What Are Dofollow Backlinks and Why They Matter for SEO

If you’re serious about SEO, you’ve probably heard the term “dofollow backlinks” a hundred times. But what exactly are they, and why do they matter so much?

What is a Dofollow Backlink?

A dofollow backlink is a standard HTML link that passes PageRank (link equity) from one website to another. Unlike nofollow links, dofollow links tell search engines: “I trust this page, and I vouch for its content.”

Every link is dofollow by default. A link becomes nofollow only when the rel="nofollow" attribute is explicitly added.

<!-- This is a dofollow link -->
<a href="https://example.com">Visit Example</a>

<!-- This is a nofollow link -->
<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Visit Example</a>

Why Dofollow Backlinks Matter

Google’s algorithm uses backlinks as a primary ranking signal. Here’s why dofollow links are crucial:

1. They Pass Link Juice When a high-authority site links to you with a dofollow link, some of their authority flows to your site. Think of it like a vote of confidence.

2. They Improve Domain Rating DR (Domain Rating) is calculated based on the quality and quantity of dofollow backlinks pointing to your site. More quality dofollow links = higher DR.

3. They Boost Search Rankings Pages with more dofollow backlinks from relevant sites consistently rank higher in Google search results.

Dofollow vs Nofollow Backlinks

Feature	Dofollow	Nofollow
Passes link juice	Yes	No
Helps SEO	Yes	Indirectly
Default behavior	Yes	Requires rel="nofollow"
Used by	Editorial links, guest posts	Comments, sponsored content

Where to Get Dofollow Backlinks

1. Guest posts on authoritative sites in your niche
2. Directory submissions to curated SEO directories like Boosted
3. HARO (Help a Reporter Out) — get quoted in articles
4. Broken link building — find broken links and offer your content as replacement
5. Create linkable assets — infographics, tools, original research

The Quality vs Quantity Debate

Not all dofollow backlinks are created equal. One backlink from a DR 70 site is worth more than 100 backlinks from DR 10 sites. Focus on:

• Relevance — links from sites in your niche
• Authority — sites with high DR (30+ is good, 50+ is excellent)
• Editorial context — links placed naturally within content

Bottom Line

Dofollow backlinks remain the backbone of SEO in 2026. Without them, your site won’t have the authority to rank for competitive keywords. Start building quality dofollow links through directory submissions, guest posting, and creating valuable content that others want to link to.