What is a dofollow link?

Dofollow link, explained

Here's the first surprise: there is no rel="dofollow" attribute. "Dofollow" is SEO slang for a normal link. A plain <a href="https://example.com">Example</a> is followed by default. It only becomes something else when the site adds rel="nofollow", rel="ugc" or rel="sponsored".

Followed links matter because links are still one of the ways search engines judge which pages are worth ranking. A followed link from a relevant, trusted site says "this is worth a look" in a way the search engine can use. Nofollow-type links are treated as hints and generally not followed, so they usually pass little or no ranking credit.

That's why the word shows up so often around launches and directories. When a platform says it gives you a "dofollow link", it means the link on your listing doesn't carry a nofollow-type attribute. You can check this yourself: open the listing, inspect the link to your site, and look at its rel attribute. Some platforms change this over time, or only follow links on paid listings, or only while you keep their badge on your site.

Google's rules put a limit on this. Links that are paid for, or traded for other links, are supposed to be qualified with sponsored or nofollow. A followed link that you bought, or that exists only because you linked back, falls under Google's link spam policy. The safe followed links are the ones that exist on their own merit: an editor or reviewer decided your product deserved to be listed.

One followed link won't move rankings on its own. The value comes from a steady set of relevant ones over time, alongside pages that deserve to rank.

Why it matters for founders

For a brand-new product, the first handful of followed links from relevant sites help Google discover and trust the domain. It's worth knowing which launch platforms and directories give them, and on what terms.

Example

On LaunchRanked, a free launch that passes human review gets a followed link on its product page. The link is a plain <a href> with no rel qualifier, and it doesn't depend on a badge.

Common mistakes

• Adding rel="dofollow" to links. It does nothing because the value doesn't exist.
• Buying "dofollow" links for rankings. That's link spam under Google's policies.
• Only chasing followed links. Nofollow links from busy sites can send more real users.
• Not checking the actual rel attribute after a platform promises a followed link.