In the world of search engine optimization (SEO), backlinks play an important role in determining a website’s visibility and authority. While most SEO experts focus on acquiring dofollow links, the importance of nofollow backlinks is often overlooked.
As a SaaS company, understanding the value of nofollow links and how to leverage them effectively can significantly boost your SEO strategy and drive valuable referral traffic to your website.
At VH-info, we specialize in helping SaaS businesses navigate the complex landscape of link building.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive deep into the concept of nofollow backlinks, explore their benefits, and provide actionable insights on how to include them in your SEO strategy for maximum impact.
What Are Nofollow Backlinks?
A nofollow backlink is a type of link that contains the “rel=’nofollow‘” attribute in its HTML code. This attribute instructs search engines like Google not to pass any link juice or authority from the linking page to the linked page.
In other words, nofollow links do not directly impact search engine rankings. However, understanding the use of the nofollow tag is important for website owners and SEO professionals in order to effectively manage their backlink profile and improve their overall search engine rankings.
When Should a Nofollow Backlink Be Used?
Nofollow links are typically used when a website owner wants to link to another page but doesn’t want to endorse its content or pass any SEO value. Common scenarios include:
- User-generated content (UGC) like blog comments and forum posts
- Paid links and sponsored content
- Links to untrusted or spammy websites
Are Nofollow Links Bad?
Contrary to popular belief, nofollow links are not inherently bad for SEO. While they may not directly boost your search rankings, they offer several benefits that can indirectly improve your website’s visibility and authority.
Benefits of Nofollow Backlinks
While nofollow links may not help your site rank higher, they still have many benefits which are as follows:
- Diversifying Your Backlink Profile: Having a diverse backlink profile that includes both dofollow and nofollow links is essential for maintaining a natural and healthy link profile. An overabundance of dofollow links can trigger suspicion from search engines and potentially lead to a Google penalty.
- Generating Referral Traffic: Nofollow links from high-traffic websites can drive valuable referral traffic to your SaaS website. Even if these links don’t directly impact your search rankings, the increased visibility and potential for new customers make them worthwhile.
- Improving Online Visibility: Nofollow links from reputable websites and industry authorities can boost your brand awareness and establish your SaaS company as a trusted player in your niche. This increased visibility can lead to more organic backlinks and social media mentions over time.
How Do Nofollow Links Differ From Dofollow Links?
Dofollow links, also known as “followed” links, are the default type of links on the web. They pass link juice and directly contribute to a page’s search engine rankings.
On the other hand, nofollow links have the rel=”nofollow” attribute added to the HTML code, signaling search engines not to count them as “votes” for the linked page.
The Rel Family – Meet Nofollow’s Siblings
In addition to the nofollow attribute, there are two other link attributes that SaaS companies should be aware of:
- rel=”nofollow”: The original nofollow attribute, used to indicate that a link should not pass any SEO value or endorsement.
- rel=”sponsored”: Introduced by Google in 2019, this attribute is used to identify links that are part of sponsored content, advertisements, or paid placements.
- rel=”ugc”: Also introduced in 2019, the UGC (user-generated content) attribute is used for links within comments, forum posts, and other types of user-generated content.
Do Nofollow Links Help SEO?
While nofollow links don’t directly boost search rankings, they can still have a positive impact on your SaaS company’s SEO efforts. Here’s how:
- Nofollow Links Still Generate Traffic: Even without passing link juice, a nofollow link from a high-traffic website can drive valuable referral traffic to your site.
- High-Authority Nofollow Links > Low Authority Dofollow Links: A nofollow link from a reputable website carries more weight than a dofollow link from a low-quality site.
- Nofollow Links Drive Dofollow Links: Increased visibility from nofollow links can lead to more organic dofollow links over time.
- Nofollow Links Diversify Your Link Profile: A natural mix of dofollow and nofollow links helps maintain a healthy backlink profile.
- Nofollow Links Power Your Digital PR Strategy: Nofollow links from media mentions and press releases can boost your brand’s online presence.
5 Reasons Why Nofollow Links Still Matter To Your SEO Strategy
- Nofollow Links Still Generate Traffic: Even though nofollow links don’t pass link juice, they can still drive valuable referral traffic to your SaaS website. A well-placed nofollow link on a high-traffic blog or industry forum can expose your brand to a new audience and potentially lead to conversions.
- High-Authority Nofollow Links > Low Authority Dofollow Links: Not all links are created equal. A nofollow link from a reputable website like Forbes or the New York Times carries more weight than a dofollow link from a low-quality, spammy site. Search engines consider the overall authority and relevance of the linking domain when evaluating the value of a link.
- Nofollow Links Drive Dofollow Links: Increased visibility from nofollow links can lead to more organic dofollow links over time. As more people discover your SaaS company through nofollow links, the likelihood of them linking back to your site with a dofollow link increases.
- Nofollow Links Diversify Your Link Profile: A natural backlink profile should consist of a mix of dofollow and nofollow links. An overabundance of dofollow links can appear suspicious to search engines and potentially trigger a manual review or penalty. Including nofollow links helps maintain a balanced and organic link profile.
- Nofollow Links Power Your Digital PR Strategy: Nofollow links from media mentions, press releases, and other digital PR efforts can significantly boost your SaaS brand’s online presence and authority. While these links may not directly impact search rankings, they can drive brand awareness, and referral traffic, and ultimately lead to more organic backlinks.
Are Nofollow Links Useless For SEO?
No, nofollow links are not useless for SEO. Although they don’t directly contribute to search rankings, they still offer several indirect benefits that can positively impact your SaaS company’s online visibility and authority. From driving referral traffic and organic traffic to diversifying your link profile with both external and internal links, nofollow links play an important role in a well-rounded SEO strategy.
How to Get Nofollow Backlinks?
There are several effective strategies for acquiring high-quality nofollow backlinks:
- Guest Blogging: Contributing valuable content to industry blogs and publications can earn you nofollow links in the author bio or within the article itself.
- Social Media Marketing: Engaging with your target audience on social media platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook can lead to nofollow links from user profiles and shared content.
- Blog Commenting: Leaving thoughtful, relevant comments on industry blogs can result in nofollow links back to your SaaS website.
- Forum Participation: Actively participating in industry forums and providing helpful answers to user questions can earn you nofollow links in your forum signature or user profile.
How Can I See How Many Nofollowed Links I Have?
Several SEO tools can help you analyze your backlink profile and identify nofollow links:
- Ahrefs: Ahrefs’ Site Explorer tool provides a detailed breakdown of your backlink profile, including the number of nofollow and dofollow links.
- Majestic: Majestic’s Site Explorer tool offers insights into your link profile, including the distribution of nofollow and dofollow links.
- SEMrush: SEMrush’s Backlink Analytics tool allows you to analyze your backlink profile and view the ratio of nofollow to dofollow links.
- Moz: Moz’s Link Explorer tool provides a comprehensive overview of your link profile, including the number of nofollow and dofollow links.
How to Tell if Links Are Dofollow or Nofollow?
There are three main ways to determine if a link is dofollow or nofollow:
- Check the Source Code: Right-click on a webpage and select “View Page Source.” Search for the link in question and check if it contains the rel=”nofollow” attribute.
- Use a Chrome Extension: Install a Chrome extension like “NoFollow” that automatically highlights nofollow links on a page.
- Use an SEO Tool: SEO tools like Ahrefs, Majestic, and SEMrush can analyze a webpage’s links and identify nofollow attributes.
Best Practices For Using Nofollow Links
To maximize the impact of nofollow links on your SaaS SEO strategy, follow these best practices:
- Maintaining a Natural Backlink Profile: Strive for a natural mix of dofollow and nofollow links to maintain a healthy backlink profile. A sudden influx of nofollow links can appear suspicious to search engines.
- Avoiding Overuse of Nofollow Links: While nofollow links offer benefits, don’t rely on them too heavily. Focus on acquiring a balance of high-quality dofollow and nofollow links.
- Focusing on High-Quality Nofollow Links: Prioritize nofollow links from reputable, industry-relevant websites over low-quality, spammy sites. The authority of the linking domain plays a significant role in the value of a nofollow link.
FAQ’s:
Does Google crawl Nofollow Links?
Yes, Google does crawl nofollow links, but they don’t pass any link juice or directly impact search rankings.
Can You Rank #1 on Google Only With Nofollow Links?
While it’s theoretically possible, it’s highly unlikely to rank #1 on Google solely with nofollow links. A mix of high-quality dofollow and nofollow links is essential for top rankings.
How Does Google Handle Nofollow Links Today?
As of March 1, 2020, Google treats the nofollow attribute as a “hint” rather than a directive. This means they may choose to ignore the attribute and consider the link for ranking purposes on a case-by-case basis.
Should I Nofollow Affiliate Links?
Yes, it’s best practice to add the rel=”sponsored” attribute to affiliate links to comply with Google’s guidelines and avoid potential penalties.
How Do Nofollow Links Affect Site Authority?
Nofollow links do not directly impact site authority or domain authority, as these metrics are primarily influenced by the quantity and quality of dofollow links.
Can Nofollow Links Hurt You?
Generally, nofollow links from reputable websites won’t hurt your SEO. However, a large number of nofollow links from low-quality, spammy sites can potentially harm your link profile and trigger a manual review.
Are There Situations Where Nofollow Links Should Be Preferred?
In some cases, such as linking to a website you don’t fully trust or want to endorse, using a nofollow link is preferable to maintain your site’s reputation and avoid potential penalties.
Should Affiliate Links Be Nofollowed to Stay Within Google’s Guidelines?
Yes, Google recommends using the rel=”sponsored” attribute for affiliate links and other paid placements to stay within their guidelines and maintain transparency.
Conclusion
Nofollow backlinks are a valuable asset in any SaaS company’s SEO strategy. While they may not directly boost search rankings, they offer numerous benefits, from driving referral traffic to diversifying your link profile.
Understanding the power of nofollow links and including them into your link building efforts can significantly improve your website’s visibility, authority, and overall SEO performance.
At VH-info, we’re committed to providing SaaS businesses with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed in the competitive world of search engine optimization.
Our team of experienced SEO experts can help you develop a comprehensive link building strategy that leverages the power of nofollow backlinks to drive meaningful results for your business.
Don’t underestimate the importance of nofollow links in your SaaS SEO strategy. Embrace the opportunities they present and watch your online presence soar.
Contact VH-info today to learn more about how we can help you harness the full potential of nofollow backlinks and take your SaaS SEO to the next level.