Dofollow vs. Nofollow Backlinks: What You Must Know

If you remember one thing about link building, remember this: not all backlinks are created equal. The single most important distinction is whether a link is dofollow or nofollow — because that choice decides whether the link passes authority (and therefore moves your Domain Rating) at all.

This post explains both, when each is appropriate, and why our directory network treats dofollow as the default.

What Is a Backlink? (And Why It Matters for Your Startup)

A backlink is simply a link from one website to another. When another site links to your startup's website, that's a backlink. Think of it as a vote of confidence — one website telling Google, "Hey, this site has valuable content."

Backlinks matter because they're one of Google's primary ranking factors. Google's algorithm uses backlinks to assess:

• Authority — sites with more high-quality backlinks rank higher.
• Relevance — links from related sites in your industry carry more weight.
• Trustworthiness — links from established domains signal credibility.

For startups, backlinks from launch directories and product platforms can provide that initial SEO boost needed to start ranking for competitive keywords. But the type of backlink you receive makes all the difference.

What Is a Dofollow Backlink?

A dofollow link is the default type of link. When a website links to your startup without any special attributes, it's a dofollow link. These links pass "link equity" (also called "link juice") from the linking site to yours.

How dofollow links pass link equity

When a high-authority website includes a dofollow link to your startup, Google's crawlers follow that link and transfer some of the linking site's domain authority to your site. This transfer of authority helps your pages rank higher in search results. Think of domain rating like a reputation score — when a respected site links to you with a dofollow link, they're lending you some of their reputation points.

SEO benefits of dofollow backlinks for startups

For early-stage startups, dofollow backlinks deliver tangible SEO benefits:

• Improved search rankings — pages with dofollow backlinks from quality sources rank higher for target keywords.
• Faster indexing — Google discovers and indexes new pages more quickly when they have dofollow backlinks pointing to them.
• Domain authority growth — accumulating dofollow links from diverse, quality sources gradually builds your overall domain authority.
• Referral traffic — beyond SEO, dofollow links drive direct clicks from interested users.

A single dofollow link from a high-authority startup directory can help your homepage start ranking for your brand name and primary product keywords within weeks. For the metric this affects, see What Is Domain Rating (DR) and Why It Matters.

What Is a Nofollow Backlink?

A nofollow backlink includes a specific HTML attribute (rel="nofollow") that tells Google's crawlers not to follow the link or pass link equity. The link still exists and users can click it, but it doesn't directly contribute to your site's ranking power.

Why Google introduced nofollow links

Google introduced the nofollow attribute in 2005 primarily to combat spam. The goal was to prevent people from manipulating search rankings through:

• Comment spam on blogs.
• Paid links disguised as organic endorsements.
• User-generated content that site owners couldn't vouch for.
• Low-quality directory submissions.

Websites use nofollow links when they want to link to content but don't want to officially endorse it with their ranking power.

When Nofollow Links Still Have SEO Value

Here's where it gets interesting: nofollow links aren't worthless for SEO. While they don't directly pass link equity, nofollow backlinks provide several indirect benefits:

• Brand visibility — a nofollow link from a major launch platform puts your startup in front of thousands of potential users and investors.
• Referral traffic — nofollow links still drive clicks; a popular listing sends real visitors regardless of link type.
• Natural link profile — having only dofollow links looks suspicious to Google. A natural backlink profile includes a mix of both.
• Discovery and indexing — while nofollow links don't pass equity, Google still crawls them and discovers new content.
• Indirect link building — getting featured on major platforms (even with nofollow links) often leads to dofollow links from bloggers and journalists who discover you there.

In 2019, Google changed how it treats nofollow links. Instead of completely ignoring them, Google now treats rel="nofollow" as a "hint" rather than a directive. This means Google may choose to consider these links in certain contexts.

Dofollow vs Nofollow: Key Differences

How Google Treats Launch Directory Backlinks Today

Google's approach to directory backlinks has evolved significantly. In the early 2000s, directory submissions were a cornerstone of SEO strategy. Today, Google is far more selective.

Google evaluates directory backlinks based on:

• Editorial quality — does the directory curate submissions or accept anyone who pays? High-quality launch directories that review and select startups provide more valuable backlinks.
• Relevance — a link from a general web directory means less than one from a startup-specific or industry-specific platform.
• User value — does the directory provide genuine value to users searching for new products, or is it purely for SEO?
• Link patterns — Google can identify and devalue links from directory networks designed solely for link building.

Modern launch platforms like Product Hunt, BetaList, and specialized startup directories fall into a different category than old-school web directories. These platforms provide genuine value by helping users discover new products, which is why their backlinks — even when nofollow — still benefit startups.

Why our directory network uses dofollow by default

We built our network to clear every test above: 50+ independent, indexed, curated startup directories, each reviewing submissions and serving real buyers. Because the listings are editorial, relevant, and dofollow by default, they pass the authority that moves your DR — not just visibility. You can verify every placement on your daily-synced DR detail page. Plans run $30 for 5 to $150 for 50 dofollow backlinks, with a 90-day refund.

When to care about each type

• Want DR and rankings to move? Prioritize dofollow, indexed, relevant placements (our network default).
• Want launch-day visibility and referral traffic? A nofollow feature on a high-traffic platform still earns attention and often leads to dofollow links later.
• Worried about a "natural" profile? A small nofollow mix is healthy — but don't let it replace the dofollow foundation that actually builds authority.

For the authority angle, High-Authority Backlinks: How to Earn Links That Rank. For the safe-tactics baseline, Are Directory Backlinks Still Good for SEO?.

Bottom line

Dofollow links build authority and move DR; nofollow links build visibility, traffic, and a natural profile. You need both, but the dofollow foundation is what earns rankings. Choose curated, relevant, indexed directories that place dofollow links by default — and verify every placement on your DR detail page. Anything promising "all nofollow is fine" is leaving rankings on the table; anything promising "nofollow is useless" is ignoring a healthy mix. Get the balance right and the two reinforce each other.

Build your dofollow baseline on 50+ indexed directories

Skip the manual grind. BoostDomainRating will place your product across our network of 50+ indexed, dofollow directories — plans from $30 (5 links) to $150 (50 dofollow backlinks) — sync Ahrefs DR to your detail page daily, and back it with a 90-day refund. You focus on the product; the authority compounds.

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Key takeaways

• Dofollow links pass authority and move DR; nofollow mostly drives visibility and traffic.
• Since 2019, Google treats nofollow as a "hint," not a hard block.
• A natural profile includes both — but the dofollow foundation is what builds authority.
• Curated, relevant, indexed directories earn the dofollow links that count.
• Verify every placement on your DR detail page; don't trust blind.

Related Reading

• What Is Domain Rating (DR) and Why It Matters
• High-Authority Backlinks: How to Earn Links That Rank
• How to Improve Your Domain Rating with High-Quality Backlinks
• Are Directory Backlinks Still Good for SEO?
• Best Directories for Backlinks in 2026