I. Introduction
Backlinks remain one of the most important ranking factors for SEO. However, not all links are created equal. Nofollow links have become an essential tool for managing link equity and avoiding spam penalties. This comprehensive guide will teach you everything you need to know about using nofollow links effectively as part of your 2023 SEO strategy.
II. TL;DR
Nofollow links don't pass PageRank or link equity. However, they provide SEO value by building branding and exposure. Use nofollow for paid/sponsored links to avoid penalties. Implement nofollow to control internal PageRank flow. Add the nofollow tag properly in HTML code. Use nofollow links sparingly as part of a natural link profile.
III. When to Use Nofollow Links
The main reasons to use nofollow links are:
- Paid Links or Sponsored Content - To avoid getting hit by an unnatural links penalty, any paid links or sponsored content should be nofollowed. This tells search engines to ignore any potential manipulation.
- Managing Internal PageRank Flow - Placing nofollow on some internal links allows you to direct link equity towards your most important pages. This gives you more control over internal PageRank sculpting.
- Links to Low-Quality Sites - If you want to link out to a site of questionable quality, a nofollow link reduces the risk of passing equity to spammy pages.
IV. Latest Best Practices for Using Nofollow Links
Here are some of the top tips for properly using nofollow links in 2023:
- Nofollow Percentage - According to experts like Rand Fishkin at Moz, the ideal percentage of nofollow vs follow links is around 10-20% nofollow. Higher ratios can raise algorithmic red flags.
- Fixing Unnatural Patterns - If your site has an unnaturally large number or percentage of nofollow links, you may need to consider gradually switching some to follow links. This helps create a more natural profile.
- International/Multilingual Sites - For sites targeting multiple regions and languages, strategic use of nofollow links can help control the flow of localized rankings and link equity.
- Video SEO - Expert John Lincoln recommends using nofollow links in video descriptions to avoid passing equity and focus on branding.
V. Properly Implementing Nofollow Links
When adding nofollow links, proper technical implementation is key:
- HTML Code - The nofollow attribute is added to the anchor tag like this:
<a href="http://example.com" rel="nofollow">Anchor Text</a> - WordPress Configuration - Plugins like Yoast SEO allow you to automatically nofollow links in author bios, blogrolls, and comment links.
- Clean Implementation - Avoid messy anchor text and focus on user experience. Validate proper crawling and indexing using Fetch as Google in Search Console.
VI. Conclusion
Nofollow links remain a powerful option for controlling PageRank flow, managing paid links, and sculpting natural link profiles. By using nofollow links sparingly and implementing them properly, you can integrate them into your 2023 SEO strategy safely and effectively. The key is balancing nofollow and follow links to achieve results while adhering to Google's guidelines.
