How to Find Dofollow Backlinks
A dofollow backlink is a normal hyperlink that can pass ranking signals from one page to another unless it uses a rel attribute like nofollow, ugc, or sponsored.
Key takeaways
- Dofollow links pass link equity; nofollow, ugc, and sponsored do not.
- Browser inspection is the simplest manual check.
- Backlink tools can filter reports by dofollow status.
- Competitor analysis reveals potential opportunities.
- Guest posting and broken-link building are common earning tactics.
Dofollow backlinks are one of the main ways authority and relevance signals can flow into a page, so they remain important for competitive SEO.
Example: Checking a Link on a Blog Post
- You find a blog post linking to your site. Right-click the link and select Inspect.
- In the HTML panel, look for the
<a>tag. If you seerel="nofollow",rel="ugc", orrel="sponsored", the link is not dofollow. - If no
relattribute is present, the link is dofollow and can pass link equity. - Repeat for each link you want to verify.
Quick Start: 5 Steps to Find Dofollow Backlinks
- Use a backlink analysis tool like Ahrefs or SE Ranking and filter your backlink report by "dofollow" or "follow".
- Export the list of dofollow links to a spreadsheet for review.
- Analyze competitors by entering their domain into the same tool and filtering for dofollow links. Note the sources.
- Identify potential opportunities from competitor sources—niche blogs, resource pages, industry directories.
- Reach out via guest posting or broken-link building to earn similar dofollow placements.
How to Judge a Dofollow Opportunity
- Relevance: The linking page should be topically related to your content.
- Authority: Check the domain's authority using metrics like Domain Rating (Ahrefs) or Domain Authority (Moz).
- Editorial context: The link should be editorially placed, not in a sidebar, footer, or comment section.
- Link placement: Links within the main body of content are more valuable than those in author bios or widgets.
- Anchor text: Natural, varied anchor text is better than exact-match keywords.
Common Mistakes When Finding Dofollow Backlinks
- Treating any backlink as valuable without checking whether it is actually dofollow or nofollow/ugc/sponsored.
- Chasing low-quality directory, forum, or comment links instead of relevant editorial placements.
- Using authority metrics alone and ignoring topical relevance, page quality, and editorial context.
- Assuming nofollow links are useless—they can still support traffic and discovery even when they do not pass standard link equity.
Next step
FAQ
How do I check if a backlink is dofollow?
Right-click the link, select Inspect, and look for the rel attribute. If there is no rel attribute or it is missing, the link is typically dofollow. If rel="nofollow", rel="ugc", or rel="sponsored" is present, it is not dofollow.
Are all backlinks from guest posts dofollow?
Not always. Some sites set guest post links to nofollow by default. Always check the link's rel attribute before counting it as dofollow.
Can I find dofollow backlinks using free tools?
Yes. Free backlink checkers like Ahrefs Backlink Checker or Moz Link Explorer offer limited reports that include dofollow status.
Related topics
Sources
- Ahrefs — Dofollow Link glossary — Clear definition and basic checking workflow for follow vs. nofollow links.
- Google Search Central — Official guidance on rel attributes such as nofollow, sponsored, and ugc.
- Google Search Central — Official SEO guidance on earning useful links and avoiding manipulative practices.
- SEOptimer — What are Dofollow Backlinks & 6 Ways to Get Them — Practical methods for finding and building dofollow backlinks, including inspection and broken-link outreach.
Reviewed by Lucía Marín, Founding editor.