Nofollow Tag Test
The Nofollow Link Checker scans every <a> tag on any webpage and lists which links carry rel="nofollow", rel="sponsored" or rel="ugc" attributes — and which carry no rel attribute at all (followed). We separate internal nofollow links (almost always a mistake that leaks PageRank inside your own site) from external nofollow links (often correct on user-generated content), so you can fix the harmful ones without touching the legitimate ones.
What This Tool Checks
- Total links on page split into followed vs. nofollow
- Internal nofollow links (usually unintentional)
- External nofollow links to other domains
- rel="sponsored" links (paid links / affiliates)
- rel="ugc" links (user-generated content)
- Combined attributes (nofollow + sponsored, etc.)
- Links nofollowed by JavaScript or CMS plugins
Why It Matters for SEO
Nofollow tells Google not to pass ranking signal through a link. On external links to untrusted or paid domains this is correct and protects your site. On internal links it is almost always a mistake — you are blocking PageRank from flowing to your own pages. The most common pattern is a plugin or template applying nofollow to navigation links, quietly suppressing rankings on the very pages you want to rank.
How to Fix It
Audit internal links — none should be nofollow unless you have a specific reason (e.g. logout link). Use rel="sponsored" on paid and affiliate links, rel="ugc" on user-generated content, and rel="nofollow" only when you genuinely do not endorse the destination. Remove blanket nofollow rules from CMS templates.
How It Works
We render the page in a headless browser, walk every <a href> in the DOM, classify each as internal (same domain) or external, and capture all rel attribute values. The report groups results so you can quickly spot patterns — for example, every link in the footer being nofollow because of a plugin default.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Internal navigation links marked nofollow by a plugin default
- Affiliate or paid links missing the new rel="sponsored" attribute
- User-generated comment links missing rel="ugc" (treats them like editorial)
- Adding nofollow to every external link by reflex (loses citation value)
- Removing nofollow from comment systems (invites spam)
Quick Checklist
- No internal nofollow links (other than intentional ones like logout)
- Affiliate / paid links use rel="sponsored"
- User-generated links use rel="ugc"
- Editorial external links to trusted sources are NOT nofollow
- Plugin defaults reviewed and adjusted