The `rel=”nofollow”` attribute is one of the most well-known directives in SEO, but its role has evolved significantly. Originally introduced to combat comment spam, `nofollow` was a strict instruction for search engines not to follow a specific link or pass any ranking credit through it. However, since a major update in 2019, Google now treats `nofollow` as a “hint,” giving it more flexibility in how it crawls and indexes the web. Understanding this change and the introduction of new attributes is crucial for a modern SEO strategy.
Think of your website’s outbound links as recommendations. In the past, `nofollow` was like saying, “I’m linking to this, but I do not recommend it.” Today, it’s more nuanced, and part of a broader system for classifying your links. Using these directives correctly helps maintain your site’s integrity and improves how search engines understand your content’s context. For a broader look at directives, see our main guide on the on-page SEO category.
The Evolution: From Directive to Hint, and the Birth of UGC & Sponsored
In September 2019, Google announced two new link attributes to provide more granular detail about the nature of a link, changing how `nofollow` is interpreted. As detailed by sources like Moz, this was a major shift.
- `rel=”nofollow”`: The general-purpose attribute for when you want to link to a page but don’t want to imply any type of endorsement, including passing along ranking credit.
- `rel=”ugc”`: Stands for User-Generated Content. This should be used for links within content created by users, such as comments and forum posts.
- `rel=”sponsored”`: This attribute should be used for all paid or sponsored links, including advertisements and affiliate links.
With this change, Google now treats all three as “hints” about which links to consider or exclude for ranking purposes. This means Google might still crawl a nofollowed link if it finds the destination valuable.
A Practical Guide to Using Link Attributes Correctly
Choosing the right attribute is essential for transparency with search engines. The primary goal is to prevent your site from being seen as a participant in link schemes. For Google’s official stance, refer to their guide on qualifying your outbound links.
Example: Choosing the Right Attribute
<!-- For a paid link -->
<a href="..." rel="sponsored">Our Sponsor</a>
<!-- For a link in a blog comment -->
<a href="..." rel="ugc">My personal blog</a>For more on this topic, see our guide on internal vs. external nofollow links.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does nofollow still stop PageRank from flowing?
Not necessarily. Since Google’s 2019 update, `nofollow` is treated as a ‘hint,’ not a strict directive. This means Google might still pass ranking signals through the link. The old practice of ‘PageRank sculpting,’ where `nofollow` was used to control link equity flow, is no longer effective as Google’s algorithms are more sophisticated now.
What is the difference between a ‘nofollow’ meta tag and a ‘nofollow’ link attribute?
A ‘nofollow’ meta tag (`<meta name=”robots” content=”nofollow”>`) applies to *all* links on the entire page. A ‘nofollow’ link attribute (`<a href=”…” rel=”nofollow”>`) applies only to that *specific* link. It is much more common and precise to use the link-level attribute.
What is the difference between the ‘nofollow’ and ‘noindex’ directives?
They serve completely different purposes. The `nofollow` directive (either as a link attribute or meta tag) advises search engines not to follow the links on a page. The noindex directive tells search engines not to include the page itself in the search index. One controls crawling of links, the other controls indexing of the page.
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