Is it possible for a blogger to over-use the rel=nofollow tag in their content?
For well over a year now, all the rage among some bloggers/internet marketers has been to seek out and leave comments on "dofollow" blogs, as a way to build back links and gain favor with Google.
Ironically, when you visit many of these commentators, not only is the comment section on their own blog not dofollow, but in some cases like 98% of external links in the content are also tagged with rel=nofollow.
I've been playing poker for a couple of years now, and they have a unique term for certain players ... they are called "donks". A donk is usually someone who has read a few books, and gained just enough knowledge to be dangerous; yet act as if they are already an expert ... aren't at all shy about offering "advice" to other players ... all the while still making obvious beginner type mistakes.
No disrespect intended, but this is usually the first thought that pops into my head when I click over to a blog, and see in-post editorial type links slapped with rel=nofollow.
If a you find the content of another page valuable enough to link to from within a post, the link should be followed.
Don't be a donk.
Oh, and if you're one of these people who is worried that you might be "leaking your google juice", how do you explain PR7 political blogs such as The Daily Dish that link out 2 or 3 times in each post ... in addition to the almost 100 followed blog roll links over in the sidebar?
Or check out this more in-depth discussion on the roll of outbound links over on SEO Zombie
Sorry, didn't mean to get off on a rant ... but it's not out of the question that upon consideration, some people might even find this post to be a valuable tip 
Keep havin FuN!
Todd
Todd Morris
I agree if someone takes the time and leaves a comment on my blog I don’t mind sharing the juice. who knows that person might just have a high pr and I might just benefit a great deal from it. I have posted on a couple that does not have the comment luv I think they are missing out on a great opportunity. When someone post on my blog with link love I have to visit their blog.
regards,
Kim Dion
There are definitely people overusing the nofollow tag. Personally I use it when linking out to one high PR site and several smaller sites. Then in order to benefit the smaller sites the most I nofollow the high PR one. But that’s just me
Mikael @ Retire Rich Roadmap’s last blog post..Why Are You Having Problems Making Money Online?
I think all comments should be do follow. I a bit scared with paid posts though. I always have this feeling that Google is lurking somewhere waiting to put chains on you for not using no follow on a paid link
Ninah’s last blog post..Five Tips to Buying Contact Lenses Online
I wonder why your blog is “nofollow”? Shouldn't it be “dofollow”. Let me know.
Actually, I want my comments to be “nofollow”.
This article was about people who overuse “nofollow” within their post content.
… and the fact that some of you keep talking about comments, tells me all I need to know to be confident that my decision Not to “dofollow” comments any more is correct.
Todd
Oh, and if you showed up here via one of those “do follow” blog lists, and now think that I'm somehow “dishonest” for not following comment links …
For the most part, I never asked to be placed on any of those lists.
My “evolved” view on blog comments is, that if you find the content here interesting, and have an opinion to share, you'll leave a comment.
If someone is only here to try to “get a live link”, then to be perfectly blunt and honest, I'd just as soon they saved both of our time, and not bother commenting.
I'm certainly no Donk, and unless requested I never use nofollow links. I'm one of those bloggers that chooses to reciprocate all comments and I'm always surprised at the amount of people who love getting the dofollow juice from my blog but don't like to pass the juice from their own. It's a bit like taking a cup of coffee when visiting me and then expecting me to pay for my own when visiting them.
If you like a post enough that you link to it, why diminish it's value by making it nofollow? That is just crazy.
Hi Sire,
That's an interesting perspective. Personally it's exactly those kind of people (the takers) who pushed me towards just getting the comments off my blog altogether … and yes, leaving the links “nofollow”.
In theory, I definitely enjoy “helping people” … but when it comes to link love, it just seems much more productive if I get to decide personally who I want to link to (such as the google reader links in my sidebar) rather than having to “interpret the motives” of people who leave comments on my posts.
That's cool Todd, every blogger has the right to run his blog anyway they choose. I've no problem with that. Seeing as how I don't care about PR, I'm not worried about linking any juice. Any comment that I think is worthy, and I admit sometimes it's hard to decide, stays and all others get deleted.
People worry so much about PR; who cares about that? I rarely use the nofollow attribute, and don't worry about it at all. I'm all about the readers; at least I try to be.