What Is a Dofollow Link? Definition and Why It Matters

A dofollow link is simply a link that carries no rel=”nofollow”, rel=”sponsored” or rel=”ugc” attribute. There is no such thing as a “dofollow” attribute in HTML — the word was invented by the SEO community as shorthand for “a normal link, followed by default,” as a counterpart to nofollow.

Why the term exists at all

When Google introduced the nofollow attribute in 2005 to fight comment spam, link builders needed a quick way to describe the opposite case. “Dofollow” stuck, even though technically every link is “dofollow” unless something marks it otherwise — the default state needed a name once the alternative existed.

Why link builders ask about it

A followed link is the default way search engines treat a link as an editorial endorsement worth weighing in rankings. When buying or negotiating a placement, asking “is this dofollow?” is really asking “will this pass ranking value the way an unmarked link normally would?” — see link equity for what that value actually represents.

The paid-link caveat

Google’s guidelines ask that any link exchanged for payment, product or service be marked with rel=”sponsored” or rel=”nofollow”, regardless of how useful or relevant it is. A publisher who sells placements but leaves every paid link fully followed with commercial anchor text is taking on risk, which is one reason reputable marketplaces disclose link attributes upfront rather than leaving buyers to guess (sponsored vs nofollow explained).

How to check whether a link is followed

1. Right-click the link and choose “Inspect” (or “Inspect Element”).
2. Find the surrounding <a> tag in the code panel.
3. Look for a rel attribute. If it’s absent, or present without nofollow/sponsored/ugc, the link is followed.
4. For checking many pages at once, backlink tools typically flag link type automatically rather than requiring a manual inspection of each one.

Common mistakes

• Assuming a followed link is automatically valuable — a followed link from an irrelevant, low-traffic site still isn’t worth much.
• Refusing any placement that isn’t followed, even when it’s a natural fit for a genuinely useful mention, like a forum thread or news comment.
• Not checking at all and assuming a publisher’s promise matches what actually ships on the page.

A worked example

A buyer negotiates a guest post on an industry blog and is told the link will be “dofollow.” After the post goes live, inspecting the link shows no rel attribute at all — confirming it’s followed as promised. Three months later the same buyer notices a different placement, on a site that markets itself as guest-post friendly, actually carries a sponsored tag that was never mentioned upfront. That gap is exactly why checking the live page, rather than trusting the pitch, is standard practice.

Why publishers sometimes switch a link’s status after the fact

It’s worth knowing that a link’s status isn’t fixed forever once a post goes live. Some publishers periodically review older content and add nofollow or sponsored tags to previously followed links, whether for compliance reasons, after a policy change, or as part of a general site-wide cleanup. That’s another reason to check backlinks on a schedule rather than assuming a link stays exactly as it was on the day it was published — a followed placement today isn’t guaranteed to still be followed a year later.

What to do if a link’s status changes on you

• Note whether the change looks like an isolated edit or a site-wide policy shift affecting many links at once.
• Decide whether the placement still earns its keep through traffic and brand exposure even without the followed attribute.
• Raise it with the publisher if the terms of your original agreement specifically promised a followed link.

Dofollow links and disclosure

None of this changes the underlying compliance question: a link exchanged for payment should carry sponsored or nofollow regardless of what either party would prefer for SEO reasons. Some buyers push publishers to keep paid links fully followed specifically to maximise ranking value, which is exactly the practice Google’s guidelines are designed to discourage. A publisher that resists this pressure and insists on marking paid links correctly is, in that respect, the more trustworthy option, even if it feels like it reduces the immediate value of the placement. Reputable marketplaces typically state a listing’s link attribute upfront precisely so buyers aren’t negotiating this after the fact, which removes a common source of disputes once a placement has already gone live. It also gives both sides a clear reference point if a dispute does arise later, since the agreed attribute was documented before payment rather than argued over afterward. Keeping a simple record of what was promised for each placement, and checking it against the live page once published, is a habit worth building into any ongoing link buying process.

Where to go next

Read the counterpart term, nofollow link, understand how link equity flows, or browse followed-link opportunities in the marketplace, where link attributes are shown per listing.

Browse every term in the link building glossary.

Frequently asked questions