Link attribute identifying paid or sponsored links, telling search engines not to pass link equity while maintaining transparency about commercial relationships.
The rel="sponsored" attribute is an HTML link attribute that identifies paid or sponsored links, signaling to search engines that the link represents a commercial relationship and should not pass link equity. Introduced by Google in 2019 alongside rel="ugc" (user-generated content), this attribute provides webmasters with a granular way to categorize different types of links beyond the traditional rel="nofollow."
When you add rel="sponsored" to a link, you're explicitly telling search engines like Google that the link exists because of an advertising, sponsorship, or other compensatory arrangement. This transparency helps search engines better understand the nature of web relationships and prevents potential penalties for undisclosed paid links.
Why It Matters for AI SEO
AI-powered search systems rely heavily on understanding the context and intent behind web links to build accurate knowledge graphs and determine content authority. The rel="sponsored" attribute provides crucial semantic information that helps AI algorithms differentiate between editorial links (which indicate genuine endorsement) and commercial relationships (which represent business transactions). Modern AI systems like Google's RankBrain and BERT use link relationship signals to assess content quality and topical authority. By properly marking sponsored content, you help these systems make more accurate assessments of your site's trustworthiness and prevent potential algorithmic penalties. AI-driven tools can also better analyze your link profile when sponsored links are properly labeled, providing more accurate recommendations for link building strategies.
How It Works
To implement rel="sponsored," simply add the attribute to any link tag where payment or compensation influenced the link's placement. For example: Partner Company. The attribute works similarly to rel="nofollow" in that it prevents PageRank from flowing through the link, but it provides additional semantic meaning about the commercial nature of the relationship.
You can combine rel="sponsored" with other attributes using space-separated values, such as rel="sponsored nofollow" for extra clarity, though this is redundant since sponsored links inherently don't pass link equity. Tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, and Google Search Console can help you audit your site's use of link attributes and identify any sponsored links that might be missing proper tagging.
Common Mistakes or Misconceptions
Many webmasters incorrectly assume that rel="sponsored" is interchangeable with rel="nofollow" or that using both attributes together provides additional protection. In reality, rel="sponsored" already includes the nofollow behavior while providing more specific semantic information. Another common mistake is failing to use rel="sponsored" on affiliate links or paid product reviews, instead relying solely on general nofollow attributes. This misses an opportunity to provide search engines with clearer context about the nature of commercial relationships on your site.