What Are Dofollow Backlinks? Definition, SEO Impact & How to Get Them (2026)
What Is a Dofollow Backlink? (Direct Definition)
A dofollow backlink is a standard hyperlink that passes link equity and PageRank from one website to another, signaling trust to search engines and helping the linked page rank higher. When Google's crawlers follow one of these links, they treat it as a vote of confidence from the linking site, which can directly improve where your page appears in search results.
Here's the key technical detail: "dofollow" is actually the default state of any standard HTML anchor tag. You don't need to add any special attribute to make a link dofollow. A basic dofollow link looks like this in HTML:
No extra code required. A dofollow backlink is simply any link without a rel="nofollow" attribute that allows Google's crawlers to follow it and transfer ranking authority to the destination page.
The term "dofollow" is technically informal. Google's own documentation refers to these simply as links without a nofollow attribute, but the SEO industry has universally adopted "dofollow" as shorthand. You'll see it everywhere, from beginner tutorials to technical SEO reference guides.
When a high-authority website links to your page with a dofollow link, Google treats that as a strong endorsement. The more authoritative the source, the more link equity flows through. That's why earning dofollow backlinks from reputable sites is one of the most reliable ways to improve your rankings. For a fuller picture of how dofollow links improve your overall SEO performance, it helps to understand them alongside the broader content signals Google evaluates. You can also explore the full distinction between link types in our guide on dofollow vs. nofollow links and their SEO impact.
How Dofollow Backlinks Work, How They Compare to Nofollow Links, and How to Earn Them
How Dofollow Links Pass Authority
Dofollow links directly influence a page's PageRank, which remains one of Google's core ranking signals even after decades of algorithm updates. When a page links out to another site using a standard anchor tag, it shares a portion of its own authority with that destination. The amount of equity passed depends partly on how many other outbound links exist on that same page. A dofollow link on a page with two external links passes significantly more authority than the same link on a page pointing to fifty other sites.
The key difference between dofollow and nofollow backlinks is that dofollow links pass PageRank and link equity, while nofollow links include a rel="nofollow" attribute that instructs search engines not to transfer ranking authority. Google introduced the nofollow attribute back in 2005 specifically to combat comment spam. In 2019, it expanded the system further by adding rel="sponsored" for paid placements and rel="ugc" for user-generated content, giving publishers more precise ways to signal link intent. You can read more about this history on Neil Patel's breakdown of dofollow vs. nofollow.
It's also worth knowing that nofollow links aren't worthless. They drive real referral traffic, add diversity to your backlink profile, and Google has confirmed it may use the nofollow attribute as a "hint" rather than a hard directive in some cases. A backlink profile made up exclusively of dofollow links can actually appear manipulative to Google's algorithms. A healthy mix of both is what you're aiming for. Sociuum Media's comparison of dofollow and nofollow links covers this balance well.
How to Check Whether a Link Is Dofollow
To identify a dofollow link, inspect the anchor tag's HTML: if there is no rel="nofollow" attribute, the link is dofollow by default. The simplest method is to right-click any hyperlink in your browser and select "Inspect" or "Inspect Element." Look at the anchor tag in the code panel. If it reads <a href="..."> with nothing else, it's dofollow. If you see rel="nofollow", rel="sponsored", or rel="ugc", it's a nofollow link.
For checking links at scale, free browser extensions like the Ahrefs SEO Toolbar or MozBar visually label dofollow and nofollow links directly on any webpage, removing the need to read source code manually. To understand which external domains are already linking to your site and whether those links are dofollow, check out our practical walkthrough on how to find and audit your backlinks in Google Search Console.
If you want a more systematic view, the best SEO automation tools for monitoring your backlink profile can filter your links by dofollow vs. nofollow status and flag any suspicious patterns. You can also run a full backlink quality audit for your site to get a clearer picture of where your authority is coming from. The dofollow.com guide on dofollow backlinks is another helpful reference for understanding how these links appear in audits.
How to Earn Dofollow Backlinks in 2026
The most effective methods for earning dofollow backlinks in 2026 are guest posting, business directory citations, and creating original research or data-driven content that others naturally cite.
Guest posting remains one of the most reliable and scalable approaches. When you write an original article for a reputable blog in your industry, the editorial links embedded in the body of that article are almost always dofollow by default. Focus on sites that are genuinely relevant to your niche, and make sure your content adds real value rather than reading as thinly veiled promotion.
Business directory citations in places like Google Business Profile, Yelp, and niche industry directories often include dofollow links and build both local and topical authority at the same time. These are relatively low-effort placements that compound over time.
Linkable content is the most scalable long-term strategy. Publishing original research, free tools, data studies, or genuinely useful guides attracts natural dofollow backlinks from journalists and bloggers who cite your work as a source. Small businesses that consistently publish search-optimized content attract more of these natural links over time without chasing individual placements.
If you're approaching this without an agency, our guide on building dofollow backlinks without hiring an SEO agency walks through practical DIY tactics. For those interested in automating dofollow backlink discovery and monitoring, automated SEO platforms can surface link opportunities and track changes to your profile on a continuous basis. To see how dofollow backlinks fit into a broader SEO strategy, it helps to think about them alongside your content, technical SEO, and on-page optimization. There are also AI SEO tools that help small businesses acquire and track dofollow backlinks without requiring specialist knowledge or a large budget.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dofollow Backlinks
How do I tell if a link is dofollow or nofollow?
Right-click any hyperlink on a webpage and choose "Inspect" or "Inspect Element." Look at the anchor tag in developer tools: if it reads <a href="..."> with no rel attribute, the link is dofollow. If you see rel="nofollow", rel="sponsored", or rel="ugc", it's a nofollow link. For checking many links at once, install a free browser extension like the Ahrefs SEO Toolbar, which color-codes dofollow and nofollow links on any page automatically so you don't have to read any code.
How can I get dofollow backlinks?
The three most actionable strategies are guest posting on authoritative blogs in your industry (editorial links in article bodies are almost always dofollow), getting listed in reputable business directories that provide dofollow links, and publishing original data or research that journalists and bloggers naturally cite as a source. According to Neil Patel's analysis, consistently producing high-quality content is the most sustainable approach because it earns natural dofollow links without manual outreach over time.
What's the difference between dofollow and nofollow backlinks?
Dofollow links pass PageRank and ranking authority to the destination page because they contain no restricting rel attribute. Nofollow links include rel="nofollow" and instruct Google not to pass link equity. Google also uses rel="sponsored" for paid links and rel="ugc" for user-generated content. In practice, dofollow links have a direct positive effect on rankings, while nofollow links don't, though they can still drive referral traffic and support a natural-looking profile. Our full guide on dofollow vs. nofollow links covers both in detail.
Is nofollow good for SEO?
Nofollow links don't directly pass PageRank, but they're not without value. They drive real referral traffic, increase brand visibility, and a profile made up entirely of dofollow links can look manipulative to Google. A healthy backlink profile includes both. Google has also confirmed it may treat the nofollow attribute as a "hint" rather than an absolute rule, meaning some nofollow links may still carry indirect influence. As dofollow.com explains, dofollow links are simply the more directly impactful type for rankings, not the only type worth having.
If you're a small business looking to grow organic traffic without hiring an agency or learning SEO from scratch, Evergreen AI handles content creation, competitor gap analysis, and continuous page optimization automatically for a flat $149/month, so you can build the kind of authority that earns dofollow backlinks over time without doing it all manually.