What is a nofollow link?
A nofollow link carries a rel=“nofollow” attribute that tells search engines not to pass ranking authority to the linked page.
In plain English
It's used for untrusted, paid, or user-generated links (comments, ads, sponsored posts). Related attributes are rel=“sponsored” and rel=“ugc”. A natural backlink profile includes both dofollow and nofollow links.
Why it matters for AI search
Even nofollow links from big platforms can drive traffic and brand mentions that AI engines notice, so they still contribute to visibility, just not to link equity.
Frequently asked
They don't pass direct authority, but they drive referral traffic, build brand awareness, and keep your link profile natural, all indirectly valuable.
On paid/sponsored links (use rel=sponsored), untrusted sites, and user-generated content (use rel=ugc) to stay within Google's guidelines.
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