Link Attribute Checker

A link attribute checker reviews the rel values on every link in a page and highlights nofollow, sponsored and ugc links. Correct attributes keep paid and user-generated links compliant with Google's link guidelines.

This tool fetches the address you enter once, from our server, and reports what a crawler would receive. The URL is not stored; only a short-lived rate-limit counter is kept. Results show the page at the moment of the check and can differ from what a logged-in browser or a bot with different headers sees.

How to read the result and act on it

Scan the highlighted rows first. Links marked nofollow, sponsored or ugc show how you have told Google to treat them. Paid placements, affiliate links and advertorials should carry sponsored (or nofollow). Links in comments and forum posts should carry ugc. Editorial links that you trust and want to endorse should have no restricting attribute at all. If you see a plain follow link on a paid placement, add the right attribute. If you see nofollow on a normal internal link, ask why, since it may be a template setting rather than a decision. Fix the pattern in your theme or plugin so every page benefits.

Common mistakes to avoid

One mistake is applying nofollow to every external link as a precaution. Linking out to trustworthy sources is normal and helps readers, and Google treats these attributes as hints. Another is using the wrong value: sponsored is for paid or compensated links, ugc is for user-generated content, and nofollow is a general fallback. Do not expect the tool to judge intent, because it only reports what is in the HTML. Also avoid adding attributes to internal navigation links to sculpt flow, as that tends to waste equity instead of directing it. Recheck after plugin updates, which sometimes reset link settings.

When should a link be sponsored?

When it is paid, part of an advertisement or an affiliate arrangement.

Does nofollow stop link equity?

Google treats nofollow as a hint, so it may still use the link for discovery.

Do affiliate links need rel sponsored?

Google asks that affiliate and other paid links be marked with rel sponsored or nofollow. Using sponsored is the more specific choice, and it makes your page's commercial relationships clear to search engines.

Can I combine several rel values?

Yes. You can list multiple values in one rel attribute separated by spaces, for example rel="sponsored nofollow". Google accepts combinations, and noopener or noreferrer can sit alongside them for security or privacy.

• Links Extractor: List every link on a page with anchor text, type and attributes.
• Broken Link Checker: Scan a page's links and report the ones that return errors or redirect.
• Anchor Text Analyzer: Break down anchor-text distribution to keep your link profile natural.

Browse all 8 free link building tools, or see the full free SEO toolbox. If you would rather have this handled for you, take a look at our link building services and the results from real projects.