Nofollow link
A nofollow link is a hyperlink marked with the attribute "rel nofollow" which signals to search engines that the recommendation should not be treated like a normal link.
In 2019, Google introduced the attributes "sponsored" for paid links and "ugc" for user-generated content such as comments or forum posts. Since then, Google no longer treats these three attributes as strict instructions, but rather as suggestions that the search engine considers in its evaluation, but doesn't necessarily follow. The attributes can also be combined, for example, "rel nofollow sponsored" for a paid link that is also not recommended.
Example: A blog post links to an advertising partner's online shop and marks the link as "rel sponsored". Without this marking, Google could interpret the collaboration as an unnatural, purchased link and, in the worst case, penalize both websites. With correct marking, the link remains legally and technically sound.
Consistently mark paid links, comment links, and links you don't explicitly endorse with the appropriate attribute. For collaborations and advertisements, check whether your content management system automatically sets the attributes or if you need to add them manually.
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