The UGC link attribute is an HTML attribute used to identify links created by users rather than site owners or editors. It signals to search engines that a hyperlink originates from user generated content such as comments, forum posts, reviews, or community contributions. This distinction helps separate editorial intent from user submitted material.
User generated links can introduce risk because site owners do not fully control their placement or intent. The UGC attribute prevents these links from being treated as endorsements, reducing the chance that spam or low quality contributions affect site trust. It allows community interaction to exist without compromising search quality.
The UGC attribute supports transparency and governance. It enables websites to host discussions and contributions while maintaining compliance with search quality expectations and protecting long term visibility.
Advanced
The UGC attribute is evaluated alongside other link attributes to determine authority flow and intent. Search engines interpret it as a signal that the link should not pass ranking value. This is particularly important for platforms with high volumes of external user input.
Advanced governance includes applying the attribute automatically at the system level and auditing legacy content for untagged links. Incorrect handling can expose a site to spam signals or manual actions. Consistent attribution ensures scalable moderation without restricting community participation.
Relevance
- Protects sites from user generated spam risk.
- Maintains compliance with search guidelines.
- Separates editorial and community intent.
- Supports safe community engagement.
- Preserves long term trust and stability.
Applications
- Blog comments and discussions.
- Forums and message boards.
- Product reviews and ratings.
- Community driven platforms.
- Q and A sections.
Metrics
- Percentage of user links correctly attributed.
- Spam link occurrence in user areas.
- Manual action or warning indicators.
- Backlink profile cleanliness.
- Moderation efficiency over time.
Issues
- Missing attributes expose trust risk.
- Inconsistent application weakens governance.
- Spam links degrade site quality.
- Manual cleanup becomes resource intensive.
- Poor moderation increases vulnerability.
Example
A publishing site allowed open comments without link controls. Spam links accumulated and visibility declined. After applying the UGC attribute automatically to all user submitted links and cleaning existing content, trust signals stabilised and moderation workload decreased.