Dofollow vs Nofollow Backlinks: What Founders Need to Know About Directory Links
A dofollow link is a normal link that search engines may follow and count as a vote for the linked site; a nofollow link carries rel="nofollow" (or rel="ugc" or rel="sponsored") and asks search engines not to pass ranking credit. Since 2019 Google treats these attributes as hints rather than strict rules. For a new SaaS, a few dofollow links from reputable, relevant directories help discovery and authority, while nofollow links still bring visitors, trust and brand mentions.
When founders compare launch platforms and directories, one question comes up again and again: "Is the link dofollow?" It matters, but not in the way many submission services suggest. This guide explains what the attributes really do, how Google treats them today, and how to decide which links are worth your time.
The short version
| Link type | HTML | What it signals | Passes ranking credit? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dofollow (normal) | <a href="https://you.com"> | A regular editorial link | Yes, potentially |
| Nofollow | rel="nofollow" | "Don't associate us with this link" | Treated as a hint |
| UGC | rel="ugc" | Link inside user-generated content | Treated as a hint |
| Sponsored | rel="sponsored" | Paid or affiliate link | Should not pass credit |
There is no dofollow attribute in HTML. "Dofollow" simply means the link has no nofollow, ugc or sponsored value.
How Google treats nofollow today
In 2019 Google announced it would treat nofollow, along with the new ugc and sponsored attributes, as hints rather than directives (Google Search Central). In practice:
- Google may still use nofollow links to discover pages.
- It may sometimes consider them for ranking, but you should not count on it.
- Paid links must use
sponsored(ornofollow); hiding a paid link as dofollow violates Google's spam policies.
For SEO tools like Ahrefs, nofollow links do not count towards Domain Rating. See what is Domain Rating.
Why directories use nofollow
Many directories and review sites mark user-submitted links as nofollow or ugc because:
- Listings are submitted by product owners, not written by editors.
- It protects the directory from link-scheme concerns.
- Large sites with millions of listings cannot vouch for every one.
Directories that give dofollow links usually add a safeguard: human review, a badge on your site, an upvote threshold, or a paid plan. On IndieDaddy, listings are reviewed by a person, and free launches get a dofollow link when you keep our badge on your site; without the badge, the free listing is nofollow. Paid placement is labelled and never changes organic ranking.
Is nofollow worthless? No.
Nofollow links still do useful work:
- Visitors. A nofollow link on a busy page sends real people.
- Trust. A G2 or Capterra profile reassures buyers, regardless of link type.
- Brand signals. Consistent mentions across reputable sites help search engines and AI assistants recognise your brand.
- Natural profile. Real websites have a mix of link types. A profile of only dofollow links can look unnatural.
When dofollow matters most
For a new domain with few links, early dofollow links from reputable, relevant sites help:
- Google discover and crawl your pages faster.
- Build baseline authority so your pages can rank for low-competition terms.
- Move backlink metrics like Domain Rating off zero.
After you have a healthy base, the quality and relevance of new links matter far more than their attribute.
How to check whether a link is dofollow
- Open the published page that links to you.
- Right-click the link and choose Inspect.
- Look for a
relattribute on the<a>tag.- No
rel, or onlynoopenerornoreferrer: followed. nofollow,ugcorsponsored: not followed.
- No
- Check the
hrefgoes straight to your domain. Links through redirects like/out?url=or/go/may not pass value. - Check the page itself is indexable: no
<meta name="robots" content="noindex">.
Browser extensions that highlight nofollow links make this faster when checking many directories.
What each link looks like in real HTML
When you inspect a listing, you will see one of these patterns:
<!-- Followed: passes ranking credit -->
<a href="https://yourproduct.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit website</a>
<!-- Nofollow: a hint not to pass credit -->
<a href="https://yourproduct.com" rel="nofollow noopener">Visit website</a>
<!-- User-generated content, common on directories and forums -->
<a href="https://yourproduct.com" rel="ugc nofollow">Visit website</a>
<!-- Paid placement, required for ads and sponsored listings -->
<a href="https://yourproduct.com" rel="sponsored">Visit website</a>
<!-- Redirect: may not pass value even without nofollow -->
<a href="https://directory.com/out?url=yourproduct.com">Visit website</a>noopener and noreferrer are security attributes. They do not affect ranking.
What a healthy link profile looks like over time
| Stage | Typical links | What to focus on |
|---|---|---|
| Launch (0 to 3 months) | Directory and launch listings, a few mentions | 15 to 30 reputable listings, a mix of followed and nofollow |
| Early traction (3 to 12 months) | Guest posts, podcasts, integration pages, roundups | Relevance: links from sites your buyers read |
| Growth (12 months+) | Editorial mentions, data studies, free tools that earn links | Content and tools worth citing |
At every stage, a mix of link types is normal. A profile with only dofollow links from directories looks thin; a profile with relevant editorial links, some nofollow, looks real.
Which directory links are worth getting
| Situation | Worth it? |
|---|---|
| Reputable, relevant directory, dofollow | Yes, prioritise |
| Reputable directory, nofollow, real buyer traffic | Yes, for traffic and trust |
| Badge-based dofollow on a relevant, curated platform | Usually yes; one badge is a fair trade |
| Unrelated directory, dofollow, no traffic | Low value |
| Link farm or paid link disguised as editorial | No; risky |
| Site-wide reciprocal links demanded | No |
Our guides to free SaaS directories for backlinks and free Product Hunt alternatives with dofollow links apply these rules to real sites.
Badges, reciprocal links and Google's rules
A badge on your site that links to a directory is a reciprocal link. Google's guidance warns against "excessive link exchanges". A single, visible, relevant badge is common and generally fine. Problems start when:
- You add dozens of unrelated badges just to collect links.
- Badges are hidden with CSS.
- You exchange links site-wide with unrelated sites.
Keep badges visible, tidy and limited to platforms that genuinely list you.
Mistakes founders make with link types
- Ignoring great nofollow placements because they "don't count".
- Buying dofollow links from sellers without the
sponsoredattribute. - Assuming a listing is dofollow without checking the live page.
- Removing badges during a redesign and silently losing links.
- Focusing on link type instead of relevance. A relevant nofollow mention can bring customers; an irrelevant dofollow link rarely does.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between dofollow and nofollow?
A dofollow link is a normal link that can pass ranking credit. A nofollow link includes rel="nofollow" and asks search engines not to pass credit. Google treats nofollow as a hint.
Do nofollow links help SEO at all?
They can help indirectly through visitors, discovery and brand signals, and Google may sometimes use them. They do not count towards metrics like Ahrefs' Domain Rating.
Are directory backlinks good for SEO?
Dofollow links from reputable, relevant directories help new sites. Links from low-quality directories that list anything add little and can look manipulative.
How do I make a link nofollow on my own site?
Add rel="nofollow" to the link, or rel="sponsored" for paid and affiliate links, and rel="ugc" for links in comments or forum posts.
Is a launch badge a reciprocal link?
Yes. One visible badge linking to a platform that lists you is common practice. Avoid large numbers of unrelated badges or hidden links.