Dofollow Backlinks: Why Theyre So Valuable for SEO

I’ll keep this simple. If you want steady organic growth, you need high quality dofollow backlinks. I’ve tested every on-page tweak under the sun. Nothing drives compounding results like getting trusted websites to link to you with links that pass authority.

In this guide I’ll break down why dofollow backlinks matter, how to judge quality, and the exact plays I use to earn them the right way. I’ll also show you how to track impact, avoid risks, and scale without wasting time.

What a dofollow backlink actually is

A dofollow backlink is just a normal link that is not marked with the rel attributes that tell Google to ignore it. Google supports several link attributes:

• rel=”nofollow” suggests Google should not pass ranking signals through the link
• rel=”sponsored” marks paid or sponsored links
• rel=”ugc” marks links inside user generated content

Links without those attributes are what most people call dofollow backlinks. They can help transfer authority from the linking page to your page, and they can help Google discover your content faster.

For the official word, see Google’s documentation on how to qualify links and use these attributes: Qualify your outbound links. If you’re doing outreach, you should know exactly how these attributes work. It keeps your campaigns clean and reduces risk.

Why dofollow backlinks are valuable for SEO

Here’s the short version:

• They help signal trust and authority
• They help Google discover and index new pages
• They can improve rankings for relevant queries
• They bring referral traffic that converts

I’ve seen this first hand. On a SaaS site last year, we added 60 new referring domains to a set of 15 key pages over 6 months. Those pages grew organic clicks by 48 percent in Google Search Console. Nothing else changed in that window outside of minor internal linking tweaks.

Industry data backs this up. Ahrefs has published multiple large scale studies showing strong relationships between referring domains and organic traffic, and between link authority and rankings. If you want to dive deeper into their research, start at the Ahrefs blog. Moz has taught this for years as well in their Beginner’s Guide to SEO, which is still a solid foundation: Moz Beginner’s Guide to SEO.

Notice I’m talking about relationships, not guarantees. Google uses many signals. But high quality dofollow backlinks are one of the few inputs you can influence that have durable, compounding effects.

Not all dofollow links are equal

Two dofollow backlinks can have wildly different impact. Here’s how I score quality:

• Topical relevance: Is the linking site and page about your subject?
• Authority and trust: Is the domain well known and editorially selective?
• Placement: Is the link in the main body content, high on the page?
• Context and anchor: Does the surrounding text make sense, and is the anchor natural?
• Indexability: Is the page indexable and getting crawler attention?
• Traffic: Does the linking page or site receive real search traffic?
• Uniqueness: New referring domains usually move the needle more than more links from the same domain

I’d take one link from a niche relevant, high trust site over ten sidebar links from random directories. Always.

The SEO signals a great dofollow backlink sends

Here are the specific signals a strong link can communicate:

• Relevance: Topical context around the link helps Google understand what your page is about
• Authority flow: Links can pass PageRank-like value
• Freshness: New links suggest your content is still useful
• Discovery: Crawlers use links to find your content, which speeds up indexing
• User value: Real referral traffic and engagement, which can correlate with better performance

Keep your anchor text natural. Exact-match anchors at scale look spammy and risky. Mix in branded, partial, and generic anchors. This looks organic and holds up over time. Moz and Backlinko both teach this approach. Their homepages are good starting points for more link building education: Moz and Backlinko.

7 proven ways to earn high quality dofollow backlinks

1) Publish useful data or original research

People link to numbers. Run a small study, a teardown, or aggregate public data into a clear chart.

Proof: A small survey I ran in a niche B2B market earned 27 referring domains in 90 days. The piece was cited by a few industry blogs and a trade association resource page. The links were contextual and clean.

How to do it:

1. Pick a focused question your audience cares about
2. Collect a data sample that you can defend, even if small
3. Publish clear charts and a short summary with quotable stats
4. Pitch relevant blogs, associations, and newsletters

2) Create the best practical guide on a narrow topic

Big guides can still work if they solve a clear problem with steps, templates, and examples.

Proof: A 2,000 word execution guide with a downloadable checklist pulled in 19 new domains over 6 months. The downloads helped outreach because I could highlight the asset.

How to do it:

1. Choose a niche topic with real search demand
2. Add a tool, template, or checklist inside the post
3. Include expert quotes to increase credibility
4. Reach out to people and pages that already link to similar content

3) Digital PR with a timely hook

Newsrooms and industry blogs need credible angles. Use fast, useful data or expert commentary.

Proof: We built a quick dataset during a product launch window and pitched three timely insights to editors. That led to 12 editorial links from trade press in two weeks.

How to do it:

1. Watch your niche for events, reports, or policy changes
2. Publish a short brief with 1 to 3 original findings
3. Pitch editors with a 4 sentence email and a quote ready
4. Respond fast and supply assets

4) Resource page and association links

Many associations, universities, and nonprofit sites maintain resource lists. If your content is educational, you can qualify for inclusion.

Proof: A detailed glossary and a calculator tool got us listed on four association resource pages. These were high trust, topical, and drove real referral traffic.

How to do it:

1. Find resource pages with queries like “site:.org topic resources”
2. Offer something educational and non promotional
3. Write a short, respectful request that shows fit
4. Keep a tracker and follow up once

5) Broken link building

Find dead links on relevant pages and suggest your working alternative.

Proof: One afternoon of prospecting turned up three dead links on a popular list page. We offered our updated guide and landed two solid links within a week.

How to do it:

1. Plug competitor or topic pages into a crawler like Screaming Frog
2. Export 404 outbound links
3. Find the most relevant matches for your content
4. Send a polite, concise fix suggestion with your link

6) Reclaim unlinked brand mentions

People mention your brand without linking all the time. Ask for a link where it adds value.

How to do it:

1. Set up alerts for your brand and key names
2. Review monthly and qualify the best mentions
3. Request a link with a one sentence ask and the exact URL

7) Build lightweight tools or calculators

Small tools earn links because they solve a task fast. No sign up. No fluff.

How to do it:

1. Identify a single step your audience repeats often
2. Build a simple web tool with a clean UI
3. Embed on a page with short instructions
4. Pitch bloggers and resource curators in your niche

A simple outreach email you can copy

Short, specific, and polite wins. Here’s a template you can adapt:

Subject: Small fix on your [Topic] page

Hi [Name],

I was reading your [Page Title] page and noticed the [resource] link is no longer working.

I just published a current version that covers [1 line benefit]:
[Your URL]

If you think it helps your readers, feel free to reference it.

Either way, thanks for the helpful page.

[Your Name]

Keep it lean. One follow up is plenty. If there’s no response, move on.

How to measure the impact of dofollow backlinks

You do not need a complicated dashboard. Track these four items weekly:

• New referring domains to target pages
• Organic clicks to those pages in Google Search Console
• Average position for 5 to 10 core keywords per page
• Referrals and assisted conversions in your analytics

If you like visuals, chart cumulative referring domains against organic clicks per page. The curves should move together over time, usually with a lag.

If you don’t have Search Console set up yet, start here: About Google Search Console. It’s the cleanest view of your search performance.

Risk management: do this right

Google is clear about link spam and schemes. Paid links that pass PageRank, large scale link exchanges, and automated link building are against their policies. Read the official link spam policy here: Link spam policy.

Practical rules I follow:

• Earn links on merit with useful content
• If there is sponsorship involved, use rel=”sponsored”
• Avoid networks and anything that looks manufactured
• Keep anchor text natural and diverse
• Focus on relevant, editorial placements

Do this and you build an asset that gets safer and stronger with time.

How to scale dofollow backlinks without losing quality

You can get organized and still keep it human. Here’s the system I use with teams:

1. Create linkable assets: 2 guides, 1 tool, 1 data piece per quarter
2. Prospect weekly: 50 to 100 highly relevant pages or sites
3. Personalize outreach: 10 to 20 messages per day, max
4. Track replies and links: Keep a simple CRM or spreadsheet
5. Report monthly: Referring domains, organic clicks, and top wins

This looks slow on paper. It builds fast in practice. After 60 to 90 days, momentum kicks in.

Recommended toolkits and learning hubs

For research, prospecting, and education, start here:

• Ahrefs Blog
• Moz Beginner’s Guide to SEO
• Search Engine Journal
• Google Link Qualification

Where Rankifyer fits

You can do everything above yourself. Many teams do. If you want help earning editorial, relevant dofollow backlinks at a steady clip, that is exactly what we focus on at Rankifyer.

I know recommending ourselves is bold, but here’s why.

• We prioritize quality. Real sites. Real traffic. Relevant context.
• We respect Google’s rules. Sponsored links are labeled. Editorial links are earned.
• We build assets with you. Data pieces, tools, and guides that attract links on their own.
• We report what matters. Referring domains, target page movement, and examples you can review.

If you want a steady flow of high quality dofollow backlinks without shortcuts, we should talk. Even if you do not work with us, take the framework here and run with it. You will see the lift.

Quick checklist to stress test a prospective link

• Is the site relevant to your topic?
• Does it get real traffic and have clean indexing?
• Is the link in the body content with natural context?
• Is the page itself indexable and useful?
• Would you be proud to show this link to a customer?

If you score 4 out of 5, it is usually worth pursuing.

A 30 day action plan to earn your first 10 dofollow backlinks

1. Week 1: Publish or refresh one linkable guide plus one small tool or checklist
2. Week 1: Build a target list of 150 relevant pages and resource sites
3. Week 2: Send 15 personalized emails per day, 5 days
4. Week 3: Run a broken link building sprint for one afternoon
5. Week 3: Set up alerts for unlinked brand mentions
6. Week 4: Follow up once with all positive or neutral replies

This sounds harder than it is. Keep your process tight and your asks simple. Expect 5 to 15 percent positive response rates when your pitch is a true fit.

Common questions on dofollow backlinks

Do nofollow links help?
Yes. They can drive traffic and help discovery. A natural link profile includes a mix of dofollow, nofollow, sponsored, and UGC.

How many dofollow backlinks do I need?
There’s no fixed number. Look at the top performers for your target keywords, count unique referring domains to those pages, and build a plan to match or exceed with quality.

Can I buy dofollow backlinks?
Paying for links that pass authority violates Google’s policies. If you sponsor content or placements, use rel=”sponsored”. Focus on editorial, value driven links.

What about internal links?
They are critical. Internal dofollow links help distribute authority across your site and clarify your topic structure. Pair internal linking with external link building for the best results.

The bottom line

Dofollow backlinks are valuable because they send strong authority and relevance signals, they help discovery and indexing, and they compound. Earn them by shipping useful assets, doing targeted outreach, and staying within Google’s rules. Track what matters. Keep your anchors natural. Focus on relevance and trust.

If you want help building these at a steady, safe pace, Rankifyer is built for that.

Recommended YouTube video

I came across the YouTube video below and it does a clear job explaining how backlinks influence rankings and how to build them the right way. If you want another perspective with visuals, it’s a good companion to this guide.