“Dofollow vs nofollow” is one of the most persistent debates in SEO—especially around submission sites such as business directories, profile hubs, software catalogs, review portals, social bookmarks, and community platforms. In 2025, the short answer is: dofollow links still carry the most consistent, direct ranking impact, but nofollow (and rel="ugc"/rel="sponsored") links can still assist rankings indirectly by driving discovery, topical association, crowd signals, entity building, and brand trust.
Key takeaways:
- Dofollow links from relevant, indexable, low‑spam pages with reasonable outbound link counts tend to provide the clearest ranking lift.
- Nofollow and UGC links can nudge rankings by aiding discovery, co‑citation, and brand/entity consolidation—especially when they send real traffic.
- Submission link value is highly context‑dependent. Placement and page‑level signals often outweigh the site’s overall “DA/DR”.
- Risk management (anchor diversity, unique descriptions, natural velocity) is essential to avoid algorithmic suppression.
- Local SEO is special: many high‑impact citation sites use nofollow, yet they strongly correlate with map pack visibility via entity accuracy.
How Google Treats rel Attributes in 2025
The rel attribute family—nofollow, ugc, and sponsored—exists to help search engines
understand link intent. Since Google’s 2019 update, these attributes are treated as hints rather than strict directives. Practically, that means Google can choose to consider some nofollowed links for crawling, indexing, or even ranking signals. However, this consideration is selective and tends to favor high‑quality contexts.
In plain terms: a dofollow link still has the most predictable capacity to transmit PageRank‑like authority. A nofollow or UGC link’s influence is more situational and usually smaller—but not necessarily zero. Sponsored links should be used for any paid placement; their direct ranking contribution should be assumed minimal, but they can still assist with discovery and traffic.
- dofollow: passes authority if the page is indexable and the link is visible, relevant, and not manipulative.
- nofollow: a hint; can support discovery and context, with occasional partial valuation in strong contexts.
- ugc: a subtype hint; similar to nofollow but intended for user‑generated areas. Quality moderation matters.
- sponsored: for paid/promotional links; assume minimal direct ranking value, but still useful for traffic/PR.
What Actually Moves Rankings from Submissions
Submission‑based links move rankings when they meet three overlapping criteria: authority + relevance + indexability. Authority lives at the page level as much as at the domain level. Relevance is semantic (topical fit) and entity‑based (brand, product, NAP). Indexability hinges on crawl depth, internal linking, canonicalization and duplicate control.
Authority isn’t just DA/DR
Domain metrics indicate direction rather than destiny. A niche directory with effective editorial curation and low outbound link ratios can outperform a mass-submission platform with higher DR but weak page-level signals. Favor Pages that
- Are internally linked from relevant parent/category pages.
- Have modest outbound link counts (or pagination that spreads them).
- Receive real organic traffic and rankings themselves.
- Feature descriptive, unique copy for each listing/profile.
Relevance is multi‑layered
Topical proximity between the site, the page/category, and your entity matters—submissions in tightly aligned categories move more needle than generic catch‑alls. Include brand + contextual keywords in titles and descriptions without over‑optimizing anchors.
Indexability is non‑negotiable
If the listing never gets indexed, it can’t contribute. Use internal links (from your site or social profiles) to nudge crawl paths.
Ensure the page isn’t blocked by robots tags/canonicals and that it’s linked from a browsable category.
When Nofollow Still Helps
While dofollow links are the workhorse of direct ranking impact, nofollow can support rankings indirectly:
- Discovery & crawl seeding: Nofollow links from high‑crawl‑budget platforms may still lead bots to discover and revisit your pages.
- Co‑citation & co‑occurrence: Appearing near relevant entities/keywords can strengthen topical association.
- Entity trust & brand building: Verified profiles on authoritative platforms consolidate knowledge panels and NAP consistency.
- Real traffic signals: Users who click through and engage can correlate with better organic outcomes.
- Local packs & citations: Many impactful local listings use nofollow yet correlate with map pack gains.
The calculator below models this by giving nofollow/UGC partial, context‑dependent weight.
Anatomy of a High‑Value Submission
- Topical Fit: The directory/category tightly matches your product/service and geography.
- Unique Content: Custom descriptions, images, and structured data—no copy‑paste duplication.
- Reasonable OBL: Outbound link counts are sane; pagination prevents 500+ links on a single page.
- Indexable: Page is linked from categories/tags, not orphaned, no noindex/canonical traps.
- Placement Quality: In‑content or primary listing area beats footers/sidebars.
- Traffic: The page (and its parents) rank and receive real user visits.
- Clean Rel Usage: Dofollow when editorial, sponsored when paid, UGC for user areas.
- Schema: LocalBusiness/Organization/Product schemas improve SERP understanding.
Submission Site Types & Expected Value
Business Directories & Citations
Often high
Especially for local SEO, curated directories and data aggregators support entity accuracy and category relevance.
Niche Hubs & Communities
Often high
Strong topical alignment and active moderation can yield durable value, even with mixed rel attributes.
Software/App Directories
Medium
Quality varies widely. Prioritize pages that rank for category terms and feature rich product detail.
Social Bookmarks & News Aggregators
Low–Medium
Useful for discovery and social proof; direct ranking impact is inconsistent and often transient.
Forums, Q&A & UGC Profiles
Low–Medium
Best when the profile/post gets real traffic and upvotes. Heavy moderation and uniqueness are key.
Press Release Networks
Low
Mostly for PR coverage and brand queries. Treat links as sponsored; isolate to newsworthy moments.
Anchor Text Strategy & Diversity
On submission sites, anchors should feel native to the platform: Brand, Brand + Service, URL, or short,
descriptive phrases. Exact‑match anchors across dozens of directory profiles are a classic footprint and invite dampening.
- Primary: Brand / URL (40–70%).
- Support: Brand + keyword/category/geography (20–40%).
- Exploratory: Partial‑match phrases (10–20%).
- Avoid at scale: Repeating exact‑match money anchors across profiles.
Tip: If a platform forces anchor text, prefer your brand or naked URL. Use descriptive context around the link instead of forcing exact‑match anchors.
Footprints, Risks & Compliance
Risk is less about a single link and more about patterns. The fastest way to devalue your submission work is to reuse the same description, link text, and link targets across dozens of sites in a short time window. Spread anchors, vary copy, and respect each site’s editorial rules. Use rel="sponsored" whenever money changes hands.
- Footprint control: Vary anchors, bios, images, and CTAs. Stagger submissions over weeks, not hours.
- Indexing checks: Track which profiles actually index. Trim or improve those that don’t.
- Outbound link dilution: Prefer pages with reasonable OBLs or paginated lists vs unbounded link dumps.
- Compliance: Disclose sponsorships; don’t circumvent site policies or inject links via spammy tactics.
Local SEO: Citations, NAP & Packs
Local visibility is dependent on entity accuracy and reliability. Many tier-one citation sites use nofollow, which is acceptable as map pack performance depends on NAP precision, category alignment, proximity, and review velocity. Use consistent names, addresses, phone numbers, website URLs, categories, and hours. Utilize photographs, services, and attributes. Link to your location page rather than just the homepage.
For multi‑location brands, create unique location pages with embedded maps and consistent schema. Use a single, consistent canonical URL for each location in all citations to avoid splitting signals.
Quality Signals
Saved Evaluations
| Site | Score | Fair Price | Ask | ROI× | Date |
|---|
Score & Pricing
Signal Breakdown
Multipliers
Indexing, Velocity & Internal Links
New profiles tend to index faster when:
- They’re linked from browsable category pages.
- You link to them from your site’s press/resources page or social profiles.
- They include unique text, images, and embedded media.
- You avoid simultaneous mass submissions (drip them out naturally).
Internally, link from relevant articles to your most valuable external profiles (e.g., “As listed on <Directory>”). This both helps
indexing and provides users with validation and reviews.
Measurement & Attribution
Separate three layers of impact:
- Direct SEO: Faster indexing, ranking improvements on target pages/queries, internal PageRank flow.
- Entity/brand: More brand searches, knowledge panel stability, consistent NAP.
- Traffic/conversions: Referral sessions, assisted conversions, review growth.
Use UTM parameters on submission links (when allowed) so you can attribute referral traffic in analytics. In Google Search Console,
monitor the target pages’ impressions/positions post‑submission; expect lag and confounders—treat the calculator’s output as directional,
not definitive.
Case Patterns & Benchmarks
Across many campaigns, winning patterns repeat:
- 10–25 high‑fit dofollow listings can often outperform 100+ generic submissions.
- Nofollow citations correlate with map pack visibility when NAP is pristine and reviews accumulate.
- Profiles that receive real user engagement (clicks, favorites, reviews) keep value over time.
- Indexing status is a leading indicator: if a listing won’t index after improvement and nudging, de‑prioritize the platform.
Beware survivorship bias in public case studies: many omit the failures that consumed the bulk of effort. Test small, double down only
when you see indexing + referral traction + keyword movement.
Practical Workflow & SOP
- Prospecting: Build a list by niche and geography. Capture DA/DR, category, rel policy, sample URLs, OBL ranges.
- Vetting: Check indexability, category depth, page traffic, and editorial standards. Avoid sites with obvious spam footprints.
- Preparation: Create unique descriptions, titles, and images. Prepare brand/URL/partial anchors.
- Submission: Pace over weeks. Prefer editorial dofollow where natural; accept nofollow/UGC on high‑trust platforms.
- Boosting: Link internally to your best profiles; share on social; encourage reviews where appropriate.
- Tracking: Record indexing status, referral traffic, and keyword movement. Use the calculator to prioritize.
Note: The calculator translates these heuristics into a single Effective Link Score to support prioritization—not to replace judgment.
FAQ
Are dofollow links always better? Usually for direct ranking, yes—but context still rules. A weak, spammy dofollow can be worse than a relevant, high‑trust nofollow.
Should I try to turn nofollow into dofollow? Don’t. Respect site policies. Focus on improving page quality and visibility instead.
What about rel="ugc"? Treat it like a cousin of nofollow. It can be valuable on moderated, topical communities—especially when posts rank and drive traffic.
Do sponsored links help? They help with PR and discoverability. Assume minimal direct ranking value, but keep them compliant and high‑quality.
Can submissions alone rank a site? Rarely. They’re a foundation and a moat, not a silver bullet. Pair with content, internal linking, and editorial mentions.
Glossary
- DA/DR: Third‑party domain strength metrics; useful but imperfect.
- PA/UR: Page‑level authority proxies.
- OBL: Outbound links on a page; higher counts dilute per‑link value.
- Index Probability: Likelihood that a page will be crawled & indexed based on structure and history.
- NAP: Name, Address, Phone—core to local entity consistency.
Checklist
- Pick platforms with category depth and real user traffic.
- Craft unique titles, descriptions, and images for each listing.
- Use brand/URL anchors primarily; sprinkle partial matches.
- Prefer dofollow where natural; accept nofollow/UGC on high‑trust sites.
- Keep OBL reasonable; avoid massive unpaginated link dumps.
- Help your profiles index with internal links and social mentions.
- Monitor indexing status and referral traffic; iterate.
Conclusion & Next Steps
In 2025, dofollow vs nofollow on submission sites is not a binary “good/bad” decision. The question is fit and execution. A handful of well‑chosen, well‑crafted dofollow listings in relevant hubs—combined with accurate, traffic‑bearing nofollow citations and community presence—still moves rankings and revenue. Use the estimator to prioritize, validate with indexing and traffic, and reinvest in what demonstrably works for your niche.
Next: shortlist your top 25 platforms, run them through the calculator, and begin submissions in waves with unique assets.
