What is a Dofollow Link?

A dofollow link is a regular hyperlink that passes ranking credit from one website to another. When a site links to you without any special attributes attached, it's a dofollow link by default. You don't have to do anything to make a link dofollow. It's simply what a link is unless someone deliberately tells it to be otherwise.

The reason this matters in SEO is that Google treats these links as votes of confidence. When a reputable website links to your page, it's essentially telling Google that your content is worth referencing. The more quality dofollow links pointing to your site, the stronger the signal that your site deserves to rank well. This is the foundation of what SEOs call link equity, and it's one of the oldest and most consistent ranking factors Google has ever used.

For small business owners, the practical implication is straightforward. If you want your website to rank higher in search results, earning dofollow links from credible, relevant websites is one of the most effective ways to get there. A mention in a local news article, a feature on an industry blog, or a listing on a trusted directory can all contribute to this, as long as those links are followed.

It's worth knowing that not all dofollow links carry the same weight. A link from a well-established, authoritative website in your industry is worth far more than one from a brand new or low-quality site. Google looks at the quality and relevance of the linking page, not just the quantity of links pointing to you. This is a lesson many beginners learn the hard way, and it's covered in detail in this post on backlink mistakes beginners should avoid.

It also helps to understand how dofollow links work alongside the rest of your SEO efforts. Links alone won't rank a page that has nothing valuable on it. Google still wants to see content that genuinely answers what someone is searching for. If you're curious how search intent fits into that picture, this glossary entry on search intent is a good place to start.

The simplest way to earn dofollow links is to create something genuinely useful, be visible in your industry, and build real relationships with other businesses and publishers. There are no reliable shortcuts, and SEO shortcuts tend to backfire more often than they help.