recognises, each with a distinct intended use.
rel="nofollow"
The general-purpose attribute for any link a site does not want to vouch for, or does not want to pass ranking credit through. Also still acceptable for paid links.
rel="sponsored"
The preferred attribute specifically for advertisements, sponsorships and other paid or compensated placements, including affiliate links according to most interpretations of Google's guidance.
rel="ugc"
Recommended for links within user-generated content such as blog comments and forum posts, helping Google distinguish first-party editorial links from third-party contributions.
Combined attributes
Multiple values can be combined on one link, for example rel="ugc sponsored" for a paid link within user-generated content, or rel="nofollow ugc" for backwards compatibility with systems that do not recognise the newer attributes.
Dofollow (the default)
A standard link with no rel attribute restricting it. The absence of nofollow, sponsored or ugc is what search engines treat as an implicit editorial endorsement.
Real examples
Correct and incorrect uses of the nofollow family of attributes.
Marking a sponsored post correctly
<a href="https://example.com" rel="sponsored">our partner's guide</a>A paid placement uses rel="sponsored" as Google prefers, clearly disclosing the compensated nature of the link while remaining compliant with Google's spam policies.
Leaving a paid link unmarked
A sponsored article contains a plain, unmarked dofollow link back to the advertiser. This is a link scheme violation under Google's guidelines and carries real risk of a manual action if identified.
Nofollowing a blog comment link
<a href="https://example.com" rel="ugc nofollow">reply</a>A publishing platform automatically applies ugc (and often nofollow for backwards compatibility) to any link submitted through its comment system, a sensible default against comment spam.
Blanket nofollowing every outbound link
A site applies nofollow to all outbound links indiscriminately, including genuine editorial citations, apparently to avoid any perceived risk from linking out. This is unnecessary — normal editorial links do not need nofollow and the practice reduces the value the site can offer to sources it genuinely wants to credit.
Best practices
Use each attribute for its intended purpose rather than defaulting to one for everything.
What to do
- Use rel="sponsored" for any paid, sponsored or affiliate link
- Use rel="ugc" for links within comments, forums or other user-submitted content
- Reserve plain nofollow for links you genuinely do not want to endorse, not as a blanket policy
- Combine attributes where relevant, such as rel="ugc sponsored" for a paid link inside user content
- Remember these are hints, not guarantees — do not assume a nofollowed link is definitely excluded from ranking signals
What to avoid
- Leaving paid or sponsored links unmarked
- Nofollowing every outbound link by default, including genuine editorial citations
- Assuming nofollow strictly blocks crawling — since March 2020 it is only a hint for that too
- Relying on receiving nofollowed links as part of a link building strategy
- Confusing nofollow with noindex, which is an entirely separate directive controlling indexing, not link equity
Common mistakes
Confusing nofollow with noindex
Nofollow relates to how a specific link is treated. Noindex is a completely separate directive telling search engines not to index a page at all. Using one where the other is intended is a common and consequential error.
Not marking paid links at all
Any link created through payment, sponsorship or other compensation must carry sponsored or nofollow. An unmarked paid link is a straightforward violation of Google's link scheme policies.
Assuming nofollow guarantees exclusion
Since 2019, nofollow is a hint Google may or may not follow. Treating it as an absolute guarantee that a link carries zero weight is no longer accurate.
Nofollowing internal links unnecessarily
Some sites nofollow internal links in a misguided attempt to conserve "link equity" for other pages. This is not how internal linking works and generally just makes it harder for search engines to discover and understand your own site structure.
Nofollow since the shift to a hint model
The 2019-2020 change from a strict directive to a hint fundamentally altered what nofollow means, and much of the industry has been slow to fully adjust its mental model. The practical reality in 2027 is that nofollow, sponsored and ugc are best understood as disclosure and classification tools rather than levers for controlling ranking outcomes. Adoption of sponsored and ugc specifically has remained modest since their introduction, with most sites continuing to rely on the original nofollow attribute out of habit, which means the additional precision Google offered is still under-used across the web.
- Nofollow no longer guarantees a link is excluded from ranking signals
- Sponsored and ugc give more precise disclosure but have seen limited real-world adoption
- Paid link disclosure remains a compliance requirement, not an optional courtesy
- Blanket nofollow policies on genuine editorial links remain a common, unnecessary practice
- The core purpose — honest disclosure of a link's nature — matters more than which specific attribute is used
How iNet Ventures approaches nofollow
Because we sell links, disclosure attributes are something we take seriously on both sides of a placement — advising clients on their own outbound link policies and ensuring any compensated placement we arrange is disclosed correctly.
Correct disclosure on placements
Any link we place that Google would classify as sponsored is flagged to the publisher with a recommendation to use rel="sponsored", protecting both the client and the publishing site.
Auditing existing link policies
For clients with existing UGC areas such as comments or forums, we check whether rel="ugc" is applied correctly rather than relying on outdated blanket nofollow rules.
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Frequently asked questions
Does a nofollow link still help my SEO at all?
Possibly, but you should not build a strategy around it. Since 2019, Google treats nofollow as a hint rather than an absolute exclusion, and may still crawl or weigh such a link using other signals. Building a strategy around dofollow links from relevant, quality sources remains the more reliable approach.
What is the difference between nofollow, sponsored and ugc?
Nofollow is the general-purpose attribute for any link you do not want to vouch for. Sponsored is specifically for paid or compensated links, which Google prefers over plain nofollow for that purpose. UGC is for links within user-generated content like comments and forum posts. All three are treated as hints for ranking and crawling.
Do I have to switch from nofollow to sponsored on my paid links?
No. Google has explicitly said existing nofollow links on paid content do not need to change, and that either attribute is acceptable for that purpose, though sponsored is preferred going forward for new links.
Should I nofollow all my outbound links?
No. Nofollow is meant for links you specifically do not want to endorse, such as paid or user-generated ones. Applying it to every outbound link, including genuine editorial citations, is unnecessary and reduces the value you offer to sources you genuinely want to credit.
Written directly from Google's official 2019 and 2020 announcements on the nofollow, sponsored and ugc attributes, cross-checked against Google's current Search Central documentation for any subsequent clarification.
- Written by:
- iNet Ventures Editorial Team
- Reviewed by:
- iNet Ventures Link Building Team
- Published:
- 2 August 2026
- Last reviewed:
- 2 August 2026
Sources and further reading
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