What is Dofollow Backlinks (A Clear Guide for SEO Growth)

What is Dofollow Backlinks: A Clear Professional SEO Guide For Beginner

Backlinks act like citations for your site. When trusted pages link to you, search engines see signals of quality, relevance, and trust. This can help you rank higher and get more traffic.

So, what is dofollow backlinks? In simple terms, these are links that pass value from the linking page to the target page. People often call that value link equity or link juice. Dofollow links help your pages gain authority. Nofollow links, in contrast, usually do not pass that value.

This guide explains the basics, the benefits, and how to check them. You will learn what is dofollow backlinks in HTML, what is link juice in SEO, and what are the three types of backlinks. You will also see which backlink is most powerful, how to check if a link is dofollow, and how to build links the right way. The goal is clarity, plain language, and steps you can use today.

How to create a dofollow link

A dofollow link is the default in HTML. You create one by linking without adding a blocking rel attribute.

• Example: add a normal anchor tag in your CMS, then make sure it does not include rel="nofollow", rel="ugc", or rel="sponsored".
• Place the link in the main content. Links in footers or sidebars tend to pass less value.

Keep anchor text descriptive. Use natural language that fits the topic.

Which backlink is most powerful?

The most powerful backlink is a dofollow link from a relevant, trusted page that gets real traffic. It sits in the body of the content, near related text, and uses a clear anchor. It comes from a site with a strong reputation and clean link profile. Relevance plus authority beats raw metrics alone.

What is dofollow backlinks in HTML

In HTML, a dofollow link is simply an anchor tag without a restrictive rel value. The rel attribute controls link behavior. If you do not add rel="nofollow", rel="ugc", or rel="sponsored", the link passes equity by default.

Some people write rel="dofollow". Search engines do not need this, and most will ignore it. The standard way to make a link pass value is to omit blocking rel values. That is all you need in HTML.

What Are Dofollow Backlinks and How Do They Work

Dofollow backlinks tell search engines to pass authority from one page to another. They help search engines map trust across the web. If a page links to you with a normal link, your page may receive some portion of that page’s authority.

About rel attributes:

• rel="nofollow" tells search engines not to pass equity.
• rel="ugc" marks links created by users, like forum posts or comments. Many platforms treat these like nofollow.
• rel="sponsored" marks paid or sponsored links to keep things transparent.
• rel="dofollow" is not required or standard. Leaving rel empty is enough to pass value.

Here is an example of a standard link that passes value:

<a href="https://example.com">Visit Example</a>

Some sites may show this, which also passes value but is not needed:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="dofollow">Visit Example</a>

And here is a nofollow link:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Visit Example</a>

What is link juice in SEO? It is the share of authority that flows through a link. A high-authority page that links to you shares some of its strength. The impact depends on relevance, link placement, anchor text, and the number of other links on that page.

What are the three types of backlinks?

• Dofollow: passes equity by default.
• Nofollow: typically does not pass equity.
• UGC: user generated content links, often nofollow-like.

Dofollow links help rankings more, but a natural profile includes all three.

Examples of Dofollow Backlinks in Action

• A respected industry blog publishes your guest post. It links to your guide with a contextual anchor. This dofollow link passes strong link juice and can lift your guide’s ranking.
• A university resources page lists your research. That single dofollow link can boost trust for the whole domain.
• A social media bio or comment often adds rel="nofollow". Good for traffic and brand, but light on equity.

Which backlink is most powerful? A dofollow link from a relevant, trusted site that writes about your topic, placed in the body, with a clear anchor. It can move rankings faster than dozens of weak links.

The Role of Dofollow in SEO Link Building

Dofollow backlinks support an SEO strategy by signaling trust and relevance. They help pages rank for target queries. They also strengthen domain authority over time. Is dofollow good for backlinks? Yes, when earned from honest sources. The gains show in better visibility, more indexed pages, and stronger internal link effects.

A steady stream of quality dofollow links builds durable growth. Sites with clear expertise and useful content attract these links more easily. The long-term effect is compound. Each strong link can help future content rank faster.

How to Check and Build Dofollow Backlinks

You need two skills. First, know how to check if a link is dofollow. Second, know how to earn those links at scale without spam.

How to know if a blog is dofollow backlink often comes down to code checks. Follow these steps.

1. Check with your browser:

• Right-click the link, click Inspect.
• In the HTML, find the anchor tag.
• Look for rel. If you see rel="nofollow", rel="ugc", or rel="sponsored", it is not a standard dofollow. If there is no rel, it usually passes value.

2. Use an extension:

• Add an extension like SEOquake or a similar high-rated tool.
• Turn on link highlighting, then reload the page.
• The tool marks nofollow links. Unmarked links are usually dofollow.

3. Confirm with a crawler:

• Use a free checker from Moz or Ahrefs to scan a URL.
• Review the link list and rel attributes.
• Spot patterns. Some blogs nofollow all external links by default.

4. Validate anchor and placement:

• Make sure the link sits in the main content.
• Check if the anchor text describes the target page.

How to build quality dofollow links:

• Publish reference content: original data, thorough guides, or clear definitions that others cite.
• Use outreach: send brief emails to editors who cover your topic. Offer a resource or an update that helps their readers.
• Write guest posts on relevant sites. Ask for a contextual link in the body.
• Find unlinked brand mentions. Ask politely for a link where your brand is already cited.
• Create tools or templates that solve a task. People link to helpful utilities.

What is dofollow backlinks example in a check? Inspect a guest post link on a partner site, confirm no rel="nofollow", then view your page’s rankings over time. Track changes to see impact. Focus on quality over quantity. Ten strong links beat a hundred weak ones.

Tools and Methods to Identify Dofollow Links

• Free tools: Moz Link Explorer (limited free credits), Ahrefs free backlink checker, SEOquake, and browser Inspect.
• Manual check: right-click link, Inspect, find the tag, read the rel attribute.
• Common mistakes:
  • Assuming all editorial links are dofollow.
  • Ignoring site-wide rules that add rel="nofollow" to all outbound links.
  • Missing JavaScript-inserted links that look normal but do not render as standard anchors.

Blog platforms differ. Some CMS options mark all comment links as UGC or nofollow. Others add nofollow to all external links unless you change settings. Always verify on the live page.

Strategies for Getting High-Quality Dofollow Backlinks

• Guest blogging on topic-aligned sites. Pitch focused ideas that fill a gap.
• Creating data studies, glossaries, or definitions people cite. What are the three types of backlinks is a good glossary entry that earns links.
• Building resource pages, FAQs, and how-to guides that answer search intent clearly.
• Digital PR with expert quotes, quick insights, and fast replies to journalist requests.
• Fixing broken links on relevant pages. Offer your page as a replacement.
• Avoid buying links. Paid links can trigger penalties, even if they look good at first.

Tie every tactic back to strength. Which backlink is most powerful? The one from a relevant, trusted page, in the body, with a clear anchor, pointing to content that deserves the link.

Conclusion

Dofollow backlinks are standard HTML links that pass equity. They help search engines judge trust, topic fit, and page strength. You learned what is link juice in SEO, what is dofollow backlinks in HTML, and how to check if a link is dofollow. You also saw how to know if a blog is dofollow backlink and which backlink is most powerful.

Is dofollow good for backlinks? Yes, when earned through useful content and honest outreach. Audit your top pages, find gaps, and plan two or three link-building moves this month. Aim for relevance, authority, and clarity in every link. Thanks for reading, and feel free to share a tactic that worked for you.