Here is your answer straight from Yahoo: Yahoo : If we find a link we make it available to our algorithms to find new content, whether it has a ‘no follow’ attribute or not. However, if the ‘no follow’ attribute is present, it means that no attribution is given to the target from the source of the link.
I find it hard to believe that they don't care about nofollow links *at all*. In fact, if I were running a search engine, I'd penalize people who only have dofollow links. That just doesn't look natural, I don't care who you are.
I think Yahoo's stance is correct. Why put a link in and then make it "no follow"? There might be good reasons on occasions, but if the link is there Yahoo thinks it should at least know about it at it.
Just curious - it seems as if you got this as a quote from Yahoo. Where did you find this information?
Here is the source http://www.searchenginejournal.com/how-google-yahoo-askcom-treat-the-no-follow-link-attribute/4801/
My quote is straight from the mouth of Yahoo. Whether you believe what they tell you or not is up to you. Google says they do not follow nofollow links. I'm not sure that's entirely truthful. But you either take it at face value or you don't. Ask does not use nofollow. I didn't find a reference for Bing.
if they don't follow nofollow links, they essentially are ignoring 90% of the internet. all the stuff on blogger and wordpress are no follow, im sure youtube is also. that's where most content is being produced. probably best to have a blend.
Why does it not look natural? If webmasters focused on creating unique good content instead of who hasa dofollow link and who doesn't, the Search Engine world would be a better place. My blog is ALL dofollow because I could careless about Page Rank. If visitors leave meaningful comments, then they can go ahead and put their link in. I am not greedy I will share the love. Links out to other sites from your site is the very FOUNDATION of what the internet was designed for...which is the sharing of information.... I see nofollow links as a subtle way to a "closed" internet...which is not a idea I will ever endorse... If a search engine wants to penalize me for dofollow links...let them, I am not going to change my blog...my blog is made for people, not to bow to some search engine regardless of who it is. more folks should foster an open internet by using dofollow links...we all benefit as a whole. However, its ok for others to have dofollow links of their site right as long as you don't have to and bleed some precious page rank..... sorry that post really rubbed me the wrong way...what looks natural or not should be a matter of detailed facts, not assumptions of opinion.
I personally like that Yahoo shows just about every link to your site. Maybe they don't consider them as gold like Google but at least you know there being crawled by someone.
you will take all the links even though links are nofollow. Google only provide higher preference to dofollow links.
This was a big topic of discussion on another forum (I forget which forum exactly), but there were hundreds of replied to the topic. I believe they came to the conclusion that Yahoo actually does count no follow links, and this was coming from many very experienced well respected marketers. So now this thread makes me just more confused on the topic. It's hard to know what to believe, but I personally try to get both kinds of links. Of course I try to get do follow links more often, but I definitely don't neglect no follow because no one knows the absolute truth about them and they bring traffic anyways, so it's not like you totally lose out with a no follow link, or like it will hurt you.