Terminology

Dofollow vs Nofollow Links

Dofollow links pass SEO authority to the linked site. Nofollow links don't. Both can send traffic, but only dofollow moves your Domain Rating.

Updated 2026-06-262 min read

A dofollow link passes SEO authority from the linking site to your site. A nofollow link doesn't. Both look the same to a human reader. The difference is in the HTML attribute on the link.

Dofollow

  • The default link type. No special attribute, just a normal anchor tag.
  • Passes "link juice", which raises the linked site's Domain Rating over time.
  • This is what you want when submitting to a directory for SEO purposes.

Nofollow

  • Carries the HTML attribute rel="nofollow".
  • Doesn't pass authority. Doesn't move DR.
  • Still sends real traffic if someone clicks. Useful for visibility, but not for SEO.
  • Common on Reddit, social media, Product Hunt, and most user-generated content.
  1. Open the page with the link in your browser.
  2. Right-click the link, choose "Inspect".
  3. In the HTML panel, look for rel="nofollow" on the anchor tag. If it's there, the link is nofollow. If not, it's dofollow.

What this means for indie builders

When picking which directories to launch on, prioritize dofollow directories first. Nofollow listings still have value (visibility, social proof) but won't move your DR. LaunchPanda surfaces dofollow vs nofollow on every directory in its catalog.