That backlink report claims every link is dofollow. Three have rel="nofollow" hiding in the HTML. Two are marked sponsored. One doesn’t exist.
You paid for links that pass SEO value. You got links that pass almost nothing.
rel="nofollow", rel="sponsored", or rel="ugc" in the anchor tag. Links without these attributes are dofollow. For bulk checking, upload your backlink report to Backlink Checker Pro.
What Is a Nofollow Backlink Checker?
A nofollow backlink checker identifies the rel attribute on links pointing to your website:
- Dofollow (no rel attribute) — Passes full SEO value
- Nofollow (
rel="nofollow") — Tells search engines not to count the link - Sponsored (
rel="sponsored") — Marks paid links - UGC (
rel="ugc") — User-generated content like comments
A nofollow link looks identical to a dofollow link on the page. Same anchor text. Same destination. But it tells Google something very different.
Understanding Rel Attributes
Dofollow Links
<a href="https://yoursite.com">Your Anchor Text</a>
No rel attribute means dofollow by default. Google treats this as a vote of confidence.
Nofollow Links
<a href="https://yoursite.com" rel="nofollow">Your Anchor Text</a>
The rel="nofollow" tells search engines not to pass ranking credit. Google introduced this in 2005 to combat comment spam.
Sponsored and UGC
<a href="https://yoursite.com" rel="sponsored">Paid Link</a>
<a href="https://yoursite.com" rel="ugc">Comment Link</a>
Google added these in 2019 for specificity. Sites can also stack attributes: rel="nofollow sponsored ugc". Any of these present means no full dofollow value.
Manual Checking (The Free Method)
- Navigate to the source page — The URL from your backlink report
- Find your link — Use Ctrl+F to search for your domain
- Right-click > Inspect — Click directly on the link text
- Check the anchor tag — Look for
relattribute
No rel attribute? Dofollow. Contains nofollow, sponsored, or ugc? Not passing full value.
Alternative: Press Ctrl+U to view page source. Search for your URL. This shows code before JavaScript modifies it.
Why Manual Checking Fails at Scale
Manual checking works for one link. Maybe five.
A freelancer delivers 25 backlinks. At 2 minutes per link, that’s nearly an hour. Your eyes glaze over around link 10. By link 20, you’re rushing and making mistakes.
Pages load slowly. JavaScript-heavy sites complicate inspection. Links hide in sidebars and footers. Multiple links per page each need checking.
The math doesn’t work.
What Verification Should Catch
Beyond dofollow/nofollow, proper checking reveals:
Links that don’t exist — The report says there’s a link. There isn’t one.
Page-level noindex — Your link is dofollow, but the page has noindex. Google can’t see it.
Robots.txt blocks — The page looks fine in browsers but blocks crawlers.
JavaScript-rendered links — Links created dynamically after page load are less reliable.
Verify Your Backlinks
Backlink Checker Pro validates whether the links in your reports actually exist.
- Link existence — is the link on the page?
- Dofollow, nofollow, sponsored, or UGC status
- Page accessibility — noindex, bot blocks, errors
When to Verify Backlinks
After receiving deliverables — Before responding. Before approving. Before releasing payment. You have the most leverage now.
Before milestone payments — Standard contract language: “Links verified before payment released.”
Monthly maintenance — A 15-20 link spot-check catches problems before they compound.
When rankings drop — Your dofollow links might have flipped to nofollow.
What to Do When You Find Nofollow Links
- Document findings — Screenshot verification results
- Contact the provider — Specific details: source URL, target URL, current status
- Request correction — Have them fix it, refund it, or replace it
Nofollow links aren’t completely worthless — they drive traffic and contribute to natural link profiles. Just don’t pay dofollow prices for them.
What exactly is a nofollow backlink?
A backlink with rel="nofollow" in the anchor tag. This tells search engines not to pass ranking credit. The link still works for visitors but doesn't transfer SEO value like a dofollow link.
How can I check if a backlink is nofollow without tools?
Right-click the link, select Inspect. Look at the anchor tag for a rel attribute containing nofollow, sponsored, or ugc. No rel attribute means dofollow.
Do nofollow links have any SEO value?
Some. Since 2019, Google treats nofollow as a hint rather than a directive. Nofollow links also drive referral traffic and contribute to natural link profiles. They're just significantly less valuable for rankings.
What's the difference between nofollow, sponsored, and UGC?
All three prevent full ranking credit. nofollow is general. sponsored marks paid links. ugc indicates user-generated content. Google recommends using the specific attribute that matches the link type.
Can I change a nofollow backlink to dofollow?
No. Only the site owner can modify link attributes. If you paid for dofollow and got nofollow, the provider needs to contact the site owner.
Every backlink you don’t verify is an assumption. Manual checking works for learning. For bulk verification, you need a system that handles it without burning your afternoon.
Stop trusting. Start verifying.