In the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), backlinks are one of the most powerful ranking factors. They act like votes of trust from one website to another.
But here’s the key: not all backlinks are equal. Some pass SEO value, while others don’t.
That’s where Do-Follow and No-Follow backlinks come in.
Understanding both, and knowing how to use them effectively, is the secret to building a strong SEO strategy.
🔹 What Are Backlinks?
A backlink is simply a link from one website to another.
👉 Example:
If a food blog links to your catering website, that’s a backlink.
Backlinks tell search engines: “This content is valuable.”
They can pass something called link juice → which increases your authority and rankings in Google.
⚠️ But remember: not all backlinks pass link juice → that depends on whether they are Do-Follow or No-Follow.
🔹 What is a Do-Follow Backlink?
A Do-Follow backlink is the standard type of link that passes authority (link juice) to the site it points to.
👉 Example:
If a trusted site like Forbes links to your blog, Google assumes your blog is credible and may rank it higher.
✅ Benefits of Do-Follow Backlinks:
Increase your Domain Authority (DA).
Improve search engine rankings.
Bring referral traffic from the linking site.
Act as votes of confidence for your website.
🔹 What is a No-Follow Backlink?
A No-Follow backlink has a special tag (rel="nofollow") that tells Google:
👉 “Don’t pass SEO authority to this link.”
👉 Examples of No-Follow links:
Social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn).
Blog comment sections.
Forum posts and press release sites.
✅ Benefits of No-Follow Backlinks:
Still drive traffic from real users who click.
Increase brand visibility.
Keep your backlink profile natural (mix of do-follow + no-follow).
⚠️ Note: While No-Follow links don’t directly boost rankings, they play an indirect role in SEO.
🔹 Why Both Types of Backlinks Are Important
Many beginners think only Do-Follow backlinks matter. That’s a mistake.
A healthy SEO strategy includes both:
✅ Do-Follow → Pass authority + boost rankings.
✅ No-Follow → Diversify backlink profile + bring referral traffic.
👉 If your profile has only Do-Follow links, it looks unnatural.
👉 Google trusts websites that have a mix of both.
🔹 Where to Get Do-Follow Backlinks
Guest posting on niche websites.
Building relationships with bloggers.
Submitting to high-authority directories.
Publishing research, case studies, or infographics.
Getting mentioned in news or industry publications.
🔹 Where to Get No-Follow Backlinks
Social media platforms (FB, IG, LinkedIn, Twitter).
Blog comments (with useful contributions).
Forum discussions.
Press release sites.
Q&A platforms like Quora, Reddit, Stack Exchange.
🔹 Best Practices for Backlink Building
✅ Focus on quality over quantity → 1 strong link > 100 spammy ones.
✅ Mix Do-Follow + No-Follow links naturally.
✅ Avoid buying backlinks → it can hurt your SEO.
✅ Create share-worthy content → blogs, videos, infographics.
✅ Monitor backlinks using tools → Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, or Google Search Console.
🔹 Conclusion
Backlinks are still the backbone of SEO.
Do-Follow links → Boost authority & improve rankings.
No-Follow links → Drive traffic & keep link profile natural.
👉 The real SEO success comes not from choosing one over the other, but by using both strategically.
