How to Check If a Backlink Is Dofollow: Step-by-Step Guide

• Inspect link tags directly.
• Check rel attributes for flags.
• Audit page robots tags.

To check if a backlink is dofollow, inspect the HTML code of the linking page. You must confirm that the anchor tag has no rel attribute like nofollow or sponsored. By default, standard hyperlinks are dofollow. When you pay for placements or audit referring domains, verifying attributes ensures you receive real search value.

How to inspect link code in your browser

You do not need paid tools to inspect links. Modern web browsers let you audit code directly.

Step 1: Open the referring article and inspect element

Load the page where your link lives. Move your mouse pointer over the clickable text.

Right-click the anchor and click Inspect. Your browser opens developer tools and highlights the exact code. Our guide on how to check backlinks manually shows how direct checks catch errors that automated tools miss.

Step 2: Check the anchor tag for rel attributes

Look at the highlighted anchor tag in the code window. A normal web citation starts with an open tag and holds your target address.

Check if a rel attribute sits inside. If the code shows a plain reference with no rel values, search bots follow it freely. Official rules in the Google Search Central outbound link guidelines state that plain tags count as standard editorial citations.

Step 3: Review raw source code versus rendered DOM

Some sites create links with client code. That means initial server text can differ from what you view on screen.

Press Ctrl+U on Windows to view raw page source. Search the file for your domain name. If your web address shows up in plain HTML without flags, bots index it quickly. If the address only shows in developer tools after scripts run, review the Google Search Central JavaScript SEO documentation to make sure bots render the script.

Step 4: Check page-level robots tags and HTTP headers

A single link can look clean but still fail to pass rank. This happens when the entire host page blocks search bots.

Check the head section of the HTML code for a meta robots tag. If you see a robots directive that says nofollow or noindex, bots will skip every reference on that page. Next, check server response headers to make sure no header blocks crawler access. Our walkthrough on how to check if a guest post site is legit shows how to spot sites that block crawlers on paid posts.

Backlink attribute rules and ranking influence

Link attributes tell search algorithms how to handle relationships between websites. Knowing each type helps you judge true link equity.

Search engines treat paid markers as hints. They do this to understand business relationships while keeping search results fair. The Google Search Central robots meta documentation explains how these tags help systems parse complex pages.

Audit anchor text along with link tags. Combining clean tags with mixed anchor terms keeps your profile safe. Our guide on how to check backlink anchor text shares safe ratio rules for steady growth.

How to audit backlink quality and vendor promises

When you buy guest posts, verify that published links match your vendor deal.

Essential backlink verification workflow:

• Inspect live anchor tags. Make sure the site owner did not add rel="nofollow" to your paid editorial link.
• Verify page indexation. Paste the article web address into search to verify that Google indexes the live URL.
• Examine source code canonicals. Check that the canonical tag points to the exact article URL and not another page.
• Check referring domain authority. Review site quality with our framework on how to check domain authority and traffic to avoid spam rings.

Finding mistakes early lets you ask site owners for quick fixes before warranties end. Trusted outreach teams deliver clean links that follow web standards.

Check our curated publisher pricing to view vetted guest post sites with confirmed dofollow links, solid organic traffic, and real editorial standards. Secure strong placements today.

Frequently asked questions