Wikipedia And The Nofollow Controversy
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Wikipedia and the Nofollow Controversy
Introduction
For those outside the search engine optimization (SEO) community, January 21st, 2007, might not ring any bells. But for search engine marketers and SEO enthusiasts, it marked a significant change in the digital landscape, often referred to as the day Wikipedia changed. At first glance, Wikipedia may look unchanged from six months prior. However, a deeper dive reveals a shift that impacted the SEO world: the introduction of the NOFOLLOW tag.
Understanding NOFOLLOW
According to Matt Cutts, the "rel='nofollow'" attribute allows a website to indicate to search engines that it doesn’t endorse a link. Initially, NOFOLLOW was employed mainly in blog comments to reduce spam. It was also occasionally used for distinguishing paid links, but that's a separate issue.
Wikipedia's Decision and its Impact
Wikipedia's decision to implement the NOFOLLOW attribute on every outgoing link sparked major controversy. This move was seen by many as contradictory, considering Wikipedia's rise to prominence was fueled by bloggers and website owners frequently referencing it and providing backlinks. These backlinks boosted Wikipedia's popularity in search engine results (SERPs). By applying the NOFOLLOW tag, Wikipedia effectively communicated to search engines that, despite referencing other sites, it did not intend to endorse them with its links. This decision has led some to label Wikipedia as a contradiction.
The Aftermath
While the NOFOLLOW implementation likely reduced the amount of spam Wikipedia faced, critics argue that the platform could have opted for alternative anti-spam measures. These alternatives might have recognized quality websites that were deserving of acknowledgement without the need to employ NOFOLLOW tags.
In summary, the decision by Wikipedia to adopt the NOFOLLOW tag has had lasting implications on SEO practices and sparked an ongoing debate about the balance between combating spam and honoring credible sources.
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