SEO Google Profiles – Google Adds NoFollow to Links

Posted on September 16, 2009

Just a quick post to show that Google has started to nofollow all links on new Google Profiles.  This is too bad for a quick SEO shot in the arm, but also makes sense, since most of the people who knew about Google Profiles were SEO’s anyway :-)

Oh well, on to greener pastures!

As an user on BlogCatalog notes,

The links on your Google profile will be nofollow, but the links on your Google Reader shared items page (as of the time I write this) are NOT nofollow.

Linking to your profile on your site or blog is a great idea, but linking to your shared items page is an even better one.

Update: Google Profiles are Back to Do-Follow

Over the weekend I created a brand-new profile for my wife, and noticed that the profile for John Sileo that I had previously mentioned is now “dofollow,” as is the brand-new profile for my wife.

Use it, don’t abuse it!

It’s good that Google’s reversed their policy on this, because Google Profiles are a natural thing to optimize and promote. They are a great tool for linking to other properties, and you should create your own. Just don’t go too crazy, or Google might pull the follow plug again.

Related posts:

  1. Nofollow SEO for your WordPress Functions
  2. SEO Randomizer: Save the Value of Your SEO'd Links
  3. Blog Comments Now Pass Juice – No More `nofollow`
  4. How to Create a Google Profile and Manage your Online Reputation
  5. Want some valuable .gov links? Get a FDA warning letter!

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  • Potzy

    mmm, so, you mean that any new profile, from now on, will always be nofollow, but the old ones will remain dofollow?

  • http://www.seodenver.com Zack Katz

    That’s what I believe to be the case. What is your experience?

  • Potzy

    No experience. I have just tried to open a new profile and it was nofollow. I just could not understand why other profiles were dofollow. Your theory would explain that. Even if I find it unfair.
    Don’t you think it could just be a matter of time and quality of the opened profile before new ones become dofollow? Maybe Google is just trying to do what everyone online has to do: avoid spammers!

    • http://www.katzwebservices.com Zack Katz

      I would bet Google’s just slapping nofollow on all the new ones, not waiting for quality to set in. That’s just a guess, but I wouldn’t wait for it.

  • http://www.rotapix.com Benard

    All the links are getting converted to no follow for our website Rotapix

    • http://www.katzwebservices.com Zack Katz

      Yeah, as I wrote in the article, new profiles are nofollow, while old ones seem to have been grandfathered in.

  • http://www.whoareyouonline.com/ Who Are You Online

    Seems like verywhere we turn, Google is working against the SEO people.  I guess it makes sense, in thier world, but what is the average joe to do to compete with the major brands.

  • http://www.bobsseo.com Bob

    Yeah, this is a bummer for sure. I just finished creating a new account and profile only to notice the bad news once I was all finished. Oh well, it’s a good thing that I have a few of the “aged” accounts still in reserve )

  • http://www.stockport-seo.co.uk/ Geoff

    Hey, my experience is that Google slaps a nofollow on when you create the profile but then makes them dofollow about 4-6 weeks later….
    so maybe there is some kind of review process…
    all my best

  • http://www.stockport-seo.co.uk/ Geoff

    also your wife’s is now dofollow :)

  • http://www.seobounty.com Richard

    Glad they reversed that decision. It is good for all of us.

  • http://www.dailytechpost.com DailyTechPost

    I think this feature has created a lot of confusion. But if the whole idea of no follow is conceptually clear then it will definitely boost your site’s ranking