SaaS link building
Dofollow Link: Definition, Examples, and Why It Matters
A dofollow link is the default state of a backlink — it transfers authority (PageRank, ranking signal) from the source page to the destination. The term exists primarily to contrast with nofollow links, which Google instructs ranking systems to discount.
What it means
HTML links default to dofollow. The “dofollow” designation isn’t a literal HTML attribute — it’s the absence of the rel=”nofollow” (or rel=”sponsored”, rel=”ugc”) attribute. When Google’s crawler encounters a link without these attributes, it treats the link as a normal authority signal.
How it works
When a page links to your SaaS site without nofollow/sponsored/ugc attributes, Google’s ranking systems factor that link into their authority assessment of your site. The authority transfer depends on the source’s own authority, the anchor text used, and the contextual placement.
Note: as of 2019, Google treats nofollow as a “hint” rather than a strict directive. Some authority signal may still flow from nofollow links, but at a substantially discounted rate.
Why it matters for SaaS
For SaaS link building programs, dofollow links from authoritative editorial sources are the primary objective. Each high-quality dofollow link contributes to your authority position.
Some publications (notably Forbes, Inc., and some other contributor programs) apply nofollow to contributor links by default. These placements still have value for brand exposure and AI search citation signals but transfer less ranking authority.
How to evaluate or use it
When evaluating placements, check whether the link will be dofollow. Many quality publications offer dofollow by default; some don’t. Both have value — dofollow for ranking signal, nofollow for brand and AI citation signal. The backlink value calculator weights these differently.
Related terms
Learn more
See how to evaluate backlink quality for the full placement-scoring framework.
Examples of high-value dofollow link contexts
The dofollow links that move SaaS rankings most reliably appear in five specific contexts:
Body links in editorial articles. A contextual link in the middle of a paragraph on TechCrunch, MarTech, Healthcare IT News, or similar publications. The body placement carries more weight than sidebar or footer links from the same source.
Resource page citations. Industry resource pages (curated “best tools for X” lists by category authorities) provide highly relevant dofollow signal when your product earns inclusion.
Citation in original research from other sites. When your data is cited in another publication’s research, the resulting link is high-trust.
Documentation cross-references from open-source projects. For dev-tool SaaS, dofollow links from GitHub READMEs, integration docs, and tutorial sites carry strong engineering audience trust.
Conference and event recap citations. Industry conference sites linking to speaker companies, session recordings, and sponsor profiles.
Frequently asked questions
Are dofollow links more valuable than nofollow?
For ranking signal, yes. For brand and AI search citation signal, the gap is smaller. A working program prioritizes dofollow placements while still taking high-value nofollow opportunities (Forbes Council, etc.) for brand and authority signal.
How do I check if a link is dofollow?
Inspect the HTML or use a browser extension. Look for rel=”nofollow”, rel=”sponsored”, or rel=”ugc” attributes. Their absence means dofollow.