We all know the dofollow link. It’s the popular kid in the SEO schoolyard—the one with the killer sneakers everyone wants.
But what about its less flashy cousins: the nofollow, sponsored, and UGC links? Are they the unsung heroes of SEO, or are they just the wallflowers at the dance?
First off, let’s do a quick recap.
Google introduced the nofollow attribute back in 2005 as a way to combat comment spam and dubious links from user-generated content (UGC). The idea was to provide publishers with a means of self-defense against linking to spammy or low-quality sites.
For years, SEOs believed that nofollow links were not used for crawling, indexing, or ranking. But as we know, things in the Googleverse are always subject to change.
As of March 1, 2020, Google started treating all nofollow directives as hints, meaning they might just consider them for crawling, indexing, and, yes, even ranking purposes.
But what’s the real value here?
Well, as always in the SEO world, the answer is … it depends.
As of yet, there’s no definitive business case for changing your current use of nofollow links, but it might be worthwhile to experiment and see what happens. After all, who knows what Google’s algorithms have up their digital sleeves?
Let’s dig deeper into these links.
Nofollow Backlinks
You’ve probably heard the term “nofollow” thrown around in the SEO world. But what are nofollow backlinks exactly?
When a website links to another with a nofollow tag, it’s like saying, “I’m directing you there, but I’m not vouching for it” to the search engine. It’s a subtle way of maintaining your site’s reputation while still providing value to your audience.
Now, why do websites use these nofollow backlinks? In the early days of the internet, comment spam and shady links were as rampant as cat videos.
Google introduced the nofollow attribute in 2005 as a way for publishers to protect themselves from spammy or low-quality links that could harm their site’s reputation.
Until March 2020, it was believed that nofollow links had no impact on search engine rankings.
However, Google has since decided to treat the nofollow attribute as a “hint” rather than a directive, meaning that in some cases, nofollow links may be used for crawling, indexing, and even ranking purposes.
It’s like a friend saying, “I don’t usually eat spicy food, but I’ll consider it.” This means that nofollow links could potentially affect your site’s SEO, despite their “look, but don’t touch” label.
And are nofollow links still worth going after?
Well, even though they may not give you a direct SEO boost, nofollow links can still provide indirect value by:
- Driving traffic to your site
- Increasing your brand’s visibility
- Leading to more “dofollow” links in the future
Plus, with Google’s new stance on nofollow links, they could potentially have an impact on your rankings. So yes—nofollow links are still worth the chase.
And in 2019, Google introduced new attributes for nofollow links: “sponsored” and “UGC” to better understand the nature of links on the web. This marked a significant shift from the traditional binary model of “follow” or “nofollow” links, giving a more nuanced understanding of the link landscape.
Sponsored Links
A sponsored backlink is a link that has been paid for and marked as such. It’s a shoutout from one website to another, with a little cash changing hands to make it happen.
There are a few scenarios where this might occur.
Let’s say you’ve got a killer product that you know people will love, but the world just isn’t aware of its brilliance yet. You might reach out to a popular blogger or influencer in your industry, and offer them a fee in return for a link to your product.
That link is a sponsored backlink. And, yes, even if you compensate them with free products, services, or that vintage comic book they’ve been hunting for, it’s still considered a sponsored backlink.
Now, onto the million-dollar question—what’s the value of a sponsored backlink?
1. Brand Awareness: Think of it as a billboard on the digital highway, where traffic never stops. When a popular site links to your site, it’s like they’re hoisting up a giant neon sign saying “Check this out!” You’re getting your name in front of their audience, and that’s priceless.
2. Referral Traffic: A sponsored backlink is like a bridge. It connects the audience of the site where the link is placed, to your site. If they like what they see, they’ll cross that bridge and end up on your website. It’s a great way to (potentially) increase your traffic.
3. Potential Conversions: Now, this is where the magic happens. Once those visitors have crossed the bridge and landed on your site, they’re potential customers. If you’ve done your job right, and your site is filled with fantastic, compelling content (or products, or services), then these visitors might just turn into customers.
As for strategies to get sponsored backlinks, it’s all about relationships.
Networking, outreach, and building relationships with influencers, bloggers, and other industry figures are the way to go.
The SEO Value of a Sponsored Link
Does a sponsored backlink have any SEO value? In the past, the answer was a resounding “No!” because Google didn’t use nofollow links (which included sponsored links) for ranking.
But since 2020, Google’s stance has shifted, and they now treat nofollow attributes, including sponsored and UGC, as “hints” which may be used for ranking in some cases.
However, don’t expect a huge rankings boost from your sponsored links.
Google still primarily uses these attributes to understand the link graph rather than as a strong ranking signal.
And remember, transparency is vital—always disclose sponsored links to stay in good graces with both your audience and search engines.
So while sponsored backlinks may not be the golden ticket to top Google rankings, they can still offer considerable benefits in terms of brand awareness, referral traffic, and potential conversions.
UGC or User-Generated Content Links
A UGC (User-Generated Content) link comes from content that users contribute, such as blog comments, forum posts, or any other form of user input.
When it comes to SEO, the benefits of UGC links are a topic of debate. Google has stated that it treats all nofollow directives, including UGC, as “hints” for ranking purposes.
This means that while they might not directly impact ranking, Google reserves the right to consider them if they wish. It’s like a subtle nod from Google saying, “I see what you did there, and I might just take that into account.”
However, the SEO value is not the only way UGC links can be beneficial—they can also be powerful tools for driving traffic to your site.
Imagine a user stumbles upon a link to your business in a forum thread or blog comment while searching for solutions to their problems. This could lead them straight to your website, turning a casual browser into a potential customer.
Additionally, UGC links can significantly boost your brand awareness.
Think about it this way: every UGC link is like a mini billboard for your brand, displayed to all users viewing that content. And in the world of the internet, that could be a sizeable crowd.
So what’s the true value of a UGC link? It might not always bring you immediate tangible benefits (like a direct boost in SEO rankings), but it helps build relationships, fosters trust, and subtly spreads the word about your brand.
So are UGC links worth acquiring for your business? Absolutely! They’re your chance to mingle, make an impression, and, who knows, even woo a few customers your way!
Wrapping It Up
The world of backlinks is a bit like a garden. Each link is a seed, potentially sprouting benefits for your business. However, not all seeds are equal.
Dofollow links are your roses, the showstoppers that everyone adores. They’re the ones that SEOs covet the most, and for good reason—they pass on link juice and help your site rank better in search engines.
On the other hand, nofollow, sponsored, and UGC links might seem like the marigolds of the garden—not as flashy as the roses, but still adding color and vibrancy. While they may not pass on link juice like dofollow links, they’re far from useless.
They can drive traffic to your site, increase brand awareness, and even lead to conversions. Think of them as the secret sauce that adds a unique flavor to your digital presence1.
And then, there are the toxic backlinks—the weeds in your garden. They harm your site’s reputation, ranking, and overall SEO health. It’s crucial to regularly prune these out of your link profile to keep your garden flourishing.
If you need help building your backlink profile, reach out to us!
