Link attributes. The four labels that tell Google what each link actually is.

What link attributes actually are

Link attributes are values placed inside the rel attribute of an HTML link tag that tell search engines something about the relationship between the linking page and the destination. A standard link without any attribute is treated as an editorial endorsement of the destination: the linking page is vouching for the linked page. The attributes let the site owner say "this link is different".

The four relevant attributes are dofollow, nofollow, sponsored and ugc. The first is the default (no attribute needed); the other three are explicit markers added to specific links. They are not visible to readers. They are read by search engine crawlers, including Google.

The attributes matter for two reasons. First, on your own outbound links they signal to Google what kind of link you are making, which keeps your site compliant with the link spam policy. Second, on the inbound links pointing at your site, they shape how much ranking signal Google passes through. A nofollow link from a major publication is worth more than no link at all but less than a dofollow link from the same source.

The four attributes in detail

Dofollow (default)

Not a real attribute. The name "dofollow" is shorthand for "a link without any nofollow, sponsored or ugc attribute". A bare <a href="..."> is dofollow by default. It tells search engines: the linking site editorially endorses this destination, and the ranking signal should flow through. This is the link type SEO content is usually talking about when it says "backlink".

Nofollow (introduced 2005)

Syntax: rel="nofollow". Google, Yahoo and Microsoft introduced the attribute jointly in 2005 to fight comment spam. The original meaning: a hard directive that the linking site does not vouch for the destination, and search engines should not count the link for ranking purposes. In 2019 Google changed its treatment to a hint, meaning the algorithm may still count some signal from a nofollow link if the editorial context supports it. Some still treat nofollow as zero-value; the working assumption among professional SEOs is that the signal is reduced but non-zero.

Sponsored (introduced 2019)

Syntax: rel="sponsored". Introduced by Google in September 2019. The correct marker for paid placements: advertising, affiliate links, sponsored content. Tells Google explicitly that the link was acquired through a commercial arrangement. Mandatory for compliance with Google's link spam policy. Using rel="sponsored" on paid links keeps you safe from the link spam policy without compromising the editorial value of your unpaid links. Many sites still use generic nofollow for paid links, which is technically also compliant but less explicit.

Ugc (introduced 2019)

Syntax: rel="ugc". Also introduced in September 2019. The marker for user-generated content: blog comments, forum posts, profile-link signatures, anywhere a third party submits a link to your site that the editorial team has not vetted. Most modern CMS platforms (WordPress, Drupal, Discourse) apply rel="ugc" automatically to comment-section links. The signal value to the destination is low, similar to nofollow. The value to the linking site is correctness: telling Google "this is comment content" keeps your site honest about its outbound link mix.

Combinations are allowed. rel="nofollow sponsored" is valid and used by some sites for clarity. rel="ugc nofollow" is also seen. Google reads all combinations correctly.

What a healthy mix looks like

On the inbound side (links pointing at your site), a profile that looks natural to Google's algorithm contains a mix of all four types. The rough proportions for a healthy small-business profile:

• Dofollow: 60-80 percent. Editorial endorsements from credible sources.
• Nofollow: 15-30 percent. Wikipedia, news sites that nofollow by policy, some major directories.
• Sponsored: 0-5 percent. Some compliant paid placements, affiliate references.
• Ugc: 5-15 percent. Forum profile links, comment mentions, social platform bio links.

A profile that is 100 percent dofollow looks manufactured because real internet behaviour does not produce that distribution. Real users get linked from forums, Wikipedia, news sites with nofollow policies, and platforms that apply nofollow or ugc by default. A profile entirely missing the nofollow and ugc layers signals coordinated link acquisition, which is one of the SpamBrain pattern indicators.

The implication is not that you should "build nofollow links to balance out". It is that a healthy program of digital PR, podcasting, industry association memberships and supplier cross-linking produces the natural mix automatically. If your profile is heavily skewed toward 100 percent dofollow, it usually means the acquisition strategy is too narrow, not that you need fake balance.

How to label your outbound links

For the links you place on your own site, the labelling rules are simple. The framework we use across client sites:

1. Editorial endorsement: dofollow. Links to sources you genuinely vouch for in supporting content. No attribute needed. This is the default.
2. Source you do not vouch for: nofollow. Links to sources you reference but do not endorse (a competitor product, a source with weak credibility, a page you are critiquing).
3. Paid placement: sponsored. Any advertising, affiliate link, sponsored content, or commercial arrangement. Mandatory.
4. User-generated content: ugc. Comments, forum posts, profile bio links, any content submitted by a third party. Usually auto-applied by your CMS.

The most common mistake we see on Perth client sites is missing rel="sponsored" on affiliate and ad links. The site owner does not realise Google's policy requires it. When SpamBrain identifies the pattern, the links get neutralised and the site can pick up a manual action penalty. Adding the correct attribute is a one-line fix that resolves the policy compliance.

The second most common mistake is over-applying nofollow to outbound editorial links in a misguided attempt to "preserve PageRank". Modern PageRank does not work that way. Nofollow-ing your editorial sources reduces the helpfulness of the page (because Google reads the outbound link graph as part of content quality) without protecting anything. Default to dofollow for genuine sources.

What inbound link attributes tell you

When you audit your inbound link profile, the attribute breakdown is a useful signal:

• Predominantly dofollow with some nofollow: healthy editorial profile from a mix of sources.
• Predominantly nofollow: the profile is heavily Wikipedia, news-site-by-policy or platform-default. Not bad, but soft.
• Predominantly ugc: the profile is heavily forum and comment links. Likely low-quality and not moving rankings.
• Predominantly sponsored: rare and almost always a sign someone marked editorial links as sponsored by mistake. Worth investigating.
• 100 percent dofollow: the profile looks manufactured. Check the source diversity.

Search Console's external links report does not break down by attribute. To get the breakdown you need a third-party tool like Ahrefs or Semrush, both of which show the follow type per link. Free tiers cover the basics.

Common mistakes

Tools and checklists

1. Ahrefs Free or Semrush Free. For the inbound profile attribute breakdown.
2. Browser dev tools. Right-click a link, inspect element, read the rel attribute. Fastest way to check any specific link.
3. Google Search Central documentation. The current canonical reference for which attribute applies to which link type.
4. Your CMS settings. Confirm comment-link auto-marking is enabled.
5. A quarterly outbound audit. Spot-check 20 outbound links across your site. Confirm the attribute matches the link type.

For a snapshot of your inbound profile's attribute mix and any compliance gaps, our free SEO audit tool includes the breakdown. For the broader off-page playbook, see link-building tactics and the wider SEO services.

Perth and WA context

Three patterns specific to Australian site owners we work with:

Affiliate income sites without sponsored markers. Several Perth e-commerce and review-style sites we have audited used affiliate links without rel="sponsored". The pattern is detectable, the policy is clear, and the fix is a 30-minute CMS change. Adding the attribute does not reduce the affiliate revenue and avoids the manual action risk. See e-commerce SEO for the broader e-commerce angle.

Trades and services sites with sitewide footer cross-promotion links. A common Perth pattern is a sitewide footer link to a sister business or a development partner. The link appears on every page, often as dofollow. Sitewide footer links carry less ranking weight than in-content links and can trigger an over-optimisation pattern when paired with exact-match anchor text. The fix is usually to apply rel="sponsored" if the relationship is commercial, or to move the link to a single about-us page rather than the footer. See trades SEO for the trade-specific examples and SEO Fremantle for the Fremantle service-area context.

Legal and healthcare sites linking to professional bodies. Outbound links to RACGP, AMA WA, the Law Society of WA, the various specialty colleges. These should default to dofollow because they are editorial endorsements. Several Perth legal and healthcare clients had nofollowed these by mistake in a previous SEO engagement. Reverting to dofollow is correct. See legal SEO and healthcare SEO.

Related guides

• Backlinks explained. The foundational chapter the attributes apply to.
• Anchor text profile. The other dimension of inbound link quality.
• Link-building tactics. The tactics that produce the natural attribute mix.
• Disavow toxic links. When attribute patterns indicate a deeper problem.
• Internal linking strategy. Internal links use the same attribute system but with different conventions.
• Brand mentions. Unlinked equivalents that contribute even without attributes.
• DR vs DA. How third-party scores treat attribute differently.
• Digital PR for SEO. Earned editorial links are usually dofollow by default.