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A backlink report can look impressive on paper and still tell you very little about actual SEO value. If you are comparing nofollow vs dofollow backlinks, the real question is not which one is “good” and which one is “bad”. It is how each link type supports rankings, authority, referral traffic and a credible backlink profile.
That distinction matters because too many businesses still judge link building on volume alone. A hundred links from the wrong places will not outperform a smaller number of relevant, authoritative placements. The same goes for link attributes. You need to know what they do, where they fit, and when they are worth pursuing.
What is the difference between nofollow vs dofollow backlinks?
A dofollow backlink is a normal hyperlink that search engines can crawl and use as a signal when evaluating authority and rankings. Strictly speaking, “dofollow” is not an official HTML attribute. It is just industry shorthand for a standard link that does not carry a restrictive tag like rel=”nofollow”.
A nofollow backlink includes the nofollow attribute, which tells search engines that the linking site does not want to pass endorsement in the usual way. Google has evolved its handling of nofollow over time, and now treats it more as a hint than a hard directive in many cases. Even so, nofollow links are still generally less reliable for passing ranking value than standard links.
For most businesses, that means dofollow links remain the stronger SEO asset when the goal is to improve keyword visibility. But that does not make nofollow links worthless, and this is where a lot of link strategies go wrong.
Why dofollow backlinks usually matter more for rankings
When a trusted website links to your site with a standard crawlable link, that can contribute to your authority profile. In practical terms, these are the links most SEOs want because they are the ones most likely to support movement in the search results.
That said, the attribute alone does not make a link valuable. A dofollow link from an irrelevant, weak or obviously manipulative website can do very little for performance. In some cases it can create risk. Relevance, editorial standards, topical fit and site quality still matter far more than the label.
This is why manual outreach and digital PR tend to outperform cheap bulk link packages. A genuine placement on a real, relevant site is far more useful than a technically dofollow link buried on a page nobody reads.
Why nofollow backlinks still have value
A nofollow link can still drive qualified traffic, build brand visibility and support a natural backlink profile. If your business is mentioned in a national publication, a respected industry site or a well-read local news title, the SEO value is not limited to whether the link passes authority in the traditional sense.
These links can put your brand in front of the right audience. They can lead to conversions directly. They can also create secondary SEO benefits when other publishers, bloggers or journalists discover your business through that coverage and link to you later with standard followed links.
This is especially common in digital PR. Media sites often use nofollow attributes as a matter of policy. That should not stop you from wanting coverage there. A strong brand mention on a credible publication can still be commercially valuable and can contribute to wider link earning over time.
Nofollow vs dofollow backlinks in a natural link profile
If every backlink pointing to your site is dofollow, that can look unnatural. Real websites attract a mix of link types. Some will come from blogs, some from directories, some from news sites, some from social platforms, and some from forums or community mentions. Not every publisher links in the same way.
A balanced profile tends to look more credible because it reflects how brands are actually discussed online. Search engines expect variation. They also expect context. A business earning links through PR, partnerships, citations, useful content and genuine industry coverage will almost always pick up a mixture of nofollow and dofollow links.
So while dofollow links are usually the stronger ranking signal, chasing them exclusively can narrow your strategy too much. A good campaign does not force an artificial ratio. It focuses on placements that make sense for the brand, audience and topic.
When should you actively pursue each type?
If the sole aim is stronger rankings for commercial keywords, dofollow backlinks should be the priority. That is the straightforward answer. They are generally more likely to pass authority and influence organic performance.
But if the aim is broader than rankings alone, which it often should be, nofollow links deserve attention as well. A link from a major publication, a niche trade title or a trusted industry resource may still be worth securing even if it is nofollow. The referral traffic, trust and brand positioning can justify the effort.
The smart approach is to judge the opportunity as a whole. Ask whether the site is relevant, whether the audience matches your market, whether the placement builds credibility, and whether the link could lead to further earned coverage. If the answer is yes, the nofollow tag should not automatically put you off.
Common misunderstandings about nofollow vs dofollow backlinks
One of the biggest misconceptions is that nofollow links have zero SEO value. That is too simplistic. They may not pass authority in the same way as standard links, but they can still support discovery, traffic and brand signals.
Another is that every dofollow link helps rankings. It does not. If the site is low quality, off-topic or built purely to sell links, the upside is limited and the risk is higher. Businesses often waste budget here because they focus on metrics without checking whether the placement would make sense to a real user.
There is also a tendency to treat link attributes as the main decision-making factor. In reality, the bigger issue is quality of acquisition. How was the link earned? Is it editorial? Is the site trusted? Is the content relevant? Was there a clear reason for the publisher to link in the first place? Those questions usually matter more than whether someone labels the link nofollow or dofollow.
How to evaluate backlink opportunities properly
A useful backlink opportunity should be assessed on four levels: relevance, authority, traffic potential and editorial credibility. If a site is closely aligned with your niche and has a real audience, it can be valuable even if the link is nofollow. If it is irrelevant and exists only to host SEO content, the fact that it offers dofollow links should not impress you.
You should also look at the wider page context. A contextual link placed naturally within a strong article is usually more valuable than a sitewide footer link or an author bio on a weak page. Placement matters. So does the surrounding content.
This is where bespoke link acquisition has a clear advantage over off-the-shelf campaigns. A tailored strategy allows you to prioritise the publications, pages and topics most likely to move the needle for your business, rather than collecting links for the sake of a monthly total.
What should your strategy look like in practice?
Most businesses should aim for a link profile built mainly around high-quality followed links, supported by credible nofollow mentions from authoritative sites. That usually reflects the best of both worlds: direct SEO value from editorial backlinks and wider authority signals from PR, media exposure and brand mentions.
For example, a local service brand may benefit from followed links from niche industry blogs, local business publications and relevant resource pages, while also picking up nofollow mentions from regional news coverage. An e-commerce brand may gain followed links through product-led content and digital PR, while review platforms and social references create additional nofollow visibility.
The ratio will vary by industry and campaign type. There is no universal benchmark worth chasing. What matters is whether the profile looks earned, relevant and commercially sensible.
At The Link Builder, this is why link acquisition should never be reduced to a spreadsheet exercise. Businesses do not need more links for the sake of it. They need the right links from the right websites, secured in a way that supports long-term search growth.
If you are weighing nofollow vs dofollow backlinks, treat it as a quality question rather than a binary choice. Go after links that make sense for your market, your brand and your commercial goals, and the stronger SEO outcomes tend to follow.
