Is 'dofollow' a real HTML attribute?

No. 'Dofollow' is shorthand for a normal link that doesn't use rel="nofollow" (or similar). Standard links are simply links.

Do nofollow links pass any value?

Nofollow is a hint. Search engines may choose to use it for discovery and other purposes, but typically it does not pass traditional link equity the same way followed links do.

Should I nofollow all outbound links?

No. Use nofollow for ads, sponsored content, or untrusted user-generated links. For normal editorial references, followed links are fine.

Dofollow link: what it means (and why it's a misleading term)

“Dofollow link” is one of those SEO terms everyone uses even though it doesn’t exist in HTML.

There is no rel="dofollow". A “dofollow” link usually just means a normal link that doesn’t have nofollow, sponsored, or ugc.

What people really mean by dofollow

They mean: a link that can pass link equity (“link juice”) in the classic SEO sense.

Example:

<a href="https://example.com">useful reference</a>

Nofollow, sponsored, and UGC (the real attributes)

These are the attributes you will actually see:

rel="nofollow": a hint not to pass ranking credit
rel="sponsored": for paid or sponsored links
rel="ugc": for user-generated content (comments, forums)

You can combine them:

<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow sponsored">ad link</a>

Should you care about dofollow links?

Yes, but not in the simplistic way many people talk about.

If your backlink profile is built almost entirely on paid or manipulated “dofollow” links, you’re in risky territory. If you earn a mix of natural editorial references (some followed, some not), that’s normal.

For internal links, the concept is simpler: internal links are typically followed, and they shape how authority flows inside your site.

Outbound links: when to use nofollow

Use nofollow/sponsored when:

it’s an ad or paid placement
you don’t trust the destination
it’s user-generated content that you don’t moderate well

Don’t slap nofollow on everything out of fear. Normal outbound citations are part of how the web works, and it often improves user trust to cite sources transparently.

How to audit links quickly

Link attributes can become inconsistent across templates and CMS plugins. It’s worth scanning:

internal links with unexpected nofollow
outbound links missing sponsored on obvious ads
UGC sections that leak followed spam links

For a crawl-level check, run SEO Audit Tool. For spot checks while browsing, use the Chrome Extension.

Link back to the glossary

One-line definition: Dofollow Link in the Glossary.