Triii Technologies LLC

Links are the connective tissue of the web. They pass authority, guide users, shape crawl paths, and signal trust to search engines. But not all links behave the same way under the hood.

If you’re a WordPress site owner, developer, or content strategist, you’ve likely seen the rel="nofollow" attribute floating around SEO tutorials, plugin settings, and WordPress block options. But beyond the checkbox lies a strategic decision that impacts your site’s SEO health, crawl efficiency, and even user experience.

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly what dofollow and nofollow links are, why and where to use each, how they map to modern Google guidelines, and how to implement them cleanly in WordPress and custom web development.

🔍 The Basics: What Are Dofollow & Nofollow Links?

Technically speaking, there is no rel="dofollow" attribute. Dofollow is simply the default state of an HTML anchor tag:

<a href="https://example.com">Click here</a>

When you don’t specify a rel attribute telling search engines otherwise, crawlers treat it as a vote of trust: they pass link equity (often called “PageRank”), index the target, and factor it into rankings.

Nofollow explicitly tells crawlers not to pass authority:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Click here</a>

⚠️ Important SEO Reality Check

Google’s official stance (updated in 2019) treats rel="nofollow" as a strong hint, not a strict directive. Search engines may still crawl and even partially count the link. The goal isn’t to “hide” links from Google—it’s to signal intent and protect your site’s credibility.

Google also introduced two semantic alternatives:

• rel="ugc" → User-Generated Content (comments, forums, reviews)
• rel="sponsored" → Paid, affiliate, or promotional links

Use these where applicable. They’re more precise than a blanket nofollow.

✅ Dofollow Links: Why & Where to Use Them

🔹 Why Use Dofollow?

• Passes SEO equity to target pages
• Signals editorial trust and relevance
• Improves internal link equity distribution
• Enhances content readability and UX (natural linking)

🔹 Where to Use Dofollow

Use Case	Reason
Internal links (pillar → cluster, related posts)	Distributes authority, strengthens site architecture
Editorial outbound links to authoritative, non-competitive sources	Builds topical credibility; shows research depth
Navigation & footer links (sparingly)	Maintains crawlability of key pages
Vetted partnerships or mentions you genuinely endorse	Reflects real relationships and trust

💡 WordPress Implementation

By default, every <a> tag in Gutenberg or the Classic Editor is dofollow. Do not try to add rel="dofollow"—it doesn’t exist and may break plugin logic.

To manage internal linking strategically:

• Use the Internal Linking block in Gutenberg
• Leverage plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math for internal suggestion widgets
• Avoid over-optimizing anchor text; keep it natural for UX

🛡️ Nofollow & Semantic Links: Why & Where to Use Them

🔹 Why Use Nofollow (or UGC/Sponsored)?

• Prevents spam and low-quality link equity dilution
• Complies with advertising/affiliate disclosure guidelines
• Preserves crawl budget for high-value pages
• Signals transparency to both users and search engines

🔹 Where to Use Nofollow/UGC/Sponsored

Use Case	Recommended Attribute
Blog comments & forums	rel="ugc"
Affiliate or paid partnerships	rel="sponsored"
Directory submissions / guest post footers	rel="nofollow"
Unverified or promotional outbound links	rel="nofollow" or rel="ugc"
User reviews, ratings, Q&A sections	rel="ugc"

💡 WordPress Implementation

Using the Block Editor:

1. Click a link in a paragraph or button block
2. In the block toolbar, click the gear icon (Advanced settings)
3. Add nofollow ugc sponsored (whichever applies) to the Custom rel field

SEO Plugin Settings:

• Yoast SEO: Automatically adds rel="nofollow" to affiliate links when configured
• Rank Math: Offers granular control per post, auto-apply to external links, and UGC/sponsored tags

🖥️ UI/UX Considerations: Links Are Links

Here’s a crucial reminder for designers and frontend developers: The rel attribute does not affect how a link looks or behaves to users. It’s purely a crawler directive.

• Keep visual consistency: Use the same color, hover state, and cursor for dofollow and nofollow links.
• Don’t hide nofollow links behind toggles or unusual styling—users should always know they’re clickable.
• If a link is rel="sponsored", consider adding a subtle disclaimer (e.g., “Ad” or “Affiliate”) for transparency, which improves trust and complies with FTC guidelines.
• Test link behavior across devices. rel attributes don’t impact JavaScript click handlers, but ensure your framework (React, Vue, WP plugins) doesn’t accidentally strip or override them.

🧭 Best Practices & Common Pitfalls

Do	Don’t
Audit your link profile monthly	Assume nofollow makes a link “invisible”
Use ugc/sponsored for precision	Strip all nofollow attributes (looks manipulative)
Prioritize natural, contextually relevant linking	Mass-add rel="nofollow" to external links
Monitor crawl stats in GSC	Over-optimize anchor text for SEO
Keep rel attributes semantic and minimal	Rely on outdated “nofollow = hidden from Google” myths

🔎 Pro Tips for WordPress & Web Devs

1. Crawl Budget Matters: If you have thousands of user-generated pages, rel="ugc" or nofollow prevents low-value pages from consuming your crawl budget.
2. E-E-A-T Signals: Editorial dofollow links to reputable sources boost topical authority. Unvetted outbound links can hurt perceived credibility.
3. Plugin Conflicts: Some caching or minification plugins strip custom rel attributes. Verify output in page source.
4. JavaScript SPA/SSR: Ensure your router doesn’t intercept rel values. React/Vue apps should pass rel attributes directly to <a> tags or use ReactDOM equivalents.

📊 Quick Reference Table

Link Type	Default?	Passes Authority?	Best For	WordPress How-To
Dofollow (none)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	Internal links, editorial citations, trusted partners	Just use <a href="..."> normally
rel="nofollow"	❌ No	❌ No (hint)	Directories, untrusted outbound, footers	Advanced > Custom rel in block editor
rel="ugc"	❌ No	❌ No (hint)	Comments, forums, user content	Same as nofollow; more SEO-accurate
rel="sponsored"	❌ No	❌ No (hint)	Affiliate, paid, ad links	Same as nofollow; marks commercial intent

🧠 Final Thoughts: Links Are Strategic, Not Just Technical

Choosing between dofollow and nofollow isn’t about gaming algorithms—it’s about intentionality. Every link you place is a signal:

• Do you trust this source? → Dofollow
• Is it user-generated or promotional? → rel="ugc" or rel="sponsored"
• Is it low-quality or unverified? → rel="nofollow"

WordPress makes it easy to manage these. SEO plugins handle automation. Developers can enforce consistency via filters or component libraries. But the decision must remain editorial and user-first.

Audit your links quarterly. Align them with content strategy. Let SEO be a byproduct of genuinely helpful, transparent linking—not the sole driver.