One of the questions we hear frequently at 24-7 Press Release Newswire is:

"Do you allow dofollow links?" or "Why are all the links from your news partners marked as nofollow?"

We get it. For many, this feels disappointing—especially if you've been told that dofollow links are the secret sauce to boosting your SEO. But there's a good reason why press release links are handled this way across the entire industry. In fact, once you know why, you might actually feel relieved.

Let’s break it down in simple terms.

Nofollow vs. Dofollow Links — What’s the Difference?

A dofollow link is just a regular link. When a website links to you with a dofollow link, it tells search engines, "We trust this site." That trust—often called "link juice"—can help improve your search rankings.

A nofollow link has a little tag attached (rel="nofollow"), which tells search engines, "We’re linking here, but don’t count this as an endorsement." In most cases, search engines won’t give your site any ranking boost from that link.

So, why does this matter when it comes to press releases?

The short answer? Because top search engines says so.

In fact, almost all search engines follow the same rules.

A few years back, people were using press releases as a quick way to get tons of dofollow backlinks by spreading them across news sites and blogs. It turned into a loophole for link building schemes, which goes directly against Google’s guidelines.

To stop this, Google made it clear: Press releases often involve paid or syndicated content, so links in them should be nofollow. They even started penalizing websites that tried to game the system with dofollow links in press releases.

"If you use press releases as a way to build links, we recommend using nofollow on those links." — Google Search Central

So, using dofollow links in a press release isn’t just ineffective—it could actually hurt your SEO.

It’s Not Just 24-7 Press Release Newswire — The Big Players Do It Too

This isn’t a rule unique to 24-7 Press Release Newswire.

The biggest names in the industry like PR Newswire, Business Wire and Globe Newswire follow this rule.

They all apply nofollow links (or internal redirects) by default. Even when your release appears on major platforms like Yahoo, MarketWatch, or local news sites, those links won’t be dofollow.

As one of our news partners Digital Journal puts it: "We do not use dofollow on press releases, as it goes against Google's guidelines."

At the end of the day, it’s about keeping things safe, compliant, and penalty-free—for both you and the distribution networks.

But Wait... Do Nofollow Links Still Help?

Absolutely!

Since 2020, Google has treated nofollow links a bit differently. Instead of always ignoring them, Google now uses nofollow as a "hint". That means if Google thinks a nofollow link is useful, it might still follow it or even count it in some way. Google might even use a nofollow link for ranking purposes if it believes the link is useful. This is why Search Engine Marketing firms continue to use 24-7 Press Release Newswire for SEO purchases. It’s still one of the most cost effective ways to contribute to your SEO by:

- Traffic & Exposure: People can still click the links, driving visitors to your website.

- Discovery: Google may use the link to find and index new pages.

- Brand Awareness: Being featured on trusted news sites boosts credibility.

- Healthy Link Profile: A natural mix of nofollow and dofollow links looks better to search engines.

In short, Nofollow links still play an important role in your overall online presence.

So next time you wonder, "Why are these links nofollow?" Remember—it’s the smart, safe, and strategic choice. We keep your website safe from Google penalties.