Getting SEO Value from rel="nofollow" Links – Moz

For years, SEOs treated rel="nofollow" links like the celery sticks of link building: technically present, mildly useful, but nobody was throwing a party for them. The old assumption was simple: if a backlink was nofollow, it did not pass PageRank, did not help rankings directly, and therefore did not deserve much attention. That belief was never entirely useless, but today it is incomplete.

Modern SEO is more nuanced. A nofollow link may not behave like a traditional followed editorial backlink, but it can still create measurable value. It can drive referral traffic, introduce your brand to new audiences, support discovery, diversify a backlink profile, generate branded search demand, and sometimes lead to followed links later. In other words, nofollow links may not always hand you the ranking trophy directly, but they can absolutely help you get invited to the tournament.

This article explains how to get real SEO value from rel="nofollow" links, why Moz-style link thinking still matters, and how smart marketers can evaluate nofollow opportunities without falling for outdated myths or shiny-object link schemes.

What Is a rel="nofollow" Link?

A rel="nofollow" link is a normal hyperlink with an added HTML attribute that tells search engines the publisher does not want to pass a traditional endorsement signal through that link. A basic example looks like this:

To a human visitor, the link looks and works like any other clickable link. The difference lives in the code. Search engines read the rel attribute as a signal about how the link should be interpreted.

Nofollow was introduced in 2005 to fight comment spam. Back then, blog comment sections were often attacked by people trying to drop links everywhere like digital confetti. The nofollow attribute gave site owners a way to link without endorsing every random URL that appeared in user-generated areas.

How Google Treats Nofollow Links Today

The biggest change in the nofollow conversation came when Google updated its handling of link attributes. Historically, Google treated nofollow as a stronger instruction not to count the link for ranking signals. Today, Google treats nofollow, sponsored, and ugc as hints. That does not mean every nofollow link suddenly passes ranking power like a followed editorial link. It means Google may use these attributes, along with other signals, to better understand links and the web.

This is where many SEO debates get spicy. Some people hear “hint” and assume nofollow links are now secret ranking rockets. Others still insist they are completely useless. The practical answer sits in the middle: nofollow links are usually not the same as followed links, but they can still support SEO in several indirect and sometimes meaningful ways.

Nofollow vs. Sponsored vs. UGC Links

Modern link attributes are more specific than they used to be. Google now recommends different attributes for different situations:

rel="nofollow"

Use nofollow when you want to link to a page but do not want to imply a strong endorsement. For example, you might reference a questionable claim in an article without wanting to pass reputation to that source.

rel="sponsored"

Use sponsored for paid links, affiliate links, advertising placements, sponsored posts, and other links created because money, products, or compensation changed hands. This keeps your site aligned with search engine guidelines and avoids turning paid promotion into a ranking manipulation tactic.

rel="ugc"

Use ugc for user-generated content such as forum posts, blog comments, community profiles, and review sections. If your visitors can add links, this attribute helps clarify that those links were not editorially placed by your brand.

These attributes can also be combined. For example, an affiliate link inside user-generated content might use more than one value. The goal is simple: help search engines understand the nature of the link.

Do Nofollow Links Help SEO?

Yes, but not always in the way beginners expect. A nofollow link should not be valued only by asking, “Will this pass PageRank?” That is like judging a restaurant only by the shape of its forks. Link value can come from multiple channels, including traffic, visibility, credibility, content discovery, and relationship building.

A nofollow link from a respected publication, popular community, major social platform, or high-traffic resource can still send qualified visitors. Those visitors may read your content, subscribe, search your brand later, share your page, cite you in their own articles, or become customers. Search rankings are not the only outcome worth measuring.

The Moz-Inspired View: Link Value Is Bigger Than Link Equity

Moz has long encouraged SEOs to think beyond simplistic link counting. A good link is not just a blue underlined object with mysterious “juice” inside it. A good link connects real users with useful resources. It appears in a relevant context. It builds trust. It earns attention from the right audience.

From that perspective, nofollow links can be valuable when they contribute to broader authority. A mention from a respected industry website may be nofollow, but it can still help people discover your brand. A nofollow link from a niche forum may send fewer visitors, but those visitors may be highly motivated. A nofollow link from a major media outlet may not pass traditional equity, but it can trigger secondary links from bloggers, journalists, and content creators who find your resource through that coverage.

The smartest SEO teams do not chase nofollow links as a magic ranking shortcut. They evaluate them as part of a wider visibility system.

How Nofollow Links Create SEO Value

1. Referral Traffic from Relevant Audiences

Traffic is the most obvious benefit. A nofollow link on a page that people actually read can send visitors to your site. If the topic matches your content, that traffic may be more useful than a followed link buried on a forgotten page that nobody visits.

For example, imagine you publish a detailed guide on technical SEO audits. A nofollow link from a popular SEO newsletter could drive hundreds of qualified readers. Some may bookmark the guide, share it with teammates, or mention it in future content. Even if the original link is nofollow, the business value can be very real.

2. Brand Awareness and Branded Search

Nofollow links often appear on large platforms: social networks, news websites, forums, Q&A communities, directories, and comment systems. These places may not always pass direct ranking equity, but they can expose your brand to people who have never heard of you.

When more people recognize your brand, more people may search for it. Branded search demand can support your overall SEO performance because it signals that users are actively looking for your business, products, or content. A nofollow link can be the first touchpoint in that journey.

3. Link Profile Diversity

A natural backlink profile rarely contains only followed links. Real brands get mentioned across social platforms, directories, communities, media sites, partner pages, comment sections, and review platforms. Many of those links are nofollow, sponsored, or UGC.

If a website has a suspiciously perfect backlink profile full of keyword-rich followed links from low-quality sites, that does not look natural. A mix of followed and nofollow links is normal. Nofollow links can help make your backlink profile look more like the footprint of a real brand instead of a link-building science experiment wearing a fake mustache.

4. Discovery and Indexing Support

Nofollow is not the right tool for controlling indexation. If you need to keep a page out of search results, use proper noindex methods. However, nofollow links can still play a role in discovery because search engines may treat them as hints. A nofollow link is not guaranteed to cause crawling or indexing, but it can still exist as part of the broader discovery ecosystem.

This matters especially for new content. If your page is mentioned on active websites, social platforms, or community discussions, search engines may encounter those URLs through multiple paths. Nofollow links are not a replacement for good internal linking and XML sitemaps, but they can still contribute to visibility.

5. Secondary Followed Links

One of the most underrated benefits of nofollow links is that they can lead to followed links later. A journalist may find your report through a nofollow social post. A blogger may discover your tool through a nofollow forum mention. A YouTuber may cite your research in a description, and another website may later reference it in an editorial article.

The first link may not pass classic equity, but it can start a chain reaction. In content marketing, distribution matters. Nofollow links often help with distribution, and distribution is how great content escapes the sad little cave of “published but unseen.”

Where Valuable Nofollow Links Usually Come From

Not all nofollow links are worth pursuing. A nofollow link from a spammy auto-generated page is not a prize. It is digital lint. But nofollow links from strong, relevant, high-traffic sources can be worthwhile.

Major Publications

News sites and editorial publications often nofollow some outbound links. Even so, a mention from a trusted publication can drive awareness, increase credibility, and attract additional coverage.

Social Platforms

Links from social media are commonly nofollow or otherwise limited from a ranking-signal perspective. Still, social sharing can drive traffic, build audience familiarity, and increase the chances that content reaches people who can link to it from their own websites.

Forums and Communities

Forum links are often UGC or nofollow, but niche communities can send highly relevant visitors. The key is to participate honestly. Dropping links without helping anyone is not marketing; it is just spam with shoes on.

Directories and Review Sites

Some directories use nofollow, but they may still help users find your business. Local SEO, SaaS discovery, industry associations, and review platforms can all create valuable referral paths even when link equity is limited.

Wikipedia and Reference Sites

Many reference-style platforms use nofollow to prevent link spam. Still, being cited as a useful resource can send traffic and credibility. The goal should never be to manipulate these platforms. The goal should be to create resources genuinely worth referencing.

When Nofollow Links Are Not Worth It

Nofollow links are valuable only when the source, audience, and context make sense. Avoid paying for nofollow links from low-quality sites just because someone promises “SEO power.” That is usually a red flag wearing a neon jacket.

A nofollow link is usually not worth chasing if the page has no real traffic, the site is irrelevant, the content is thin, the link is hidden among hundreds of outbound links, or the placement exists only for link selling. In those cases, your time is better spent creating useful content, building relationships, improving technical SEO, or earning editorial links from relevant websites.

How to Evaluate a Nofollow Link Opportunity

Before accepting or pursuing a nofollow link, ask practical questions:

• Will real people see this link?
• Is the audience relevant to my topic, product, or service?
• Does the linking page have credibility?
• Could this link generate referral traffic?
• Could it lead to future mentions, shares, or followed links?
• Is the placement natural and useful for readers?
• Would I still want this link if Google did not exist?

That final question is powerful. If the answer is yes, the nofollow link may be worth having. If the answer is no, you may be chasing an SEO ghost.

How to Earn Better Nofollow Links

Create Link-Worthy Assets

Original research, statistics pages, calculators, templates, visual guides, expert interviews, and practical tutorials are more likely to earn mentions. Nofollow or followed, people link to things that make their own content better.

Participate in Relevant Communities

Do not join communities only to drop links. Answer questions, share insights, and become useful. When a link genuinely helps, share it naturally. The traffic from a trusted niche community can outperform generic link placements.

Use Digital PR

Pitch journalists and bloggers with data, expert commentary, or unique stories. Some resulting links may be nofollow, but the exposure can still be valuable. Digital PR is often about creating visibility that leads to more visibility.

Promote Content Strategically

Publish-and-pray is not a strategy. Share your content through newsletters, social channels, partners, communities, and outreach. Many promotional links may be nofollow, but they help the right people discover the asset.

Common Nofollow Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Nofollowing Every External Link

Some site owners nofollow every outbound link because they think it “saves link juice.” This is outdated thinking. Linking to trustworthy, relevant sources can improve user experience and help establish topical context. Use nofollow when there is a reason, not as a blanket setting.

Mistake 2: Using Nofollow for Internal Links

Internal links help search engines understand your site structure and page importance. In most cases, you should not use nofollow on internal links. If you do not want a page indexed, use proper indexation controls instead.

Mistake 3: Treating Nofollow Links as Useless

If a nofollow link sends qualified traffic and builds awareness, it has value. SEO is not only about direct PageRank flow. It is about visibility, relevance, trust, and demand.

Mistake 4: Buying Bad Links

A nofollow attribute does not magically make a sketchy link scheme wise. Paid placements should be properly labeled, and low-quality link buying can still damage your brand and waste your budget.

Practical Example: A Nofollow Link That Is Worth It

Suppose a cybersecurity startup publishes a free checklist for small businesses. A major tech publication includes the checklist in a roundup but marks the link as nofollow. Is that useless? Not necessarily.

The article sends 2,000 visitors in a week. Two industry bloggers discover the checklist and link to it from their own posts. A podcast host invites the founder for an interview. Several readers sign up for the company newsletter. In this case, the original nofollow link created awareness, traffic, and secondary opportunities. It may not have passed classic link equity directly, but it produced SEO and business value.

of Experience: What Working with Nofollow Links Teaches You

After working with SEO campaigns across blogs, affiliate sites, local businesses, SaaS websites, and content-heavy publishers, one lesson becomes very clear: people underestimate nofollow links because they are too obsessed with direct ranking signals. It is understandable. SEO professionals love clean cause-and-effect relationships. Get followed link, rankings go up, everyone cheers, someone opens a spreadsheet. But real-world SEO rarely works that neatly.

One common experience is seeing a nofollow link from a high-traffic website outperform followed links from weak blogs. A followed link from an abandoned site may look nice in a backlink report, but it may send zero visitors and create no brand lift. Meanwhile, a nofollow link from a popular community discussion can bring motivated readers who spend time on the page, subscribe, share the content, and return later through branded search. From a business perspective, the second link is often more useful.

Another experience is that nofollow links are excellent early-stage distribution tools. When a new website has no audience, even great content can sit quietly like a brilliant speech delivered in an empty parking lot. Sharing that content through communities, social platforms, newsletters, and industry roundups often produces nofollow links first. Those links may not be the final goal, but they help the content get seen. Once the right people see it, organic editorial links become more likely.

Nofollow links also teach patience. Many SEOs want every link to deliver instant ranking movement. But some links work indirectly over weeks or months. A nofollow mention in a respected newsletter might lead to a podcast invitation. That podcast might lead to a blog mention. That blog mention might lead to a followed link from a resource page. The path is not always visible in a simple backlink export, but the chain of influence is real.

The best campaigns treat nofollow links as part of a broader authority-building system. They do not chase them blindly, and they do not reject them automatically. They ask whether the link creates exposure to the right people. They measure referral traffic, assisted conversions, branded searches, newsletter signups, social engagement, and secondary backlinks. This broader measurement approach usually reveals value that old-school link equity thinking misses.

There is also a reputational lesson. When your brand appears in trusted places, users begin to recognize it. Recognition compounds. Someone may first see your brand in a nofollow link from a forum, then again in a social post, then again in a comparison article. By the time they search your name, the SEO value is no longer just about the original link. It is about accumulated trust.

The practical takeaway is simple: do not build an SEO strategy around nofollow links alone, but never dismiss a nofollow link that reaches the right audience. The best nofollow links are not shortcuts. They are doors. Some doors lead to traffic. Some lead to relationships. Some lead to followed links later. And some simply put your brand in the right conversation at the right time, which is often where strong SEO begins.

Conclusion

Getting SEO value from rel="nofollow" links requires a mature understanding of how search visibility works. Nofollow links are not the same as followed editorial backlinks, and they should not be sold as magic ranking boosters. But they are not worthless either.

A strong nofollow link can send qualified traffic, build brand awareness, support natural backlink diversity, help content discovery, and create opportunities for future followed links. The key is to focus on relevance, audience quality, placement context, and real human value.

The Moz-style lesson is timeless: the best links are the ones that make sense even before you ask what they do for rankings. If a nofollow link helps real people find genuinely useful content, it belongs in the SEO conversation.