Using Nofollow Links to Boost Awareness and Engagement

The internet is a network consists of networks that are all connected with tiny pieces of links that made them united. Most web owners can do almost anything to get their sites listed and linked to popular websites by wishing a dofollow links to follow them and boost their ranks. However in reality, dofollow is usually not the reward given. Most people have to settle with just a mere nofollow link. This might come as a slap in the face, but nofollow links can represent you just as good as its counterpart.

Nofollow links are links that have an assigned value in its rel attribute. This instructs search engines that the link should not pass the "influence" the link target's ranking in the search engine's index. Most web owners, internet marketers and SEO specialists prefer dofollow that passes the influence of the website to them. But websites tend keep the "influence" to themselves and not giving to others.

"Influence" to the search engine comes from hard work and time. Not many websites are willing to give that for free. But having a nofollow link that is directed to your website is not a total loss. In fact, it could be more than you can imagine.

Links for Awareness

As the internet is made up of links, both search engines and humans travel from one website to another by clicking on links. A links may have different connotations, but its purpose it's still the same: creating awareness.

How many links do you have pointed to your website? hundreds? Thousands? Maybe tens of thousands? Or maybe more. Each of them are the representatives of you. A link of you on other website can mean: "I've been there", "come here to get more information", "look at these and you'll see what I mean", and countless more. All are describing you in the eyes of others.

When you have a website or blog, and you are trying to make people aware of it, links are hugely important. SEO companies and specialists have offered link building services because people now realize how important they are. Not just for the search engines, but for creating awareness.

If you want awareness to be on your priority list, you should give a credit to those nofollow links you hated. Links, no matter how they look or formed, they can build awareness, as long as they're seen. They don't need to be dofollow, they don't need to be clicked, they just need to be seen and visible.

How many times do you use social media networks? Those online social communities are active not only because of their massive user base. They're popular because sharing is their main purpose. On social media networks, how many times do you see an interesting post that links to an external website? Probably more than often. Those links are tagged to be nofollow, but can have powerful effect on you.

Links for Engagement

The more links you have, the higher the chance that people will stumble with your name more often. This will directly influence people to actually visit your website and do a purchase.

By consistently creating awareness, people will become more engaged with you. The more people are aware of you, and become more engaged with your products/services/contents, the more you can sell. Those Nofollow that you may have avoided, can actually earn you the domain authority in the eyes of potential visitors.

An example of a case:

  • A person became aware of your website from someone's post on social media network.
  • The person browse the web for blogs and one day he/she found out that your website's post/product/service has influenced the blogger in creating that post.
  • The person logs in to other social media network and accidentally came across to more posts with your name on it.
  • The person follows or likes that post or account because he/she found them interesting.
  • The person will see even more of your posts and reference, making him/her even more interested.
  • The person finally visits your official account to see what's going on there.
  • The person is engaged. He/she will come to visit your website based on curiosity.
  • The person returned once in a while and see you've progressed in giving things that are relevant to his/her interests.
  • The person subscribed to you, or even tempted to buy one for him/herself.

This possibility happens more than often. And this was all because a single link on social media that all are nofollow. Awareness with good engagement will translate to your profit.

Links, no matter how they are, can give a significant change. single nofollow link that is spread, can earn you a second link, and the third, the fourth, fifth, and so on. This in turn will increase your traffic, and furthermore, boosts your website/article to the top of the search engines' list.

Nofollow links have long been overlooked. Their status is neglected and mostly disrespected. But they have more or less, contributed to your credibility without you even wanting it. When blogs or comments reference other websites, these links may have been created. Social media network amplified these messages to the boundaries that those blogs aren't capable yet in overcoming in a short burst.

Nofollow Links to Live with

You may have created and shared hundreds of posts, but only got a single link aimed to your website. Success may seem to be far, but as long as you've put all those work at the right place with the right content at the wight time, your chance to get noticed may have been closer than you think.

That single link is the seed of your hard work. What you need to do now is to plant the seed and expect the flower to bloom.

You can do this by motivating your audience to click on your link by trying different method of saying how good you post is, or you can also increase your audience by other marketing efforts. You can see whether your link and content is relevant or not at the given time, and optimize the landing page to make those visitors happy.

No matter how powerful nofollow links are, dofollow links are still the ones that pass the "juice". But those nofollow links are still valuable for anyone that is trying to build their brand online. So instead of disrespecting it, by knowing how powerful it can be, you may as well make use of them to do your bidding.

Sooner or later, your seed will grow and become a flower. And from there you'll know that you'll soon taste the fruit of your hard work and dedication.

Further reading: Dofollow and Nofollow in Building Links