How to detect links with the “nofollow” attribute?

“Nofollow” isn’t just SEO jargon. It’s a real thing that’s been used for optimization since the introduction of the HTML nofollow attribute. A link with the rel=”nofollow” HTML tag is considered a nofollow link. Search engines will not follow the link if it has the nofollow tag attached. In terms of PageRank, nofollow links do not affect search engine rankings. 

Keep reading to learn how to detect the links on your site with a rel=”nofollow” attribute and why you want to use them.

When should I use the nofollow link attribute?

When a link isn’t gained naturally through genuine interest, you should utilize the nofollow link attribute instead of leaving it blank. You should, as a general rule, use the nofollow link when:

• You don’t want to be associated with the page that you’re linking to.
• You’re linking to widgets.
• You link to awards and badges of certification.
• You want to link to press releases. 

These are just a few of the most common reasons for using the rel=”nofollow” attribute. You may find that this type of link already exists on your website for one reason or another. 

How do I detect a nofollow link?

There are two ways to detect a nofollow link: use an automated tool or do it manually. 

If you choose to do it yourself manually, these are the steps you must follow:

• Right-click on the page and select “Inspect” from the menu.
• Inspect the page by right-clicking.
• Press the keyboard shortcuts Command + F or Ctrl + F to find “nofollow” in the source code.
• The nofollow attributes are indicated in yellow and can be found by scrolling through the page. This is how it should appear:

Are nofollow links a waste of time for SEO?

The fact that nofollow links do not pass on any PageRank raises the question: are nofollow links any use for search engine rankings? Although Google has stated that “we normally don’t follow nofollow links,” it is reasonable to infer that there are situations when they do actually follow these links.

Although nofollow links do not function as trust votes, they are still beneficial for search engine optimization. For instance, if you get a paper posted on Forbes, Entrepreneur, or Inc. the links that appear in the piece will be nofollow. But it is still a valuable link to have in terms of traffic. In addition to the fact that it has the potential to bring visitors to your website, it is also beneficial for branding.

Brand mentions and how many people are talking about a brand are criteria that Google considers. Hence, nofollow links from reliable sources do have significance.

Final word on detecting links with the nofollow attribute

Although the effect of the nofollow attribute on SEO is very different now compared to when it was first introduced, it is still an essential factor to consider when creating internal and external links. Rather than it being a major SEO factor, think of nofollow links as a way to fine tune your SEO and help build traffic that doesn’t come directly from the SERPs.

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