There have been a lot of questions as to how the NoFollow attribute greatly helps SEO. Following with the inception of PageRank in 2005 by Google head honcho, Larry Page, this piece of HTML attribute has been useful in serving as one of the main components in determining the websites that are deserving enough to be placed at the coveted first page.
In its basic form, different search engines that comply with the attribute view a certain webpage for its contents and credibility. When a webmaster includes a hyperlink the redirects the reader to a different page, Google initially counts this as “points”, giving the linked page more boost, when in fact the points should have been instead given to your page. This is where the NoFollow tag comes in.
So, how in Google’s name will this attribute be of any help in building your business?
For one, NoFollow tag prevents the sharing of link juice to the link seen on your page, which is basically a good thing for your site. Not that you’re being too selfish or something. In fact, this attribute can also save your website from inadvertently-promoting, vouching and boosting other websites’ online reputation.
Moreover, here are other perks and advantages of “following” the NoFollow attribute:
NoFollow Deters Spam Comment and other Spammy Links
Not so long ago, the world of blogging almost became a breeding ground for comment spammers. Initially, this is why the NoFollow attribute was created –to block off comment spam, spamdexing, promotional what-nots and other dirty SEO tricks coming from snarky blog commenters lurking around the blogosphere, forums, wikis, directories, message boards and guestbooks. And up to now, it is still effective and relevant in preventing those pesky blog parasites and piggyback riders from sucking off link juice through your blog site.
NoFollow Attribute Deters Paid Links from Being Crawled by Google
Almost immediately after its release, the NoFollow evolved into something far more useful to web administrators and webmasters. Today, the HTML tag can also be employed to prevent advertisement page, PPC sites and other “sponsored ads” that’s running through your page from getting credits as well. Unless your main goal is forever be banished from the green pastures of search engines, use the NoFollow attribute when posting paid links to your page so that you won’t get penalized by Google, Yahoo! and Bing for such advertisements.
Prevents Websites from “Vouching” or Endorsing Other Sites
Using NoFollow applies for websites with user-generated contents to avoid endorsing or vouching other sites, regardless if the link has reliable or untrusted content. In relation, using the tag prioritizes the web page owner to get the deserved link juice for posting relevant content instead of simply “sharing” the credits with the page linked to the site.
Is it considered a downside?
If you think about it, tagging a hyperlink as NoFollow doesn’t affect the linked website that much. It’s just that the owner “restricts” Google to give additional credits to the linked page. Referencing and linking other sites and web pages on the internet is already an appropriate way of giving credits the page, to which you’ve gained some useful information for your content. In essence, it is just another way of saying “here’s where I got my basis for this content, but this site is not affiliated with us”.
Moreover, it does not imply that just because you’ve linked some website for giving appropriate credits to your source of some useful elements to explain a business scenario in your blog, it doesn’t mean that you’re obliged to pour some the Google juice to the said website’s own tumbler.
Nevertheless, it is still up to the page owner as to whether or not to give extra credits to the hyperlinked page as a consolation.
Any thoughts about the NoFollow attribute?
Feel free to leave a comment!
