How to add nofollow links in WordPress

What is a nofollow link?

A link is a clickable word that takes you to another page. Search engines such as Google follow links to learn which pages are good. A nofollow link carries a small note that says "do not count this as a vote". The note is the word nofollow inside the link code.

People use it for paid links, ads, comments from visitors, or pages they do not fully trust.

Method 1: Block editor

1. Open the post or page in the editor.
2. Select the text you want to link.
3. Click the link icon, or press Ctrl+K (Cmd+K on a Mac).
4. Type or paste the web address.
5. Click the small arrow or the Advanced option to open more settings.
6. Look for a switch about search engines, such as Mark as nofollow, if your editor or SEO plugin offers it.

   

   

7. Click Update to save the post.

Plain WordPress does not always show this switch. If you do not see it, use Method 2 or Method 3.

Method 2: Use the HTML editor

1. In the block editor, click the three dots on the paragraph block.
2. Choose Edit as HTML.
3. Find your link. It looks like the code below.
4. Add rel="nofollow" inside the opening tag.

   

   

5. Click Update.

<a href="https://example.com" rel="nofollow">My link</a>

This link has the nofollow note. Google also accepts rel="sponsored" for paid links and rel="ugc" for visitor content.

Method 3: Use an SEO plugin

A plugin is an add-on that gives WordPress new features. Many SEO plugins add a nofollow switch to the link box. Install one from Plugins and then Add New. Then repeat the steps in Method 1.

Check your work

1. Open the live page.
2. Right-click the link and choose Inspect.

   

3. Look for rel="nofollow" in the code.

Quick recap

• Nofollow tells search engines not to pass trust through a link.

  

• Add it with an editor switch, with HTML, or with a plugin.
• The code is rel="nofollow".
• Use sponsored for paid links and ugc for visitor links.