Why NoFollow links are useless?

36 replies
  • SEO
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Hi Warriors,

Sometimes you need to get back to the very basic of the SEO.

My question is : Does it really matter to create either a DoFollow link or don't create at all?

I know a Dofollow may pass on some authority to the linked page, but does this mean that NoFollow links has no use at all ?? not even a single ranking factor?

Cause I see all the folks are saying the same thing here

What do you think ?
#links #nofollow #useless
  • Profile picture of the author AzzamS
    In theory Nofollow links have no impact on search rankings this is what Google tells us etc. but no follow links do make a link profile look more natural (100% follow links look bad) and there has been some observations (though no proof) that they can assist you. Although they don't transfer link juice they do transfer visitors which again can help.

    So when you see an opportunity don't be put off by the no follow link, if it will benefit users go for it as its the users you are trying to help.

    Just wanted to expand and point you in the direction of this article on Moz about "The Hidden Power of Nofollow Links".

    It's well worth a read. Enjoy!
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan Brown
    For me it is not totally useless even a lot says that it doesn't help with the ranking. Probably because of the traffic it could bring which gives you web visibility so I'm thinking it also helps somehow.
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  • Profile picture of the author SEO Power
    Nofollow links are useful because they can channel traffic to your site and serve other purposes for which links are created. But with regard to SEO, nofollow links are of no benefit to you or your website.
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  • Profile picture of the author edpudol1973
    I don't believe that they are not beneficial when it comes to SEO. Like citations, mentioning your brand , address, business phone numbers in different location on the web with or without link to your webiste are beneficial to SEO. Many of those people writing articles and saying that no follow links will not help your SEO campaign, don't even bother to test what they heard from other.
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    • Profile picture of the author SEO Power
      Originally Posted by edpudol1973 View Post

      I don't believe that they are not beneficial when it comes to SEO. Like citations, mentioning your brand , address, business phone numbers in different location on the web with or without link to your webiste are beneficial to SEO. Many of those people writing articles and saying that no follow links will not help your SEO campaign, don't even bother to test what they heard from other.
      Originally Posted by Dokemion View Post

      If you don't have a NoFollow link or have a ratio of 95:5 DoFollow/NoFollow Backlinks you'll be in big trouble to being considered creating Unnatural Backlinks.

      A NoFollow Link is still a link and that means it has a value even without the Juice.
      Without the juice, it's pretty much useless for SEO. That's the point.
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      • Profile picture of the author edpudol1973
        Originally Posted by SEO Power View Post

        Without the juice, it's pretty much useless for SEO. That's the point.
        How sure you are that nofollow have no juice at all?
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        • Profile picture of the author paulgl
          Originally Posted by edpudol1973 View Post

          How sure you are that nofollow have no juice at all?
          Um...uh.....gee...maybe because they are "nofollow"? Ya think?

          Google invented nofollow just for such a purpose. To not do anything. Period.

          They are not useless in the broad sense, but they are useless for SEO.

          Natural is just some more BS. Meaningless. Nofollow is not natural.
          It's just the opposite. Having a bunch of nofollow links is not natural.

          Paul
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      • Profile picture of the author Dokemion
        Originally Posted by SEO Power View Post

        Without the juice, it's pretty much useless for SEO. That's the point.
        Useless at your point of view because that's what you read in the book.
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  • Profile picture of the author vishwa
    No follow is not useless. It still plays an important role to drive traffic to your site and also countable as back links.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steviebone
      Originally Posted by vishwa View Post

      No follow is not useless. It still plays an important role to drive traffic to your site and also countable as back links.
      I think this is wrong. Anyone know for sure if a nofollow gets counted as a backlink with regards to SEO?
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  • Profile picture of the author Dokemion
    If you don't have a NoFollow link or have a ratio of 95:5 DoFollow/NoFollow Backlinks you'll be in big trouble to being considered creating Unnatural Backlinks.

    A NoFollow Link is still a link and that means it has a value even without the Juice.
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    • Profile picture of the author chris00129
      Originally Posted by Dokemion View Post

      If you don't have a NoFollow link or have a ratio of 95:5 DoFollow/NoFollow Backlinks you'll be in big trouble to being considered creating Unnatural Backlinks.

      A NoFollow Link is still a link and that means it has a value even without the Juice.

      Darn right Dokemion - Quality Posts in the comment sections can be golden.


      My steps:


      1. Go to blog with a niche I write about.


      2. Look at comments.


      3. Interact with top 10 by replying to them so I stay near the top of the comment sections.


      4. Enjoy traffic


      Boohyah
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  • Profile picture of the author Nicole Sakoman
    Don't listen to Matt Cutts blindly... he often say untrue things or slightly different than it really is, just to see how market will perform... They have their little games, just like everyone...
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  • Profile picture of the author razorz18
    Originally Posted by Matt Logan View Post

    Hi Warriors,

    Sometimes you need to get back to the very basic of the SEO.

    My question is : Does it really matter to create either a DoFollow link or don't create at all?

    I know a Dofollow may pass on some authority to the linked page, but does this mean that NoFollow links has no use at all ?? not even a single ranking factor?

    Cause I see all the folks are saying the same thing here

    What do you think ?
    Do Follow link are very important and so do No Follow link. It might be weird however some SEO gurus saying Google algo change and No Follow links almost be as equally important to do follow. Their is sense to it since doing No follow links when do Guest Post is consider to be more Google preferable this day. do correct me if I'm wrong
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  • Profile picture of the author quinng123
    You can still rank a site using Nofollow, however how successful this tactic will be is relative to your competition.

    I've seen case studies where people have ranked sites with low competition keywords only by using no-follow backlinks.

    Even non-link references are starting be incorporated to google search engine ranking system. But in theory do-follow links will obviously carry more weight than no-follow to google
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  • Profile picture of the author KylieSweet
    Originally Posted by Matt Logan View Post

    Does it really matter to create either a DoFollow link or don't create at all?
    I know a Dofollow may pass on some authority to the linked page, but does this mean that NoFollow links has no use at all ?? not even a single ranking factor?
    In Google it doesn't matter even if it is do follow or no follow as long as it give good signals to the search engine and provide benefits to the users. Focusing on do follow will only results to manipulation of rankings.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ben West
    As much as people think they do, no one really has an answer to this question. Google like to mention how no-follow links aren't worth anything in terms of SEO, however a lot of people (me included) believe that to not be the whole truth.

    At the end of the day, whether it helps towards your SEO or not is irrelevant, A link is a link. It can generate traffic and it helps keep your backlink profile looking organic.
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  • Profile picture of the author jackluter
    Banned
    No follow sites are not helpful to rank in google but its helps in generating traffic.Both nofollow and dofollow are helpful to provide visibility of keywords in search engine.
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  • Profile picture of the author davidweb09
    No-follow doesn't read by search engines but help in traffic So we always try to create Do-Follow backlinks for the website.
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  • Profile picture of the author fugenxuae
    Hi, Because those links are not indexed by search engine or not count as a backlinks..
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  • Profile picture of the author patco
    They are NOT useless! NoFollow links are important to make your website look natural according to Google. For example if you have 1,000 backlinks and 990 of them are Dofollow, there is something strange, isn't it?
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  • Profile picture of the author jaintechnosoft
    Just because Google bots cannot follow the link back to your website does not mean that users cannot click on the link. It’s important to remember that SEO is about users first and search engines second. Hence no-follow links are still beneficial in driving traffic to your website.
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  • Profile picture of the author PBScott
    Nofollow might not pass linkjuice, but they do pass customers, who could like your site, and link it elsewhere, leading to more customers, and possibly some dofollow backlinks along the way.

    There was actually a test a few years back that found they could still rank keywords with nofollow backlinks. Probably nothing to do with linkjuice, but more about relevance.
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  • Profile picture of the author larrypaul
    Yes, do follow links pass link juice to search engines whereas no follow links doesnot pass link juice and one gets no advantage of increased ranking. But this links no follow are equally important as it gives a natural user friendly likelyhood of links.
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  • Profile picture of the author fmurphy1970
    Originally Posted by Matt Logan View Post

    Hi Warriors,

    Sometimes you need to get back to the very basic of the SEO.

    My question is : Does it really matter to create either a DoFollow link or don't create at all?

    I know a Dofollow may pass on some authority to the linked page, but does this mean that NoFollow links has no use at all ?? not even a single ranking factor?

    Cause I see all the folks are saying the same thing here

    What do you think ?
    Hi Matt,

    no follow links are not useless, they just aren't the kind of links(on their own) that will send your page to the top of Google.

    Some things they are useful for:
    • Relevancy
    • Referral traffic
    • Anchor text dilution
    • Making your link profile look normal
    • i/p diversity

    The only thing they don't do is pass link juice, but you need more than just links with link juice to rank. Imagine you got a no-follow comment link on a big site like New York Times or BBC. Who's going to argue that's not a great link?
    My way of seeing it is, the majority of my links are do-follow, but if I can get good no-follow links, I'll take them every time.
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  • Profile picture of the author chris00129
    Hey There,


    I'd say don't worry about "nofollow" "dofollow". I've had a lot better success interacting and leaving great comments and talking with people with better return on people converting over to my website.


    I use to worry so much about "dofollow" I thought my life was over if I couldn't get one. Good luck.


    Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author rosario1990
    Google don't give value on no follow links for this it's useless.
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  • Profile picture of the author Leadsupply
    Nofollow links can help rankings, Do-Follow links are better than no-follow and if you have 100% do-follow then it will be hard to get #1.
    Try to build around 80% do-follow and 20% no-follow backlinks of your website.
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  • Profile picture of the author SEOpros2013
    no follow or do follow impact only if it is cumming from high PR websites
    and is indexd properly
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    • Profile picture of the author Tim3
      Originally Posted by SEOpros2013 View Post

      no follow or do follow impact only if it is cumming from high PR websites
      and is indexd properly

      Lol

      Do you own a porn site?

      You may want to check your dictionary on that one chap

      Second letter is an 'O' and there's only one 'M'
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  • Profile picture of the author CPABeyondNetwork
    If you don't have nofollow links it won't look natural you need to have both dofollow and nofollow links in your link building profile.


    Best regards,

    Nikola,

    CPA Beyond
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  • Profile picture of the author Eaadhaar
    No-follow links have there own importance, but its true maximum number of the no follow links may affect the site but still good for ranking
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  • Profile picture of the author Slade556
    In terms of driving traffic to your website, no follow links are important! Take social media for instance, links are always no follow. Yes, you can get a substantial number of new visitors to your website! So, don't underestimate them.
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    • Profile picture of the author habibkhan01
      Banned
      Nofollow links are totally useless is not right at all but it is obviously right that dofollow links are most powerful as a backlinks. Natural backlinks for google means mix type of backlinks as anchor/ non anchor /dofollow/ nofollow. etc.
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  • Profile picture of the author danielmav
    You should build both dofollow and no folllow links. Do follow links pass link juice which will improve ranking, but no follow link however don't pass any link juice but it is also necessary to have no follow links. First it looks natural to have both do follow and no follow backlinks, second no follow links will help you gain traffic.
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  • Profile picture of the author Monika64
    I don't think they are useless, I am doing no follow links as much as do follow. I think diversity is important
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