If you’re working on improving the search engine rankings of your photography website, it is essential to understand the different types of link attributes. The modifiers are basically HTML tags, used to alter a hyperlink’s function. In the world of photography, where showcasing your work is very important, usage of dofollow and nofollow links can significantly impact your website’s rankings on search engine results pages.
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Before delving into the depths of link attributes, let’s talk about dofollow and nofollow links, and how their usage affects link equity.
Dofollow links are hyperlinks that pass link equity from one website to another. When you set a link to dofollow on your website, it tells search engines that the linked page is good and trustworthy. All links are dofollow by default unless they’re changed to be nofollow.
Nofollow links do not share credit from one website to another. Google introduced the nofollow attribute in 2005 to stop spam and to keep people from unfairly influencing search engine rankings.
The value that a dofollow link transfers from one website to another, known as link equity or link juice, helps search engines determine the authority of websites. Transfer of link equity does not diminish the equity of the original website. Rather, it’s like giving a nod of approval, telling search engines that the linked website is a solid and helpful source. But, remember to be cautious about which websites you link to. Connections to high-quality sites can enhance your own site’s image, but linking to poor-quality or spammy sites might harm your site’s standing and trustworthiness.
The more inbound links you have from high quality websites, the higher the value Google will assign to your website. Wonderful Machine (which has a domain authority of 46), uses dofollow links when linking to their member photographers, which helps enhance their search engine standing.
The key difference between dofollow and nofollow links is that dofollow links pass on value or “credit,” whereas nofollow links do not. Dofollow links can improve the search engine ranking of the linked page. Nofollow links do not directly help the linked page’s search engine rankings.
Even though nofollow links do not transfer link equity, they can still direct traffic towards your website, heighten brand recognition, and aid in establishing your website as a niche authority.
Another key difference between dofollow and nofollow links is their impact on link building tactics. Dofollow links are often the primary focus of link building strategies, as they help improve the search engine rankings of the linked page. In contrast, nofollow links are typically less desirable for link building, as they do not directly pass link equity.
Both dofollow and nofollow links have their place in a well-balanced backlink profile. While dofollow links are generally more valuable for improving search engine rankings, nofollow links can still provide other benefits for your website. Additionally, a well-balanced backlink profile that includes both dofollow and nofollow links can help signal to search engines that your website is a natural and trustworthy source of information.
As a photography business navigating the digital landscape, understanding how to effectively use link attributes can significantly boost your online visibility. Let’s break it down into two main standpoints: giving backlinks to others and receiving backlinks from other sites.
When you’re linking out to other websites, remember it’s not just about quantity but also quality. A good practice is to link out to authoritative, relevant sources within your niche. If you reference a famous photographer’s technique or a piece of advanced photography equipment, consider linking to their website or product page. These outbound links, ideally set to dofollow, help create a web of interconnectivity that search engines appreciate.
Always be discerning about who you link to. Make sure to link to websites that hold a strong reputation, as this can mirror back on the reliability of your own site. When the trustworthiness of a certain site is in question, it’s recommended to use nofollow links.
Getting high-quality backlinks is equally important. When another website, especially a credible one, links to your site, search engines consider it a vote of confidence, which helps boost your site’s search engine rankings.
To attract these valuable dofollow backlinks, focus on creating unique, high-quality content that others find valuable. Whether it’s an insightful blog post about photography techniques, a review of a new camera, or a gallery of your latest shots, make your content link-worthy. Engage with photography communities, forums, and social media platforms to further amplify your content’s reach.
Remember, not all backlinks have to be dofollow. Nofollow backlinks – while not directly improving your search rankings – can still drive traffic to your site and enhance your brand’s visibility and reputation.
Alongside the best practices for using link attributes, one crucial concept that photographers need to grasp is the idea of domain authority. Domain authority is a metric formulated by Moz, used to estimate the potential of a website to secure a good ranking on search engine results pages. This ranking score is measured on a scale of 1 to 100 — with a higher score indicating a stronger likelihood of achieving higher search engine rankings.
For photographers seeking to understand their website’s current standing, several tools can be used to check domain authority for free, including the Moz Link Explorer. By regularly monitoring your domain authority, you can gauge the effectiveness of your SEO strategies and understand what steps need to be taken to boost your online visibility.
When it comes to using link attributes, balance and quality are key. A combination of both dofollow and nofollow links – whether giving or receiving – signals to search engines that your website is a trustworthy source of information, and this can significantly improve your search engine rankings. It’s all part of building an authoritative online presence in the world of photography.
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