Reddit SEO in 2025: Dominating Google Rankings with NoFollow & DoFollow Links

Reddit SEO in 2025: Dominating Google Rankings with NoFollow & DoFollow Links

You’ve probably noticed Reddit absolutely dominating Google’s search results lately, especially with all the recent algorithm changes. This raises a crucial question: Can a link from Reddit, even if it’s NoFollow, actually boost your Google rankings?

Many SEOs might say no, some even discounting Reddit completely due to its default NoFollow links. We know that Followed links are generally better and more consistently able to increase rankings. But how much value do you really get from a Reddit link? Through a rigorous test, we found some surprising results.

Important Disclaimer: No spam was involved during this test. Being careful on Reddit is paramount to avoid being banned.

Why Should We Care About Reddit?

Reddit’s power lies in its immense traffic. Currently, Reddit receives a huge amount of organic traffic from Google, indicating that Google grants it significant authority. This authority is the key signal we can leverage.

So, can you use Reddit to leverage your Google rankings? The answer is: Absolutely! But you need to be extremely careful and avoid any spamming behavior. Reddit moderators are usually very strict, especially in high-quality, well-moderated subreddits, where direct link posting is generally not allowed.

The Proven Value of NoFollow Links

To test the impact of Reddit NoFollow links on rankings, we conducted an experiment: we linked to a property we owned (our own site) within a Reddit post (non-spammy, non-promotional, for science). The anchor text contained our target keyword.

The results were surprising: Just two weeks later, our target keyword jumped from position 25 to position 10 in Google search results! That’s a pretty big leap, achieved with just one link.

The key takeaway: For a NoFollow link to pass value, it must come from a page that gets organic traffic. This means if you just throw up a spammy post that isn’t even indexed or ranking on Google, you’re unlikely to see this kind of boost. The NoFollow link’s value is derived from the organic visibility and authority of the Reddit thread itself.

Exclusive Tips for Getting DoFollow Links (Advanced)

Beyond the indirect value of NoFollow links, here are two unconventional methods to secure valuable DoFollow links from Reddit:

Tip 1: Leveraging Subreddit Sidebars (Requires Subreddit Moderation)

If you moderate a subreddit, you can add what he calls a “sidebar naked URL,” and this link will be a DoFollow link.

How to do it:

1. Log in to Reddit with your moderator account.
2. Navigate to your subreddit page.
3. On the right side, find and click “Edit Widgets.”
4. Add a “Text Widget” if you don’t have one.
5. In the text box, directly input the full URL with http:// or https://. For example: FlashID: https://www.flashid.net.
6. Save it. This link will be followed.

Note: Browser extensions (like those that highlight NoFollow links) will show most Reddit links with a red border (NoFollow), but links added this way in the sidebar will be green (Followed).

Tip 2: DoFollow Links from Multi-Image Posts (More Accessible)

This tip, is easier for the average person: By posting two or more images in a Reddit post, you can add a DoFollow link to the second image, and you can even customize the anchor text!

How to do it:

1. Create a new post.
2. Select the “Images & Video” tab.
3. Add your title. Do NOT add any text in the post body; doing so disables this feature.
4. Add at least two photos to your post.
5. Once uploaded, click to edit the second image.
6. You will see a “Caption” field and a “URL” field.

• In the “Caption” field, enter your desired anchor text (this is incredibly powerful as most social sites don’t allow custom anchor text).
• In the “URL” field, enter the full URL of the page you want to link to.

7. Post it.

Example: If you’re an interior designer, you could post two “before and after” photos of a project. In the description of the second photo, add a link to your website’s services page with custom anchor text like “See More of Our Design Work.”

Important Notes:

• Always read the rules and guidelines of each specific subreddit to avoid being flagged as spam and getting banned.
• This method works exceptionally well for image-heavy industries (e.g., photography, design, craftsmanship) where sharing visuals comes naturally.

Conclusion

Reddit is undoubtedly a powerful SEO tool for 2025 and beyond. Even NoFollow links hold significant value, especially when they come from high-traffic, authoritative Reddit posts. And by leveraging sidebar widgets or multi-image posts, you can even secure incredibly valuable DoFollow links with custom anchor text, providing a significant boost to your Google rankings.

Remember, the key to success on Reddit is authenticity, community contribution, and adherence to rules. Avoid any form of spamming, genuinely engage with the community, and you will unlock the full potential of this platform.

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