How to fix: Outgoing external links containing no follow attributes

containing no follow attributes Semrush site audit tips

Issue: The nofollow attribute on outgoing external links tells search engines not to follow the link, which means no SEO value (link juice) is passed to the linked page. Unintentionally using nofollow may affect your SEO efforts and the crawling process.

Fix: Check your external links and remove nofollow attributes where they’re unnecessary or used by mistake.

How to Fix for Beginners

  1. Identify Nofollow Links: Search for <a> tags in your code that contain rel="nofollow".
    • Example: <a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">Visit Example</a>
  2. Decide If Nofollow Is Needed:
    • Keep nofollow for links to untrusted sources, paid content, or affiliate links.
    • Remove nofollow for credible external links that enhance user experience and add value.
  3. Edit the Link Tags: Remove the rel="nofollow" attribute for links you want to pass link juice.
    • Example: Change <a href="https://trustedsite.com" rel="nofollow">Trusted Site</a> to <a href="https://trustedsite.com">Trusted Site</a>.
  4. Audit Regularly: Use SEO tools to scan for nofollow attributes in outgoing links and review them periodically.

Tip: Use nofollow strategically to balance SEO benefits and compliance with linking policies.

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