Major Publishers Add Nofollow to All External Links Impacting Link Building Strategies

Several major online publications have implemented policies adding nofollow attributes to all external links in their articles. This shift significantly impacts digital PR and link building strategies that have relied on earning dofollow links from media coverage.

Publications Making the Change

Multiple high-traffic publications have either implemented or announced plans to add nofollow to all outbound links. The trend started with user-generated content sites and has expanded to editorial content on some major publications. While Google has stated that nofollow links can still serve as hints for crawling and ranking the direct SEO value is significantly reduced compared to dofollow links.

Impact on Digital PR

Digital PR campaigns that focus solely on earning dofollow links from media coverage need to reassess their strategy. The brand exposure and referral traffic from major publications still have significant value. Nofollow links from authoritative sources may still pass indirect SEO value through increased brand searches and citations. The focus should shift toward the broader value of media coverage rather than just the link attribute.

Adapting Link Building Strategies

Diversify link building beyond media coverage. Focus on industry-specific publications and niche sites that still provide dofollow links. Invest in content-based link earning that attracts links from a variety of source types. Build relationships with smaller publications that have engaged audiences and provide dofollow links. Consider the broader marketing value of PR coverage beyond just SEO link value.

The Silver Lining

The nofollow trend may actually benefit sites that earn links through genuine expertise and value rather than link-focused PR campaigns. As some publications shift to nofollow the remaining dofollow links from authoritative editorial sources become even more valuable. Sites with strong content and genuine authority will continue to attract natural dofollow links from a diverse range of sources.