In the context of SEO, there are different types of links defined by the rel attribute in <a> tags. Here’s an overview:
1. DoFollow Links
- Definition: These are standard links without a
relattribute or with one that doesn’t block search engines from following the link. - Effect: Pass SEO “link juice” (ranking power) from the linking site to the linked site.
- Default: By default, all links are DoFollow unless explicitly marked otherwise.
2. NoFollow Links
- Definition: Links with
rel="nofollow". - Effect: Instruct search engines not to pass SEO link juice to the linked site. These links are still clickable for users.
- Use Case: Often used for sponsored links, user-generated content, or when the linking site doesn’t want to endorse the linked site.
3. Sponsored Links
- Definition: Links with
rel="sponsored". - Effect: Indicate that the link is part of a paid promotion or sponsorship. Search engines understand it as a commercial link, and it usually doesn’t pass link juice.
- Use Case: Used for affiliate links, ads, or sponsorships.
4. UGC (User-Generated Content) Links
- Definition: Links with
rel="ugc". - Effect: Indicates that the link was added by users, typically in forums or comments. This helps distinguish user-generated links from editorial links.
- Use Case: Common in platforms with user-submitted content.
5. NoOpener Links
- Definition: Links with
rel="noopener". - Effect: Prevents the new page from gaining access to the
window.openerobject, improving security and performance. - Use Case: Used with
target="_blank"to open links in a new tab while mitigating risks of malicious pages.
6. NoReferrer Links
- Definition: Links with
rel="noreferrer". - Effect: Prevents the browser from sending the
Refererheader to the linked site, enhancing privacy. - Use Case: Used for privacy concerns or security reasons.
Combination of Attributes
- Multiple
relvalues can be combined, e.g.,rel="nofollow noreferrer". - For example, this link:
<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Visit</a>- Tells search engines not to follow the link and browsers not to send the referring page URL.
Summary of Defaults
- Links are DoFollow by default unless a
relattribute explicitly changes their behavior.
