Impact of Nofollow backlinks on a Website’s SEO?

Backlinks have always been a key factor in SEO that brings more authority and traffic to any website.

We cannot ignore the backlinks in any case.

They are really important for a website's SEO especially after recent Google algorithm updates.

Backlinks are of different nature.

And, Nofollow backlinks are one of them.

Many of us have no clear idea about the Nofollow links.

Many SEOs believe they should only focus on creating the following links.

But, this isn’t good for a winning SEO link building strategy.

You might be thinking that they are as important to bring the results or just a minor thing.

So, let me tell you they are one of the important aspects of SEO.

In this guide, I will explain nofollow backlinks in depth.

I will also discuss their nature, and impact on your website’s SEO.

Without further ado, let’s jump right into it.

What is a NoFollow backlink?

Backlinks are references.

The following link passes link juice to the linked page.

While, a nofollow just only counts as a standalone reference.

It doesn’t pass page rank!

A no-follow backlink came into being in 2005 when google decided to add it to the SEO.

If I explain it in one line then a no-follow backlink is a hyperlink with a tag (rel="nofollow").

This is how a natural following link looks like:

<a href=”/”>Repute Post</a>

And, this is how it will look in case it is a “NoFollow Backlink”.

<a href=”/” rel=”nofollow”>Repute Post</a>

This rel attribute in an anchor tag tells search engines not to pass SEO authority or link equity to the linked site.

This means the target site does not receive authority or ranking credit from the link.

Nofollow backlinks can come from everywhere.

For instance, a website mentioned another website in their new article but made link type as nofollow!

But mostly, they come from blog comments, links in the forums, or business listing websites!

As a nofollow link doesn’t pass SEO authority, it doesn’t make it useless.

In fact, nofollow backlinks are still extremely important.

They help you to diversify your link-building strategy.

No matter your are going to buy backlinks or earn them organically,

It is extremely important to understand link-building types.

THE IMPACT OF NOFOLLOW BACKLINKS ON SEO:

Even though nofollow links don’t pass direct ranking authority like dofollow links do, they still bring value to your site in several ways.

So, let me further explain how they bring value to the performance of your website.

1. A source for referral Traffic

You might be thinking about how they bring referral traffic.

Nofollow backlinks are only not to be followed by the search engines.

People can still click on these links to reach the other site.

If we place a nofollow on popular websites, blogs or social media platforms it can bring a lot of visitors to your site.

More traffic means more engagement, more sales, and potential leads.

So, they bring in more chances that someone might link to your content with a do follow backlink down the road.

Referral traffic is somehow a key part of a strong backlink strategy.

When it comes from guest posts or link insertion. It always adds value to your off-page SEO efforts.

2. Helps in branding

Nofollow backlinks are so useful for improving a brand's visibility.

Let’s say you add your nofollow link to a reputed brand site or social media platform it automatically increases your value and authority.

In this way, more visitors get on your way which increases your potential lead.

The more your brand is seen across the various platforms the more recognizable it becomes.

And it is an important part of building authority and brand reputation.

High-quality backlinks can increase your brand’s reputation all over the SERPs.

This aligns with link-building metrics that focus on organic SEO success.

3. Nofollow links are natural

It’s not uncommon for high-quality websites to place nofollow links.

What if I tell you that an article featuring your content alongside nofollow links could benefit you.

They can help reputable sites in discovering you.

For example if a big new publication or other website features you, it is likely for that content to be syndicated.

With this, a lot of other websites simply pick up the content.

While it isn’t an ideal situation, this overall helps your website’s organic visibility on SERPs.

4. Ideally used for diversifying backlink profile

A healthy backlink profile includes a mix of dofollow and nofollow links.

You might be thinking why? When we have too many dofollow links, they can look suspicious to Google.

This could just potentially raise a red flag for your site.

Nofollow links help you appear more natural.

That’s why when we fill our website with backlinks for SEO, we add these links.

No follow links simply enrich your strategy.

If you have only dofollow links it looks like you’re manipulating the system, which can hurt your ranking.

For more on this, read this case study for getting backlinks to rank #1 on Google.

Balancing link-building types is vital in order to avoid low-quality backlinks.

So, we create a natural mix that can help Google penalties and improve off-page SEO.

5. Possibility of turning into following links

Sometimes, nofollow links can evolve into something more.

If you start building relationships with websites that give you nofollow links, those links might eventually turn into dofollow backlinks.

This is especially true if your content proves to be valuable over time.

Let me give you an example.

Suppose, you write a guest post for a site, and they use a nofollow link at first.

But if the post performs well and drives traffic, they might later update the link to dofollow.

So, it’s always a good idea to nurture these connections.

Backlink strategies often involve starting with niche edits or guest posts.

If we talk about long-term benefits, these approaches can lead to valuable dofollow backlinks.

6. For building relationships with other webmasters

Nofollow backlinks can act as a stepping stone to build relationships with other websites, blogs, or influencers.

Even if these links don't pass SEO value, they open the door for future collaborations.

By contributing valuable content or being featured on reputable sites, you build credibility in your niche.

Over time, these relationships can lead to more meaningful opportunities.

Such as getting high-quality dofollow backlinks or co-promotions that boost your SEO and visibility.

Let’s take an example.

A popular blog might feature your website with a nofollow link.

If your content or service resonates with their audience, the site owner might be inclined to link to you again.

They will link with your site potentially using a dofollow link next time.

So, nofollow links can indirectly pave the way for SEO growth by fostering stronger partnerships in your industry.

Link farms and low-quality backlinks don’t play any role in genuine relationships.

Instead, you should focus on ethical link-building methods for long-term success.

At Repute Post, we strongly encourage SEOs, webmasters, and agencies to stay away from low-quality backlinks.

A quality link is often better than tens of low-quality links.

In case you want to find high quality backlinks opportunities, visit our marketplace to buy guest post links.

Or if you’re interested in white label link building solutions, visit our packages page and choose from the given options.

7. Nofollow links can help in crawling and indexing

Although nofollow links don't pass like juice.

They can still help search engines discover new content on your site.

When a search engine crawler lands on a page with a nofollow link to your site, it may still follow the link to index the content.

This doesn't guarantee ranking benefits, but it ensures that your pages are crawled and indexed.

It is the first step for gaining visibility on search engine result pages (SERP).

Let’s take an example.

Suppose your site is new and hasn't yet built many dofollow links.

Nofollow links can help get your page on google's radar.

It helps increase the chances of future visibility and ranking improvements when more substantial links come your way.

Even with nofollow backlinks, your pages can benefit from better indexing in Google.

This step enhances your visibility in organic SEO.

8. A source of boosting social signals

Most links from social media platforms like (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) are nofollow links.

However, being a nofollow link doesn’t make them useless.

Social media is great for visibility and driving more traffic to your website.

When you share your content even though the links are nofollow it can still be valuable for your ranking and exposure.

Moreover, if your content goes viral you might get natural dofollow links from other websites.

It will be a bonus for your website’s SEO.

Social signals combined with dofollow backlinks can improve overall SEO performance.

SO, balancing these strategies is key for sustainable growth in SERPs.

Google’s perspective on nofollow links

What if I tell you that Google doesn’t pass on link equity through nofollow links, it still sees them.

Google is sophisticated enough to understand where links originate and how you use them.

You even get authority if you engage in meaningful discussions or provide valuable contributions.

So, it could indirectly influence your site.

Furthermore, Google has also recognized the role of nofollow links in combating spam.

They try to maintain the quality across the web in this way.

If you are proactive in building your backlink profile, then nofollow links are gold for you.

You can incorporate nofollow links to enhance ethical link-building practices.

Ending note

So, let’s wrap up this discussion and in-depth explanation here.

 Nofollow links might not have direct value to your SEO.

They are still beneficial for you in many ways.

They can enhance your visible credibility if you choose to add them on popular platforms or with popular brands.

It boosts your brand and brings a lot of traffic which results in more engagement, more sales and more leads.

They help build brand awareness.

So, don’t forget to use a mix of dofollow and nofollow links and create a balanced backlink profile.

It will help you to increase your natural position in SERP.

Don’t dismiss the power of nofollow links in building a strong online presence

Now by understanding and using nofollow backlinks strategically, you can get long term SEO benefits.