Many online bloggers are looking for free backlinks. Here is how to make them happen and get important results.
The Great Hunt For Free Backlinks
Many want free backlinks so badly that they employ all sorts of tactics to get them. These include:
- Going on question and answer sites
- The Black Hat SEO route of buying them, which Google does not like
- Getting paid in them by sponsors
Yes, free backlinks are so valuable that sometimes bloggers will get paid in them by sponsors instead of money.
SEE ALSO: SEO Link Building: Developing Your Digital Brand Through Quality Links
Breaking Down Backlinks
However, things can get a little bit complex when it comes to understanding the world of backlinks. In this blog post, we will answer questions such as:
- What is a nofollow SEO backlink?
- What is a dofollow backlink?
- Why are dofollow backlinks so valuable?
- How can you make backlinks?
- Can you change nofollow backlinks to dofollow backlinks and vice versa?
Ultimately, when you create content of value that solves people’s problems, people will want to link to you. As a result of people linking to you, your Domain Authority Ranking will rise, and people might decide that they want a link from you.
In this case, you might see requests start to roll in for dofollow and/or no follow backlinks.
What Are Nofollow and Dofollow Backlinks Anyway?
Essentially, dofollow backlinks offer what some call “Google juice,” These links provide a large boost to your site in search engines. On the other hand, whether nofollow links help your SEO or not is a debated topic. This is because nofollow tells search engine bots not to follow your link.
Regardless, you want to build up both
In this video Neil Patel further explains what exactly backlinks are:
Changing Nofollow Backlinks to Dofollow Backlinks
There are several situations where you might need to change nofollow backlinks to dofollow backlinks. These are:
Hosting Guest Authors
Sometimes, guest bloggers will opt for dofollow backlinks rather than money. In order to accommodate them, you should know how to do this if you choose to.
Crediting Artists and Photographers
While many people steal images from all over the web to use however they choose, this is not professional and does not reflect well on them. If you use an image or graphic that was made by or belongs to someone else, they may request a dofollow link when you give them credit.
SEE ALSO: How to Legally Use Images in Your Digital Branding
For Those You Interview
If you interview someone, or they contribute in some way along those lines, you may need to change nofollow backlinks to dofollow backlinks.
Encouraging Commenters
If you want to encourage people to comment on your site, you can create a yearly blog post thanking those who commented. The most active commenters can even get dofollow links. This will show commenters that you appreciate them and encourage more and new ones.
How To Make Dofollow Backlinks
While a lot of bloggers who don’t have much coding experience find the idea of changing code intimidating, it is not always difficult. In fact, changing nofollow backlinks to dofollow backlinks is not hard at all.
- Insert your HTML backlink. When you edit it, make sure that you click Open Link in New Tab.
- Go into the edit mode of a post that has the link you want to change. Click Text. Then, the HTML code will be brought up.
- Locate the link you want to change into a
dofollow . Click “Ctrl F” to bring up the find function. Paste what you are looking for into the find box so it becomes highlighted and is easy to spot. - Add this to the beginning of your link: <a rel=”
dofollow ” href= - Save it.
- In Preview mode, click the link to make sure it still works.
Some say that you should not change nofollow backlinks to dofollow backlinks. This might be considered “Black Hat” SEO by Google, which can get you penalized by them.
A Look At Nofollow SEO Backlinks
The majority of links are this type of link. They have the least “Google juice,” but this doesn’t mean that they are not useful.
Nofollow links allow you to link your readers to things without alerting search engine bots. You want to use the no follow tag in situations when:
You link to a site you can’t vouch for or don’t want to boost the rankings of.- When linking to a site that requires login or registration.
- You are using an affiliate or sponsored link of some kind.
How To Turn an HTML Backlink into a Nofollow Backlink
- Insert your backlink.
- Click the Text tab to go into HTML mode.
- Follow the instructions for making an HTML backlink
dofollow , but type rel=”nofollow ” instead of rel=”dofollow .”
In Conclusion
Remember, the most effective online link profiles have a healthy combination of both dofollow and nofollow backlinks. While each is different and offers different benefits, it is important to know how and when to use them.
When working with others, or sourcing their expertise and content, both can come into play. It is important to know which will get the job done best, and which is appropriate in which situations. These can include:
- Sourcing content from others
- Paying contributors in links rather than currency
- Giving free backlinks (both
dofollow andnofollow ) if you choose to do so - Linking to other sites
- Knowing which codes to use when, and why to use them
Remember that you ultimately need to know about and utilize both kinds of links, whether they give you that all important “Google juice” or not. Also, remember that changing all of your links to
Here is a handy guide that goes more in depth into backlinks.
Both of these link types will factor into your SEO overall, so it is important that you understand how they work and when to use each.
SEE ALSO: SEO for Small Business
Have you ever been asked for a dofollow link instead of payment? And would you ever ask for that? Comment below…
