When you're using the new Google structured data tags, one of the requirements to verify you're a publisher is to use the following code: <a href="https://plus.google.com/123456789" rel="publisher">Find us on Google+</a> Code (markup): However using external links on the homepage isn't exactly desirable for SEO. Is it okay to use the following, would it still allow verification and stop the SEO issue? <a href="https://plus.google.com/123456789" rel="publisher nofollow">Find us on Google+</a> Code (markup):
Just add a NoFollow tag to the code and it will be ok, we have done the same for a client and have encountered no problems and the rankings have been unaffected Good luck!