Understanding and Fixing Outgoing Internal Links with Nofollow Attributes

Introduction

Many people don’t know that outgoing internal links contain nofollow attribute by mistake. These links are inside your own website, but they have a nofollow tag. This means Google might not follow those links or pass SEO value. When this happens, your other pages might not get the boost they need. It’s like telling Google, “Don’t look at my other pages,” which is not good for your site’s health. If you’re trying to grow your blog or website, this small mistake can stop your progress. So, it’s super important to check your links. Even internal links should help, not hide. Let’s understand why this happens and how to fix it the right way.

When outgoing internal links contain nofollow attribute, your website is missing out on something very useful: link juice. Link juice is a fun way of saying “SEO power.” Internal links are like bridges in your website. They help Google crawl from one page to another. But when these bridges have a nofollow tag, it’s like putting a sign that says, “Don’t cross here.” Google may skip it. This can confuse search engines and stop your pages from getting good rank. Sometimes, nofollow is added by mistake through plugins or themes. Other times, webmasters just don’t notice it. But if you want your whole site to grow, you must let all your pages help each other. Fixing this is simple. Just remove the nofollow from links that go to your own pages. That way, you build a strong, connected website that Google understands and loves.

What Are Internal Links?

A website’s internal links are the hyperlinks that link one page to another on the same domain.They are fundamental for several reasons. First, they help users and search engines navigate seamlessly between related pages. Second, they allow the transfer of “link juice” (or PageRank) from one page to another, boosting the ranking potential of linked pages. Third, by linking related content, internal links help search engines understand the thematic structure of your site, improving its authority. For example, on a blog, an internal link might connect a recent article to an older, related post, signaling to search engines that these topics are interconnected. This enhances user experience and strengthens SEO.

What Is the Nofollow Attribute?

An HTML tag called “nofollow” can be added to a link to tell search engines not to follow it.When a link has the “nofollow” attribute, search engines like Google will not pass any link equity to the linked page. Additionally, they may choose not to crawl the linked page if it’s an external link. Originally introduced by Google in 2005, nofollow was designed to combat comment spam, where spammers flooded blog comments with links to manipulate rankings. Over time, its use expanded, particularly for external links like paid or sponsored links, user-generated content, affiliate links, or links to untrusted sites. However, when applied to internal links, nofollow can disrupt the flow of link equity and crawling within a website.

Why Nofollow on Internal Links Is Problematic

Having the nofollow attribute on internal links can harm a website’s SEO in several ways. First, it prevents link equity distribution, as internal links are meant to share authority across your site. With nofollow, this process is blocked, leaving some pages with less ranking power. Second, it hinders search engine crawling. While crawlers can still access nofollowed internal links, the attribute signals lower importance, affecting how pages are prioritized for indexing. Third, a mix of followed and nofollowed internal links can confuse search engines, complicating their understanding of your site’s hierarchy. Finally, pages that should rank higher may underperform if they don’t receive link equity, missing valuable SEO opportunities.

Impact on Search Engine Crawling

Search engines rely on internal links to discover and index pages on your website. When these links have nofollow attributes, crawlers may deprioritize the linked pages, assuming they’re less significant. This can lead to slower indexing or even exclusion from search results for some pages. Moreover, if your site has a limited crawl budget (the number of pages a search engine crawls in a given time), nofollow on internal links wastes this budget by directing crawlers away from important content. Ensuring internal links are “dofollow” (without nofollow) helps search engines efficiently crawl and index your site, improving its visibility.

Impact on Link Equity Distribution

Link equity, often referred to as “link juice,” is the authority passed from one page to another through hyperlinks. Internal links are critical for distributing this equity across your site, helping important pages rank higher. However, nofollow attributes block this transfer, leaving linked pages with less authority. For instance, a high-authority homepage linking to a product page with nofollow won’t pass its ranking power, potentially weakening the product page’s performance. By removing nofollow from internal links, you ensure that link equity flows freely, strengthening your site’s overall SEO and supporting better rankings for key pages.

How to Identify Internal Links with Nofollow Attributes

Before fixing the issue, you need to locate where these problematic links exist. There are two primary methods to identify nofollow attributes on internal links. First, you can use SEO tools, which are efficient for large websites. Second, you can perform a manual inspection, which is suitable for smaller sites or specific pages. Both approaches help pinpoint the issue, allowing you to take corrective action. Regular checks using these methods can prevent nofollow attributes from undermining your SEO efforts in the future.

Using SEO Tools

SEO tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, Moz, or Screaming Frog are invaluable for identifying nofollow attributes. These tools crawl your website and generate reports highlighting problematic links. For example, Semrush’s Site Audit tool flags “Outgoing Internal Links Contain Nofollow Attribute” as a warning. Ahrefs allows you to filter internal links with nofollow attributes in its “Internal Links” report. Screaming Frog exports a list of all links, including those with nofollow. Using these tools saves time and ensures comprehensive coverage, especially for large sites with thousands of pages.

Manual Inspection

For smaller websites or specific pages, you can manually check the HTML source code. Right-click on a page and select “View Page Source” (or press Ctrl+U in most browsers). Search for <a> tags, which denote hyperlinks, and look for the rel=”nofollow” attribute within them. For instance, a nofollowed internal link might appear as:

<a href=”/internal-page” rel=”nofollow”>Link Text</a>

While manual inspection is thorough, it’s time-consuming for larger sites. For efficiency, combine this method with SEO tools to ensure no problematic links are missed.

How to Fix Internal Links with Nofollow Attributes

Once you’ve identified nofollow internal links, fixing them is straightforward. The objective is to get rid of the nofollow attribute so that search engines can follow links and transfer link equity. Depending on your access to the website, you can edit the HTML directly, adjust CMS settings, or consult a developer. In rare cases, keeping nofollow on internal links may be intentional, but these are exceptions. Addressing this issue promptly ensures your internal linking structure supports your SEO goals.

Removing Nofollow Attributes

To remove nofollow attributes, start by editing the HTML code if you have direct access. Locate <a> tags with rel=”nofollow” and delete the attribute. If your site uses a content management system (CMS) like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal, check for plugins or themes that automatically add nofollow to links. Adjust these settings to exclude internal links. For example, some WordPress SEO plugins may have options to manage link attributes. If you’re not managing the code, inform your web developer about the issue and request they remove nofollow from internal links.

When to Keep Nofollow on Internal Links

In specific scenarios, nofollow on internal links might be intentional. For example, if you have duplicate content (e.g., print-friendly versions of pages), nofollow can prevent search engines from indexing less important versions. Similarly, for low-value pages like legal disclaimers or privacy policies that don’t need to rank, nofollow can conserve crawl budget. However, these cases are rare. In most situations, internal links should be “dofollow” to maximize link equity distribution and support search engine crawling. Always weigh the benefits before using nofollow internally.

Best Practices for Using Nofollow Attributes

While nofollow on internal links is generally discouraged, it has legitimate uses, particularly for external links. Following best practices ensures you use nofollow appropriately without harming your SEO. To support the structure of your website, give “dofollow” priority for internal links.For external links, use nofollow strategically to comply with search engine guidelines and protect your site’s reputation. Your site’s performance can be improved and a healthy link profile can be maintained with these practices.

On External Links

• Paid or Sponsored Links: Use nofollow or the “sponsored” attribute for paid links to comply with Google’s guidelines.
• User-Generated Content: Links in comments, forums, or social media widgets should have nofollow to prevent spam.
• Affiliate Links: Depending on your affiliate program, nofollow may be required for these links.
• Untrusted Sites: If linking to a site you don’t endorse, use nofollow to avoid passing authority.

On Internal Links

For internal links, avoid nofollow unless there’s a specific reason, such as managing duplicate content or conserving crawl budget for low-value pages. Ensure that important pages receive link equity by keeping internal links “dofollow.” Regularly audit your site to confirm that nofollow attributes aren’t accidentally applied to internal links. This approach maximizes the benefits of internal linking, supporting both user experience and SEO performance.

The History and Evolution of the Nofollow Attribute

Understanding the nofollow attribute’s history provides context for its use today. Introduced by Google in 2005, nofollow was a response to comment spam, where spammers posted links in blog comments to manipulate rankings. By adding nofollow, webmasters could tell search engines not to follow these links or pass PageRank. Over time, nofollow’s use expanded to include paid links, affiliate links, and links in widgets or ads. In 2019, Google introduced new attributes—”sponsored” and “ugc” (user-generated content)—to provide more granular control. Despite these changes, nofollow remains unsuitable for most internal links, as it disrupts link equity distribution.

Case Studies and Examples

To illustrate the impact of nofollow on internal links, consider these hypothetical scenarios. First, a category page on an e-commerce website links to product pages. If these internal links have nofollow attributes, the product pages won’t receive link equity, potentially lowering their rankings for competitive keywords.When nofollow is removed, the authority of the category page is made available to the product pages. Second, a blog with older, high-authority posts links to newer content. If these links are nofollowed, the newer posts miss out on link equity, hindering their ranking potential. Ensuring “dofollow” links strengthens the newer content’s performance.

Conclusion

Ensuring that your internal links do not contain nofollow attributes is vital for a robust SEO strategy.Internal links distribute link equity, guide search engines through your site’s structure, and enhance user experience. By removing unnecessary nofollow attributes, you optimize your site’s performance and improve its ranking potential. Regularly audit your website using SEO tools like Semrush or Ahrefs or manual checks to identify and fix this issue. If you’re unsure how to proceed, consult an SEO professional for tailored advice. Take action now to boost your site’s visibility and authority.

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Learn why having nofollow attributes on internal links can harm your SEO and how to fix it. Discover best practices for internal and external linking to boost your website’s performance.

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