One of my blog readers wanted me to explain the “I comment, u follow movement” to her. So, Tammy this post is for you.
Nofollow is an HTML attribute that can be attached to a hyperlink. It tells search engines not to follow that link.
When you comment here on my blog those links are not recorded in Google’s search engine because Wordpress assigns the “Nofollow” attribute to all users comments.
“Nofollow” was originated by Google to block search engines from following links in blog comments, due to comment spam.
If I were to remove the “Nofollow attribute” from my blog comments, then those links left in comments would be indexed in Google.
The “NoFollow” attribute has created quite the buzz in the blogosphere. Many bloggers are joining a movement that encourages you to turn off “Nofollow” on blog comments.
If you wish to join the “U Comment I Follow” movement, drop by Randa Clay Design to pick out a badge for your blog.
Next if you use Wordpress, to disable nofollow install and activate the DoFollow plugin.
How Do I Disable Nofollow in Blogger?
Log into Blogger
Click on Layout
Before making any changes to your blog, backup your template by clicking “Download Full Template” and saving it to your computer.
Next Check the “Expand Widgets” checkbox.
Scroll through the code until you find:
<dl id=’comments-block’>
<b:loop values=’data:post.comments’var=’comment’>
<dt class=’comment-author’expr:id=’”comment-” + data:comment.id’>
<a expr:name=’”comment-” +data:comment.id’/>
<b:if cond=’data:comment.authorUrl’>
<a expr:href=’data:comment.authorUrl’ rel=’nofollow’><data:comment.author/></a>
<b:else/>
<data:comment.author/>
</b:if>
<data:commentPostedByMsg/>
</dt>
Delete the rel=”nofollow” from the code and save your changes.
Lorelle Vanfossen asks a good question in her article: Does Dofollow Influence Your Willingness to Comment? She asks do you comment because the blog post inspired you to comment?
From a personal perspective, it doesn’t matter to me if a link in the comment section of a blog is Dofollow or Nofollow.
Before you join the movement drop by Patrick Burt’s blog and see why he has chosen not to join the Dofollow movement. Patrick makes some valuable points. “Why I NoFollow The DoFollow Movement.”
NoFollow – DoFollow- What side of the fence are you on?
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9 responses so far ↓
Wrote: Jun 4, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Thanks for the info … I gotta say, I still don’t get it but THAT’S OKAY, I don’t really wanna understand, LOL.
Since I just have a hobby blog all that stuff doesn’t matter, at least that’s the way I look at it.
Wrote: Jun 4, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Thank you so much Rose. It was well written and easy for this 50 year old gramma to understand.
Wrote: Jun 5, 2008 at 1:59 am
I’m with DrowseyMonkey on this. While I don’t understand fully, it’s good to know, and it’s okay that I don’t understand it.
I still haven’t gotten into the whole blog thing, but maybe someday I will.
Wrote: Jun 5, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Nope! Didn’t understand a thing.
You lost me when you got to the word hyperlink.
To explain it to dummies means you have to THINK like a dummy, then WRITE to a dummy.
Ok. Let’s pretend I’m four years old…..NOW explain it to me! lol
Wrote: Jun 6, 2008 at 9:47 am
Dana, a hyperlink is a link you click on to go to another page. Your name Dana is a hyperlink.
Wrote: Jun 6, 2008 at 4:32 pm
I have to say I checked out the links given in the post and actually now understand the pros and c ons of the debate. I am of the opinion, leave it alone , let it stand as google put in in. LOL, flashing on a Fred and Ginger song—”I say no-follow, you say Do-follow, no follow, do follow, lets call the whole thing off—” (man I shouldn’t drink and blog,but its fun)
Wrote: Jun 6, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Drowsey if it doesn’t matter then why do you have a U Comment I Follow badge on your blog?
Wrote: Jun 7, 2008 at 9:42 am
Great info as usual.
I always thought the you comment I follow means, you comment, I go to your website and comment.
Wrote: Jun 10, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Just thought I’d update you on the dofollow movement. It’s dead. So is nofollow. Google barely used it (they still indexed those sites and they turned up in search results) and other search engines failed to embrace it. If there is no nofollow, dofollow is just as much history.
It was a great idea but when Google failed to comply fully with its intentions, the rest was just buzz and conjecture, though bloggers still love to promote the dofollow claim.
In a way, I wish it did count so we could put really put a hurt on comment spams and sploggers, but we just have to find anothe way to turn up the heat on them. Got any ideas?