Dofollow vs Nofollow: What Founders Should Actually Care About
A plain-language guide to link attributes, when each matters for SEO, and why profile nofollow links still help.
8 min de lectura
What the attributes mean
Dofollow (really: absence of nofollow) tells crawlers they may use the link for ranking signals. Nofollow and sponsored attributes tell crawlers not to pass equity the same way — though Google may still use them for discovery. UGC marks user-generated links. LinkAtlas records link type per listing so you know what you are getting before you invest time in a submission.
Dofollow is not the only win
Founders obsess over dofollow while ignoring referral traffic and branded SERPs. A nofollow link from a high-traffic community can send qualified signups. A dofollow link from a spam directory can hurt more than help. Prioritize relevance, traffic, and editorial quality — then consider follow type.
Balancing your link profile
A natural profile mixes follow types, anchors, and sources. If every link is exact-match dofollow from directories, that pattern looks manufactured. Profiles, press mentions, guest posts, and resource links together look like a real company. Use directories for breadth; use content for depth.
How LinkAtlas labels links
We tag listings as dofollow, nofollow, mixed, or unknown after checking sample pages and submit flows. Unknown means we could not verify reliably — treat as nofollow until you confirm. Pro sheet includes notes when a site changed policy recently.
FAQ
Should I skip all nofollow links?
No. Skip low-quality sites; keep high-value nofollow profiles and mentions.
Does nofollow mean Google never sees the link?
Google can still crawl nofollow links for discovery; they are just not treated like editorial endorsements.