Fixing a nofollow internal link for seo

How to Fix Nofollow Internal Links for SEO

Byhello@wantseo.co.uk

Have you ever wondered why some of your internal links aren’t contributing to your website’s SEO performance? It could be because those links are marked as “nofollow.” While the nofollow tag is useful for certain external links, applying it to your internal links can unintentionally block the flow of valuable link equity within your website. This can hurt your search engine rankings and undermine your overall SEO strategy.

In this blog, we’ll explore the significance of internal links for SEO, why nofollow tags might be holding your site back, and how to fix nofollow internal links to unlock your website’s full SEO potential. With insights from Want SEO, a leading SEO marketing agency, you’ll learn the steps needed to optimise your internal links for maximum SEO benefit.

Key Takeaways:

  • Understand what nofollow internal links are and how they impact SEO.
  • Learn why and when to fix nofollow tags on internal links.
  • Get a step-by-step guide to identifying and correcting nofollow internal links.
  • Gain expert advice from Want SEO on optimising internal link structures for SEO success.

What Are Nofollow Internal Links and Why Do They Matter?

Internal links are hyperlinks that connect one page on your website to another. Ideally, internal links should pass “link equity,” helping search engines understand the structure of your site and which pages are most important. However, if an internal link is marked with the “nofollow” attribute, it tells search engines not to pass any link equity through that link.

Why Nofollow Internal Links Hurt SEO:

  • Lost Link Equity: When internal links are set to nofollow, they do not pass any SEO value to the linked page. This can result in important pages not ranking as highly as they should.
  • Crawling and Indexing Issues: Nofollow internal links might limit search engines from fully crawling your website, making it harder for certain pages to be indexed and ranked.
  • Missed Opportunities: Every internal link is a chance to boost another page’s authority. Nofollow links waste these opportunities by blocking the flow of SEO value within your site.

How to Identify Nofollow Internal Links

Before fixing nofollow internal links, you need to find them. Fortunately, there are several tools and methods to help identify which internal links on your site are marked as nofollow.

Methods for Finding Nofollow Links:

  • Manual Inspection: If you only have a few pages to check, you can manually inspect the HTML code of your pages. Look for the “rel=’nofollow'” attribute in your internal links.
  • SEO Tools: Use tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to crawl your site and highlight internal links that are marked as nofollow. These tools provide detailed reports that can help you spot nofollow links across your website.
  • Browser Extensions: Certain SEO browser extensions, such as SEOquake or MozBar, can show you which links are nofollow directly on your webpage, making it easier to review links without diving into code.

Why Some Internal Links Might Be Set to Nofollow

Sometimes internal links are nofollowed intentionally or accidentally. It’s important to understand when using a nofollow tag is appropriate and when it isn’t.

Common Reasons for Nofollow Internal Links:

  • Accidental Application: In some cases, nofollow tags are applied accidentally during the site-building process or by a CMS setting that automatically adds the attribute.
  • Outdated SEO Practices: In the past, some SEO practitioners believed that adding nofollow to certain internal links could help focus link equity on other pages. However, modern SEO practices discourage this approach.
  • Plugin or Theme Issues: WordPress and other content management systems (CMS) may apply nofollow attributes to internal links through specific plugins or themes. For instance, some SEO or affiliate plugins automatically mark internal links as nofollow without the site owner realising.

When to Keep Nofollow Tags:

  • Login or Private Pages: It’s appropriate to keep nofollow tags on internal links that point to private areas of your site, such as login pages or checkout processes, which don’t need to rank in search engines.

How to Fix Nofollow Internal Links for SEO

Once you’ve identified which internal links have the nofollow attribute, it’s time to fix them. Here’s a step-by-step guide to correcting these links and optimising your site’s internal linking structure.

Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing Nofollow Internal Links:

  1. Audit Your Site: Use an SEO tool to crawl your site and generate a list of internal links marked as nofollow. This will give you a comprehensive view of where changes are needed.
  2. Evaluate the Pages: Determine if the pages linked through nofollow internal links should pass link equity. For most content pages, removing the nofollow tag will be beneficial. However, keep the nofollow attribute on login or irrelevant pages.
  3. Edit the Links:
    • For WordPress users, go to the page or post editor where the link is placed.
    • In the text editor, remove the rel="nofollow" attribute from the internal link.
    • Save and update the page.
  4. Review Plugins and Themes: If you find that a plugin or theme is automatically adding nofollow to internal links, check the plugin’s settings. You may need to disable this feature or switch to a different plugin that doesn’t apply nofollow indiscriminately.
  5. Test Your Changes: After making adjustments, crawl your site again with an SEO tool or use a browser extension to ensure that the nofollow attributes have been properly removed.

SEO Implications and Best Practices for Internal Linking

Fixing nofollow internal links is only one part of the puzzle. To maximise your SEO efforts, it’s important to follow internal linking best practices that will boost your site’s performance in search rankings.

Best Practices for Internal Linking:

  • Use Descriptive Anchor Text: The text used for your internal links should clearly describe the linked page’s content. Avoid vague phrases like “click here” and instead use keyword-rich, relevant text.
  • Distribute Link Equity Wisely: Link from high-authority pages to lower-authority pages to pass link equity and help underperforming pages rank better.
  • Limit Nofollow Links: Aside from areas like login pages or private sections, most internal links should not be nofollow. Make sure to review your links periodically to ensure they’re optimised.
  • Keep User Experience in Mind: Internal links should enhance user navigation, helping them discover more valuable content on your site. Well-placed internal links can increase time on site and reduce bounce rates, which can indirectly improve your SEO.

Future Trends in Internal Linking and SEO

As search engines continue to evolve, internal linking will remain a vital part of SEO strategies. However, it’s likely that the role of nofollow links, both internal and external, will change as search engines like Google refine how they interpret link signals.

Trends to Watch:

  • Smarter Crawling: Google’s algorithms are becoming more sophisticated, which means they’ll continue to assess not just link quantity but also link quality. Properly handling internal links without nofollow attributes will remain critical.
  • User Experience as a Ranking Factor: As Google increasingly emphasises user experience, it will be essential to ensure that internal links contribute to an easy-to-navigate and engaging website structure. Nofollowing unnecessary links that don’t add value could become more common.
  • AI in SEO: Artificial intelligence and machine learning are likely to help businesses automate internal linking and monitor for issues like nofollow links. Want SEO is at the forefront of using AI tools to improve clients’ internal linking strategies and overall SEO performance.

Conclusion:

Fixing nofollow internal links is crucial for ensuring that your website’s link equity flows smoothly between pages, boosting your SEO performance. By auditing your site, evaluating where nofollow tags are unnecessary, and implementing a strategic internal linking approach, you can significantly improve your search rankings and user experience.

If you’re unsure where to start or need expert guidance, Want SEO offers bespoke SEO services, including comprehensive audits, internal link optimisation, and ongoing strategy development.

Call to Action: Ready to fix your nofollow internal links and improve your SEO? Contact Want SEO today for tailored SEO solutions that will help your brand grow online.

What’s your experience with fixing nofollow internal links? Share your thoughts or questions in the comments below, and let’s discuss how to improve your SEO through better internal linking!