Monitoring Nofollow Changes

Why Nofollow Changes Matter

A link that switches from dofollow to nofollow stops passing PageRank to your site. This is one of the most common ways link exchanges lose value, and it often happens without notice.

Common Causes of Nofollow Changes

• Partner installs a new WordPress plugin that adds nofollow to all outbound links
• Site-wide template change that applies nofollow globally
• Partner intentionally downgrades your link
• CMS migration that resets link attributes
• New SEO consultant advises the partner to nofollow external links

Detection Setup

1. Configure attribute monitoring in Linkorite for all active exchange links
2. Track rel attributes — monitor for additions of nofollow, ugc, or sponsored
3. Check both HTML source and rendered output — some changes only appear in one
4. Set up immediate alerts for any attribute change

Response Playbook

Step 1: Verify (Same Day)

• Confirm the change by viewing the page source directly
• Check if the change affects only your link or all outbound links on the page
• Screenshot the current state for your records

Step 2: Reach Out (Within 48 Hours)

• Contact the partner with a friendly, non-accusatory message
• Ask if the change was intentional or a side effect of a site update
• Reference your original agreement specifying dofollow links

Step 3: Resolve (Within 14 Days)

• If unintentional: work with the partner to restore dofollow status
• If intentional: renegotiate the exchange terms or remove your reciprocal link
• Update the exchange record and partner score in Linkorite

Monitoring Best Practices

• Check link attributes weekly, not just link existence
• Keep a record of the original agreed-upon link attributes
• Include attribute requirements explicitly in all exchange agreements