For those of you who aren’t familiar with the rel=no follow tag the basic idea is to tell the search engine spiders that whilst there is a link pointing out from your website to another site you aren’t vouching for its content.
Whilst I see the point of this for things like advertising or comments on blogs I still don’t see the value of creating an external link in your main content and then saying to the search engines “I don’t vouch for this content”…..if that is the case then why the hell did you link to it in the first place?
I’m not stupid though, I get why people do it. They want to link to relevant content, but believe that by no following the link they maintain their precious link juice within their page rather than passing it out to others. Don’t you think this is a pretty sad state to be in though?
If you have found content that is worth linking out to presumably because its relevant and useful to your audience, then don’t you think that other site, which has put the effort in to create that content deserves a thumb up via a followed link?
I understand the drawbacks of removing the tag now, but the need for it to be there to begin with is a great example of how human kind continue to devour, innovate and ruin just about everything they can.
Never mind eh, at least Google is now passing some SEO ranking benefits via the no follow tag. This is at least a slight step back in the right direction!
Its not just me who hates this tag: Search Engine Journal
Let me know if you agree with this tag, have I missed something, do you use them, why?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree with what you are saying. The no follow tag is indeed annoying. I think the whole process of link exchange between people in the same industry should be endorsed as opposed to frowned upon. We are in a similar industry and value one anothers contributions and effort when blogging or producing a website.
I dont personally use them. Like you stated. I can see why people may use them in some places however it seems to be overused.
Cheers
Ryan
I would have to say SEO’s are very much to blame for the need to have this tag. They cottoned on quickly to the value of external links and spammed them so much that this tag had to come along.
Like I said, us humans always find a way to manipulate and ruin everything we get our hands on.
Wouldn’t it be great if people only linked to content they actually valued and did it without dollar signs in their eyes or a thought of how it might effect them?……Yup, that doesn’t suit mankind either lol