In PR link building, the difference between dofollow and nofollow links matters more than many people realise. Both can play a role in a healthy backlink profile, but they do not pass value in the same way, and they should not be treated as interchangeable.
For website owners, bloggers, digital marketers, SEO teams, and agencies, understanding this difference helps you evaluate backlink quality, manage risk, and build a more natural link profile that supports organic visibility over time.
What Dofollow and Nofollow Links Mean
A dofollow link is the default type of hyperlink. When a publication gives you a dofollow backlink, search engines can follow that link and may treat it as a signal of trust or relevance. In practical terms, it can help search engines discover your page and understand its relationship to other content.
A nofollow link includes an attribute that signals to search engines not to treat the link as a direct ranking vote in the same way. That does not make it useless. A nofollow link can still send visitors, build brand awareness, and contribute to a realistic-looking backlink profile.
If you want a simple guide to backlink fundamentals, the backlink building guide is a useful place to start.
Why PR Link Building Uses Both
Public relations link building often aims to earn coverage from news sites, industry blogs, and digital publications. In these environments, editors control how links are placed, and not every mention will be dofollow. That is completely normal.
Some media outlets use nofollow or similar attributes as a standard policy for external links, especially on promotional, syndicated, or user-generated content. Others may provide dofollow links when the reference is editorial and genuinely useful. SEO teams should understand that PR is not only about chasing dofollow links; it is also about earning coverage that builds authority, referral traffic, and brand trust.
For teams looking for a broader overview of safe link acquisition, Backlink Works offers a practical backlink building process that explains how links are typically earned and reviewed.
Which Link Type Matters More for SEO
Dofollow links are usually more valuable for direct SEO impact because they can pass signals that help search engines assess page quality and relevance. However, that does not mean nofollow links should be ignored. A backlink profile made up only of dofollow links can look unnatural, especially if it comes from unrealistic or low-quality sources.
In practice, the best link profiles contain a mix of link types. Natural mentions from media, forums, social platforms, and editorial placements often include nofollow links. These links may not always pass ranking value directly, but they can support discovery, traffic, and credibility.
SEO teams should also remember that link quality matters more than the attribute alone. A dofollow link from a weak, irrelevant page may be less helpful than a nofollow link from a respected publication with real readership. For this reason, relevance, editorial context, and placement are often more important than whether a link is technically dofollow or nofollow.
How to Assess Link Quality in PR Campaigns
When reviewing PR placements, look beyond the link attribute. A strong backlink should fit naturally within the content and support the article’s topic. The surrounding text, publication quality, and audience relevance all affect how useful the link may be.
Useful checks include:
- Is the publication relevant to your industry or audience?
- Does the article mention your brand in a natural, editorial way?
- Is the link placed in context, rather than forced into a generic mention?
- Does the page have a real readership and visible search presence?
- Is the anchor text natural and descriptive rather than over-optimised?
If your team is unsure how a link profile is performing, a free website SEO audit can help identify whether technical issues, weak pages, or poor internal linking are limiting the benefit of earned PR coverage.
Common Mistakes SEO Teams Make
One common mistake is assuming that only dofollow links are worth pursuing. This can lead teams to ignore valuable coverage that still supports authority and brand visibility. Another mistake is chasing links from any publication that offers dofollow placement, even when the content is irrelevant or low quality.
Other mistakes include:
- Using exact-match anchor text too often
- Overvaluing one PR placement instead of building consistent coverage
- Ignoring referral traffic and brand exposure from nofollow mentions
- Buying links from unsafe or irrelevant sources simply because they are dofollow
- Expecting PR links alone to solve wider SEO problems
For safer outreach and link evaluation, some teams use Google-safe backlinks as a reference point when deciding what fits a white-hat strategy.
Best Practices for PR Link Building
A balanced PR strategy focuses on earning credible mentions, not forcing every placement to behave like a traditional SEO backlink. The goal is to create a natural link profile that supports brand visibility and long-term organic growth.
Good practice includes:
- Prioritise editorial relevance over link volume
- Use branded or natural anchor text where possible
- Avoid repetitive link placement patterns
- Mix PR coverage with other white-hat link building methods
- Track both referral traffic and backlink discovery
- Review whether key pages are worth linking to before outreach begins
When teams need help understanding the link-building workflow, Backlink Works can be a useful backlink building resource for learning the basics of safe, practical off-page SEO.
Checklist for Evaluating Dofollow and Nofollow PR Links
Use this checklist when reviewing a PR placement or planning a campaign:
- Confirm whether the link is dofollow or nofollow.
- Check whether the publication is relevant to your niche.
- Review the content around the link for context and quality.
- Make sure the anchor text sounds natural.
- Assess whether the page can drive real visitors, not just link equity.
- Keep a record of links so your profile stays diverse.
- Look for broader SEO value, not just direct ranking expectations.
Conclusion
In PR link building, dofollow links can contribute more directly to SEO signals, but nofollow links still matter in a healthy, natural backlink profile. The smartest teams do not obsess over one attribute alone. They assess relevance, editorial quality, anchor text, placement, and the wider value a mention can bring.
If you approach PR link building with a balanced mindset, you can support organic visibility, build trust with audiences, and reduce the risk of unnatural link patterns. The most sustainable results usually come from consistent, high-quality coverage rather than chasing a single type of link.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are nofollow links useless for SEO?
Nofollow links are not useless. They may not pass ranking signals in the same way as dofollow links, but they can still bring referral traffic, brand awareness, and a more natural backlink profile. In PR campaigns, they often appear on reputable sites and still add value.
Should SEO teams only ask for dofollow PR links?
Not always. Asking for only dofollow links can make campaigns harder to place and less natural. A better approach is to focus on relevance, editorial quality, and audience fit. A strong nofollow mention from a respected publication can still be worthwhile.
Does a dofollow link always help rankings?
No. A dofollow link is only one part of the picture. Search engines also consider relevance, authority, placement, and the quality of the linking page. A weak or unrelated dofollow link may offer limited benefit compared with a strong editorial mention.
How can I track whether PR links are being indexed?
You can monitor indexed pages through search tools and link reports, then check whether the referring page appears in search results. If indexing is slow, it may help to review page quality and internal linking. Some teams also use backlink indexing support to improve discovery.
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