The sponsored link attribute is a tag used in the HTML code of a link to tell search engines that the link is part of a paid or sponsored placement.
It looks like this in code:
<a href=”https://example.com” rel=”sponsored”>Visit Site</a>
Why Is the Sponsored Attribute Important?
Google wants to understand why links exist—whether they were added naturally or paid for. By using the rel=”sponsored” tag, you clearly mark links that are part of:
- Paid advertisements
- Sponsored content
- Affiliate or partnership deals
This helps Google prevent link manipulation and keeps search results fair.
What Happens If You Don’t Use It?
If you publish paid links and don’t mark them with the sponsored attribute, your site could face penalties or ranking drops. Google might consider this a violation of its link spam policies.
When Should You Use the Sponsored Attribute?
Use rel=”sponsored” if the link:
- Was placed in exchange for money
- Is part of a sponsored blog post or article
- Is a paid product review or endorsement
- Contains affiliate links, depending on the context
Sponsored vs. Other Link Attributes
There are other common link attributes too:
- rel=”nofollow” – tells Google not to pass any SEO value through the link
- rel=”ugc” – for user-generated content like forum posts or blog comments
- rel=”sponsored” – specifically for paid/sponsored links
You can even combine them:
<a href=”…” rel=”nofollow sponsored”>Link</a>
Summary for Beginners
If you’re running a website and include any paid or sponsored links, always use rel=”sponsored” to stay within Google’s guidelines. It’s a simple way to keep your SEO clean and avoid penalties.