Use the link relationship that describes why a link appears on your page. Mark advertisements, affiliate links, and other compensated placements with rel="sponsored"; links submitted in comments or forums with rel="ugc"; and links you do not want to endorse when neither description fits with rel="nofollow". For an ordinary editorial citation, you usually need no special rel value. Google's outbound-link guidance is the primary reference.
These values help Google interpret a link. They are not a reliable way to keep the destination out of its index. This article is a markup reference for site owners; for earning relevant links, use our link-building guide and backlink basics.
Choose the attribute from the link's relationship
| Situation | Typical rel value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Paid ad, sponsored article, affiliate placement, or compensated review | sponsored | The placement involves compensation |
| Link posted by a visitor in a comment or forum | ugc | The site owner did not write the linked contribution |
| Untrusted link in otherwise editorial content when other values do not apply | nofollow | The publisher does not want to associate with it |
| Unpaid editorial citation chosen by the author | None required | It is an ordinary link |
Google says rel="sponsored" is preferred for paid placements; rel="nofollow" is still acceptable for that purpose. It recommends rel="ugc" for user-generated links. You can combine values where both descriptions apply, such as rel="ugc nofollow". Do not label a paid affiliate link as ordinary editorial simply because it appears inside a useful article.
“Dofollow” is an SEO industry label, not a required HTML rel value. An ordinary anchor does not need rel="dofollow". Check the published markup rather than treating a plugin's “follow” toggle as proof of what visitors and crawlers receive.
Copy the HTML pattern, then inspect the rendered page
A normal editorial citation can look like:
<a href="https://example.com/research">Read the research</a>
A paid placement can look like:
<a href="https://example.com/offer" rel="sponsored">Sponsor offer</a>
A community-posted link can look like:
<a href="https://example.com/community-resource" rel="ugc">Community resource</a>
These are illustrative HTML snippets, not real endorsements. The value belongs on the anchor element, not on the paragraph around it. Multiple values are allowed, for example rel="ugc nofollow". Use valid, crawlable anchors with real href values; a JavaScript-only click handler may not behave like the HTML example.
When an affiliate or ad plugin inserts the link, view the rendered HTML in your browser or crawler. Check a sample of product pages, old posts, and mobile templates. Some editors apply a setting only to newly added links or override it when a template is rendered. Recheck after CMS and plugin updates.
Do not confuse link hints with page indexing controls
Google generally does not follow links carrying these attributes, but a destination can still be found through another site, an ordinary internal link, or a sitemap. Placing rel="nofollow" on one outgoing link does not remove the target from Google. A link attribute is also not a privacy control.
If you need to keep a page you own out of Google Search, use a page-level noindex directive and allow Google to crawl the page so it can see that directive. Google's indexing guidance explains the distinction. If the issue is a private or sensitive document, use access control rather than SEO markup.
Do not add nofollow to every internal link in an attempt to channel ranking credit. Normal internal navigation helps people and crawlers reach your useful pages. A broken URL, incorrect canonical, or inaccessible page calls for a different fix.
Review common edge cases
Paid local sponsorship: A chamber or event may list your business because you sponsored it. The publisher controls its outgoing anchor and should qualify a compensated link. Sponsorship may still bring relevant visitors; its value need not depend on passing ranking credit.
Guest article: An unpaid contribution does not automatically make every link editorial. If an author controls keyword-rich links mainly to manipulate rankings, Google's link-spam policy is relevant. Assess the relationship and editorial purpose.
Comment moderation: rel="ugc" describes user-submitted links, but it does not replace spam review. Remove harmful or irrelevant submissions where appropriate.
Inbound links: You cannot set rel on a link located on someone else's page. If you need a paid partner to qualify its link, ask the publisher to update its markup. Do not assume your own page's settings change inbound links.
A useful audit samples each link type, opens the source page, checks the rendered anchor, and records which template or plugin produced it. Fix the source of a systematic markup error once rather than editing hundreds of individual links.
FAQ
Does a nofollow backlink have zero value?
It may still send visitors and introduce your brand. Google does not publish a per-link ranking-value formula.
Must I combine sponsored and nofollow?
No. Google's preferred value for paid placements is sponsored; it also accepts nofollow, and values can be combined.
Is rel="dofollow" required?
No. Ordinary editorial links do not need a special dofollow value.
Can nofollow stop Google indexing a destination?
No. The page can be discovered elsewhere. Use appropriate controls on a page you own.
Should I add nofollow to all external links?
No. A normal citation does not need it merely because it points to another site. Choose a value based on the relationship behind the link.