A dofollow link tells search engines "count this as an endorsement." A nofollow link tells them "this is a link, but do not treat it as a vote." That is the whole distinction — and it is only the beginning.
NoFollow links are not worthless
NoFollow links still:
- send referral traffic from a real audience,
- build brand and entity signals (mentions of your product name),
- often sit on high-traffic pages that get crawled frequently, which helps discovery of your own site.
Most directories and communities use nofollow by default because they cannot vet every submission. That does not make them a bad use of time.
Where dofollow links usually live
- Curated directories with editorial review
- Product launch platforms (some, not all)
- Guest posts and editorial mentions
- Profile and resource pages that pass authority
Many platforms mix both: your profile link may be nofollow while links inside an approved listing page are dofollow. Check the actual listing, not the homepage.
Watch for mixed signals
A page marked "Mixed" in a directory usually means some outbound links are dofollow and others are sponsored or nofollow. Treat the listing as dofollow only if your link specifically is.
How to prioritise
- Get a dofollow link from a relevant, indexed platform → highest value.
- Get a nofollow link from a high-traffic, relevant platform → still worth it for traffic and discovery.
- Skip anything irrelevant, regardless of link type.
Use the Links column in the ranking to filter for dofollow platforms when link equity is the priority, and keep nofollow platforms in the mix for reach.