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TL;DR: Yes, nofollow links can help rankings—especially in the current “hint” era where Google may evaluate them for discovery, context, and potential signals. High-authority nofollow links from digital PR can drive clicks, brand searches, and entity trust that lift your pages in the SERPs.
Nofollow links aren’t dead weight anymore. In 2025, they can absolutely move your rankings—especially when they come from high-authority digital PR placements and drive real users to your content. Google now treats nofollow as a suggestion, not a strict rule, which means context, traffic, and engagement can tip the scales in your favor.
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I’m Benjamin Hübner, founder of IMdominator. I started online in 2007 and it took me a year to earn my first commission—since then I’ve generated six figures in revenue across affiliate, product launches, crypto, and client work. I’ve seen nofollow go from “ignore it” to “use it strategically.”
If you’re doing digital PR, most of your best links will be nofollow. And that’s fine. With the right approach, those links can accelerate rankings by improving discovery, relevance, and brand signals—without risking spammy tactics.
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Key Takeaways
Google treats nofollow as a “hint,” so high-quality nofollow links can still influence rankings and discovery.
Digital PR earns authoritative links that drive clicks, brand searches, and entity trust—big ranking levers.
Relevance and real traffic matter more than the attribute on the link.
Mix nofollow and dofollow naturally for a safe, durable link profile.
Measure impact via referral traffic, assisted conversions, and ranking lifts around the time links land.
Google takes nofollow as a suggestion—not a command. When the link and the click are valuable, it can still help you rank.
Short answer: Yes, when they come from relevant, trusted sources that send engaged users. In the current algorithm, Google can evaluate nofollow links for discovery and contextual signals, and your site can benefit from the traffic, entity associations, and brand searches these links produce.
Google may crawl and evaluate nofollow links as hints, improving discovery and context for your pages.
Clicks, dwell time, and brand searches from high-authority mentions correlate with ranking lifts—especially via digital PR.
In 2019, Google announced it would treat rel="nofollow" as a hint rather than a directive. That opened the door for evaluation, discovery, and more nuanced link processing. Combined with smarter entity understanding, authoritative nofollow mentions can now help your site earn trust and surface for relevant queries.
Learn more from Google’s official note: Evolving “nofollow” – new ways to identify links. For fundamentals, review Moz’s nofollow guide.
Digital PR links—even when nofollow—act like authority endorsements that Google can use to validate your brand and topic expertise.
Digital PR earns placements on top-tier sites where editorial policies default to nofollow. Those links still help because they carry authority, drive real users, and strengthen your entity footprint across the web. They often trigger branded search spikes, social chatter, and repeat visits—all positive signals.
If you want a playbook for PR-led link earning, this overview from Ahrefs is helpful: Digital PR for SEO.
Nofollow isn’t a limitation when you design for relevance and engagement. Focus on traffic, topical alignment, and content that converts visits into positive user signals and links.
Create link-worthy assets tied to revenue pages, like data studies, checklists, and calculators that naturally earn mentions.
Prioritize publications with audiences that match your topic; relevance beats raw DR.
Optimize linked pages for intent so visitors stay, explore, and convert.
Follow up PR hits with on-site content clusters and internal links to capture and pass equity.
Use UTM tags and annotations to measure impact and timing.
Watch the full breakdown on nofollow impact and click behavior here:
Step-by-Step Actionable Checklist
Map one primary topic cluster and identify three pages that deserve links and traffic.
Create a PR-worthy asset aligned to that cluster, such as a data-backed mini report or unique teardown.
Build a targeted media list: niche blogs, industry newsletters, journalists, and communities with relevant audiences.
Pitch a tight angle with a stat or takeaway journalists can quote; include your visual and the source link.
Prepare the linked page for conversions: fast load, clear headline, scannable content, internal links.
Tag links with UTM and annotate the launch in Analytics and your rank tracker.
Amplify the placement on socials, email, and forums to drive early clicks and engagement.
Publish a follow-up blog or video referencing the coverage to attract secondary links.
Most teams leave rankings on the table by treating PR as brand-only and ignoring user journeys. Avoid these pitfalls.
Chasing DR with zero topical relevance; always align outlet audience to your niche.
Sending traffic to thin, misaligned pages; optimize linked destinations for search intent.
Ignoring measurement; without UTMs and annotations you won’t see assisted lifts.
Link-velocity spikes from low-quality sources; keep growth natural and story-led.
Forgetting internal links; route the new attention into your money pages smartly.
The best nofollow link is one that sends the right reader to the right page at the right moment—and your site is ready to convert that moment into momentum.
Nofollow links can impact your rankings in 2025 because Google treats them as hints and evaluates their context. Digital PR placements drive real traffic, brand searches, and entity validation—key ingredients in modern SEO. Anchor everything in relevance and intent, optimize linked pages, and measure outcomes with UTMs and rank annotations. Blend nofollow with dofollow naturally, and focus on earning attention that your content can turn into authority.
Google may treat nofollow as a hint, which means in some cases links can influence discovery and evaluation. The safest mindset: value comes from relevance, authority, and user engagement—not the attribute alone.
Experiments reported in the SEO community suggest engaged traffic from nofollow placements can correlate with better rankings. Focus on earning placements that real users click and explore from.
Yes. They can improve discovery, topical authority, branded search demand, and indirect links from secondary coverage.
You can ask, but don’t hinge results on it. Many top outlets have strict policies. If the audience is right, the link will still be valuable.
Use UTM parameters, watch referral traffic, annotated ranking lifts, assisted conversions, and branded search trends.
A natural profile varies by niche. Aim for diversity from relevant sources and avoid engineered patterns.
Yes, especially from local news and community sites. They can boost entity trust and drive local branded searches.
Only if they send relevant traffic from trusted communities. Spammy forum or comment links won’t help.
Original data, unique frameworks, checklists, and timely expert commentary that journalists can cite.
Nofollow links are generally low risk. The real risk is low-quality, irrelevant promotion or manipulative patterns.
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Further reading