Article by Pierre Zarokian.
Google is always changing its algorithms to provide the best search results to its users. One question that has long been debated among webmasters and SEO experts is whether or not Google ignores nofollow links.
Before we delve into that question, let’s first understand what nofollow links are. In HTML coding, a nofollow link is a tag that can be added to a link to tell search engines that they should not follow the link to the target website. This tag is often used when a website links to another website, but the webmaster does not want to pass on any authority or ranking to the linked website.
So, does Google ignore nofollow links? The answer is yes and no.
In 2005, Google announced that it would recognize the nofollow tag, meaning that it would not pass on any authority or ranking to the linked website. However, in 2019, Google announced that it would now use nofollow links as a “hint” for ranking purposes. This means that while Google may not pass on any authority or ranking to the linked website, it still uses the presence of a nofollow link as a signal to determine the relevance and quality of a website.
In other words, nofollow links can still provide some value to a website, even if they do not directly impact its search engine rankings. For example, if a reputable website links to your website with a nofollow link, it can still drive traffic to your site and improve your brand visibility.
While Google may use nofollow links as a signal, it’s just one of many factors that the search engine considers when ranking websites. Content quality, website speed, user experience, and other factors all play a role in determining a website’s ranking.
While nofollow links may not have a direct impact on a website’s rankings, they should still be considered as part of an overall SEO strategy. Building a diverse backlink profile that includes both nofollow and dofollow links from reputable websites can help improve a website’s visibility and authority.
Again, Google does not completely ignore nofollow links, but uses them as a signal for ranking purposes. Webmasters and SEO experts should still consider nofollow links as part of a comprehensive SEO strategy, as they can provide value in terms of website traffic and brand visibility. However, it’s important to remember that nofollow links are just one of many factors that Google considers when ranking websites, and should not be relied on as the sole strategy for improving search engine rankings.
Pierre Zarokian is one of the leading Upwork Freelancers offering SEO, ORM and Wikipedia page creation services. You can reach Pierre Zarokian here.