“NoFollow” considered harmful
Background
The rel="nofollow" attribute in a-Tags was intitally proposed by google and was supported by MSN and Yahoo! The intial intention was to stem spam-links, that can largely occure in some webpages, especially blog comments. The famious blog engines founded that idea very cool and mosst of them are setting the nofollow attirbut out of the box. WordPress does it by default too. But like many of good-mentione ideas can lead to some not wannted problems.
Analysis
Let’s look closely on noffolow attribute and his purposes. If “nofollow” relation is set within a link, the serachengine (like google) shuld not consider this link in the Pagerank callculations. Basic descriotion of Googles pagerank you will find in Resources below.
But what is when all comment of one blogsystem are marked with “nofollow” by default. What does it means? Does it means taht, all comment on your blog are spam, or irrelevant information. If so why enabling commentig at all? Nofollow probaly does not make really sense in comments or at least in all comment per default. Then comments that are deserve to be marked as “nofollow” are not really comments you wish see on your page. Thay should be deleted by your spamfilter-plugin. So the is not realy any need to have “nofollow” in comment links.
But many of famious blog use it per default. (See german blogs results)
But should we consider nofollow attribute harmfull in any case and forever like No NoFollow intitiative do? Let’s inspect their 11 Reasons agains nofollow:
- nofollow does not prevent comment spam - There are to meany points in this statment. At one side, of course “noflolow” do not prevent automatic spam. Furhter it can lead to fewer human-made spam (if someone sees that somebodys blog sets nofollows at default, he may not post sensless post, just to have link. Of course in this case, noffolow leads to the fact, that also wanted comments are in absence, becourse authors becomme no “revard” for theyer commenting job.
- nofollow is confusingly named - i don’t know, i think this is not a point.
- nofollow harms the connections between web sites – I agree with that, the default and not human evaluated nofollow – harms!
- nofollow is not useful for humans, just for search engines using PageRank or a similar technique – Yes, but where is the problem?
- nofollow could be used to shut web sites out – This is true! And it can be very powerfull. Imagine: all bloggers from now on will sets nofollows on the wikipedia links. Ok you will be never able arganize something like this, but if…!
- nofollow discriminates legitimate users as spammers – That’s true. And is one reaaly big problem!
- nofollow heists commentators’ earned attention – This can be true, as already mentioned at number 1.
- nofollow could be used to further discriminate weblogs – I think that says nothing.
- nofollow prevents the Web from being a web – That not precise, it contradics to the statement 4. I think web stays web, nofollow does only change the searchengines view of the web and that is something different!
- nofollow eliminates the dissemination of free speech – Oh yea! Say humane rights defenders from “NO noffolow party” Why people allways try to argue that way to get attention ?
- nofollow was developed in privacy with only search engines companies taking part in the discussion - Yes it’s true but also many of other beatifull, well accepted things.
I my oppinion we shold be caryfull with “nofollow” usage. Nofollow can be dangerous (see points: 1,3,5,6). No follow does not change the world in better way, and spam should be fighted before it reach web page. If spame is on page (in comment, forum-post, ..) it already to late, and nofollow do not handle it.
But the can be some usage for noFollow if can be handled by humans and not automaticaly. For example if someone buys adversting on your page. Or probaly you cites someones page that you don’t like, ant you don’t wish this page gain from it – why not “nofollow”?
conclusion
I am shure, future brings more relation-tags, to specify page relations more precisely. “Nofollow”- Tag may be not the perfect one, so use it carefullu or just don’t touch it – disable it!
My blog don’t sets the nofollows per default, so you are wellcome to leave your comments!
Resources
WordPress Plug in that disables rel=”nofollow” in comments – use it!
Three solutions how to visualise rel=”nofollow” in firefox
Some basics about Googles PageRank
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Comments
[...] DoFollow. I see often that bloggers are to lazy witch “nofollow” problem. Read why “nofollow” attributes should be used [...]
I actually like to use the nofollow tag. I use it on links I feel are not worth passing pagerank too while still feeling my visitors might enjoy them.
I always nofollow my direct competitor but still send him traffic. I think it’s a nice way for a webmaster to present information to spiders.
Why do I not pass pagerank to my competitors? Because i feel my site is better.
The reverse of the coin is when I find a website I like I do not use nofollow when linking. I feel that is a easy way to give a thumbs up or down on a link.
In the beginning a link was a link and pagerank was not considered. If you hate comment spam ask Google to fix their algortithim, which is the true source of a spammer’s motivations.
IK never use nofollow attribute on my blogs because from my point of view both commentators and blog owners should benefit from the comment. Commentators get quality backlinks and blog owners get quality comments.
interesting post, thanks for submitting this. I was interested in learning more about this topic and started a thread on one of the best webmaster forums here – _http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?p=11259310#post11259310
I used this article as a reference
this is a hot topic….as long as the user contributes, allow the links. you must remembder this is how you are also found. you might turn on moderation instead.
There is of cause strate way to deal with nofollows. Just install this Plug-In! http://www.semiologic.com/software/wp-fixes/dofollow/