rel=”nofollow” Meta Tag

Ahhhhh, today let’s talk about the rel=”nofollow” meta tag.  This tag was designed to tell the search engines NOT to follow a link you have added to your webpage.  It is yet another technique frequently used in search engine optimization (SEO).  The rumor was that by adding this link it could decrease your link popularity or Google Page Rank (PR).  It also was designed to NOT give the webpage or website that you are linking to any additional search engine credit or value or to build/increase that website’s or webpage’s Page Rank.

Now, let’s stop and ask ourselves these quick questions.  Why would someone do this?  And why would a search engine value this?  In order to get these answers and many more, you have to act like you are the search engine or the company that owns the search engine.  More importantly you have to be the person adding the link to your page and ask yourself, “If I don’t value or believe in the site I am linking to, then why am I linking to it?”

I often approach search engine optimization (SEO) with this mindset.  I try and think like the search engine, the search engine company, and/or more importantly I try to use good old common sense.  Common sense tells me that if I add a link to a page then I have done so for a reason and I am NOT ashamed to stand by it.  The reasons vary from quoting a statement from another source, offer an additional source for information that I feel is valuable, giving people different choices to buy something, affiliate links to an account that I monetize, and much more.

Now, I say if you are linking to someone for whatever reason, then you have done it for a reason.  If that reason has to do with Black Hat SEO, then shame on you and your noFollow shouldn’t count.  If it is for White Hat SEO then your link should count and if you are offering honest and good services then it shouldn’t have any effect on you at all.  If anything, it should help you NOT to have a rel=”nofollow” because you are essentially saying that, “I am sending you away from my webpage to send you to another that I feel offers something of value to you”.  And THIS you should not be penalized for.  In fact, you should be credited for it!!!

So it all comes down to common sense.  If you are linking to an external site that you believe in, then I SAY, don’t use a Rel=”NoFollow”.  I say, just simply link to it in a new page or a new tab “_blank”.  Let the tech department figure it out at the search engine company.  Following this technique, you will never have to go back over all your work and make changes.  Remember, the good always rises to the top and the bad always falls 🙂

Sometimes it is just better to UNDER SEO your page or site.  Keep it Simple and Sensible this is not rocket science.

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