Follow vs. No Follow Links

When I started this blog I was completely mystified by the difference between follow and no follow links. Here is an explanation of what they are, and when you should use each.

What is a Follow Link?

Follow links are your bog standard, normal links. You create them in the usual way:


They tell the world that you like and trust the link, and aren't ashamed who knows it!

What is a No Follow Link?

No Follow links, as a concept, date back to 2005 when Matt Cutts of Google and Jason Shellen of Blogger joined forces to combat spam in blog comments. Blogger has a tick box to make a link no follow, or you can use the rel attribute like so:


No Follow links suggest to the world that you're not quite sure about the link. You're happy to send your readers there, but you're not happy for all the little search engine bots to connect the two of you - your page ranking won't have any impact on the ranking of the website you're linking to.

Think of it kind of like accepting a friend request on Facebook, but then altering your privacy settings so they can't see all of your posts. On the face of it you're best buddies, but scratch the surface and it's clear you're not happy to share everything them.

You can make all the links in a post no follow by using this html:

When Should You Use a No Follow Link?

Originally, making a link no follow was a way of reducing spam - Wordpress, for example, automatically makes all links in comments no follow. By 2010 however the no follow attribute was being repurposed as a way of marking a link as paid for, the idea being that you shouldn't be able to pay to increase your page rank.

Google has recently issued guidance for bloggers which states that any links which come about because of sponsored posts, or items sent in exchange for review should be no follow because 'these links didn’t come about organically (i.e., the links wouldn’t exist if the company hadn’t offered to provide a free good or service in exchange for a link).'

I had a great question in the comments about linky / blog party badges - general consensus is that they should be 'no follow' but, again, it raises questions. No money is changing hands, and you've chosen to join in with the linky.
The question marks represent instances where the decision comes down to your own judgement - would you have included this link off your own back? Google's own position can often be contradictory; you should add value to your article and link to relevant sites, but you shouldn't link to anything which might benefit you, irrespective of whether or not those sites are the same. In fact, Google's various websites have often fallen foul of their own no follow policies, although unsurprisingly it made little or no impact on their page ranking or position in search results...

Whatever you do, don't make all your outbound links no follow. You'll be penalised for that too!

What Happens If I Refuse to No Follow?

Making a paid link no follow is a guideline not a law - you're not going to find the police banging on your door because you haven't done it. Instead Google will sanction you if they discover you haven't followed their advice. This can happen to big companies - Interflora were removed from Google search results in 2013 after sending bloggers flowers in return for follow links - and small bloggers too.

The penalty placed on your website can last anywhere from 30 days to forever if you make no attempt to clean up your links. If you do go through and sort out your outbound links, and submit a reconsideration request, you can be back to normal in a matter of weeks.

Why Would I Follow Anyway?

If somebody contacts you and wants a link for PR (public relations) purposes, they're likely to be happy with it being no follow. The follow link would be a risk to them too (remember the Interflora example), and they're mostly interested in increasing their brand recognition and using your recommendation to encourage people to visit their website.

If they want the link for SEO (search engine optimisation) purposes, they're unlikely to settle for a no follow link. No follow won't give their site any benefit in terms of page rank or search engine results.

In this case, you really need to weigh up how big of a threat a Google penalty is to your blog. Where does your traffic come from? If the bulk of it comes from Google, the risk of a penalty is big. If your traffic comes from elsewhere, it doesn't matter as much. Similarly, it depends what you're being offered in return for the follow link - follow links usually mean bigger payments, so if you need money that may well override any consideration of how Google will view the transaction.

Review: FabLittleBag

Let's talk about periods.

The average period lasts 6 days. The average woman will have 500 periods over her lifetime.

The first modern tampons hit shop shelves in the UK in 1938, and today some 60% of women in the UK use tampons during their period.

That's a lot of tampons to dispose of!

It may be tempting, but you should never flush a tampon down the toilet. They either block your pipework, or they build up further down the system and cause a blockage there. Plus, let's face it, most plumbing in the UK is so dire it will take about 20 flushes to get it into the pipework in the first place.

So, instead, you're left wrapping it in wads of toilet roll - incurring the wrath of those who are left paperless after you - and putting it in the bin. But no more!

Welcome to the FabLittleBag.

Remove the white plastic strip to reveal the adhesive.
The brainchild of Martha Silcott, FabLittleBag is such a clever invention. They are what they say on the tin - a little bag you put your used tampon in. But to say it like that really undersells what's so great about them.

They're designed to be used one handed, with built in finger loops which allow you to hold the bag open. You pop the soiled tampon in, then you press the bag closed - the adhesive strip doing the hard work - and put the bag in the bin. 

The bathroom pack contains 20 bags, perfect for keeping in your own little sanctuary, in the knowledge your bathroom bin will be ready and willing to receive them.

But what happens when you're out and about?

Let me introduce you to the Handbag Pack.


This is a plastic wallet which holds FabLittleBags. The design of the wallet, like the bags themselves, is so discreet. Unless you look really closely at the words 'tampon disposal' I don't think you would expect any relation to a sanitary product.

The wallet also has another use. We've all been there - usually somewhere we really want to make a good impression: school, a new girlfriend's flat, a boyfriend's nan's house... - mortified to find that there is no bathroom bin in which to dispose of your used sanitary product. With FabLittleBag you can first hygenically bag it, then store it in the plastic wallet until you can get to a bin. Sorted!

And, although marketed for tampon disposal, they can also be used for intimate wipes, pantyliners and even sanitary towels, provided they're rolled up tightly.

The back of the Handbag Pack.

When I first heard about FabLittleBag, they sounded too good to be true. But, having tried them out for myself, they lived up to and then surpassed my expectations. They are incredibly easy to use, the design is discreet and attractive and, most importantly for a cheapskate like myself, the price is really reasonable.

The Handbag Pack retails for £1.99, consisting of plastic wallet and five bags. The refill Bathroom Packs, containing 20 bags, cost £2.99. That's about 15p per bag. You can pick them up at Waitrose, Ocado, or directly from the website: www.fablittlebag.com.

Note: I was sent a bathroom pack and a handbag pack to review, but all thoughts and opinions are my own!

Taboo no longer!

What Is Domain Authority?

Once I began to take blogging seriously I kept coming across the mysterious term 'DA'. It didn't stand for District Attorney, or Deviant Art, or even Domineering Aardvarks. What it actually stood for was 'Domain Authority'.

So what is Domain Authority?

Domain Authority predicts how well websites rank on search engines, and comes in the form of a score between 1 and 100. The higher the score, the better the website will rank. Examples of websites with a DA of 100 include Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Page Authority or PA, on the other hand, scores a specific page on the website.

Does my blog have Domain Authority?

The basic answer is: yes. The full answer is slightly more complicated. For your blog to have its own Domain Authority, it has to have its own domain. My domain is babiafi.co.uk, for instance. If your blog address is a subdomain, like babiafi.blogspot.uk, its DA will be 'shared' with the host domain.

When I had that blogspot address my DA would come up as 95 - but that was actually Blogger's DA. I had no Domain Authority of my own. You can find out your DA HERE; you can also download the MOZ toolbar which lets you be nosy and check out the DA of every website you visit. DA is not static either, it is updated roughly every month, when the Mozscape link index is updated.

Why is Domain Authority important?

DA is only a prediction of how well a website ranks and, as the cynical may well point out, is the rather recent brainchild of Moz, a digital marketing company. But - your DA is used in lots of other settings too. It impacts on your Tots100 score, for example, and many brands won't work with a blog which has a DA of less than 25 or so.

How is Domain Authority calculated?

There are over 40 different factors used to calculate a website's DA, but some of the big ones include:

• Age of the domain.
• Domain popularity. I.e. the ratio of links from and to your website.
• Size of the website. The more content there is to be indexed, the better chance a site has of being ranked highly.
• Number and quality of backlinks.
• Moz metrics like MozRank and MozTrust.

What can I do to improve my Domain Authority?

What tips do you have for increasing Domain Authority?

For more posts like this, click the picture below:

How to set up a custom domain email address - for free!

I'd always intended to get a custom domain email address sorted out at some point, then last week I hit upon the idea of setting up a LinkedIn company page for the blog, something you can't do without one. It was time to put good intentions into practice...


What is a custom domain email address?

Basically, this is an email address which uses your custom domain. So, instead of jess@gmail.com we're talking about jess@babiafi.co.uk.

Why would I want one?

This is one instance where it really is all about appearances. Gmail - and the like - addresses are fine, but custom domain email addresses just look a bit more professional.

How do I get one?

First off, you need a custom domain. I bought mine - www.babiafi.co.uk - from 123-reg.com for £3.49 per annum. If you have gone fully self-hosted with that domain, chances are your email will be bundled in with your hosting package. If, like me, you're just using a 'vanity url' (i.e. your own domain name and a redirect), you have three options.

1. Paid Hosting. I don't like spending money, so this one was straight out!

2. Yandex. Sign up is in Russian, but you can always use Google Translate - there's a step by step guide to it all. I have no faith in Google Translate though, so went with...

3. Zoho Mail. Zoho offers you 25 unique email addresses, with 5GB mailbox storage per user. For free. Click HERE to sign up. After clicking on the free option you'll be taken to a new page and asked to input your domain name.

With that done you need to verify your ownership of the domain. To do this, log in to your custom domain account, i.e. where you bought your domain name from. Once you're into your advanced DNS settings there are three methods you can use to verify: CNAME, TXT or HTML. Whichever one you go with, Zoho's instructions are nice and clear so you shouldn't have any problems. I used TXT and it was all done and dusted in two minutes.

The next task is to set up your administrator email address. From there you can either create more users, or skip on to add MX records. This will require you going back into your domain name's DNS settings and adding a new MX type record. Again, the on screen instructions from Zoho are pretty fail safe.

You've Got Mail

No, really, you'll have the Zoho welcome emails waiting for you in your new inbox. You're now free to faff about with the settings, add new users, and promote your fancy new email address.

With that in mind, if you want to get in touch please feel free to email me at jess@babiafi.co.uk. ;)

Review: Baker Days Valentine's Letterbox Cake

I was absolutely thrilled when Baker Days contacted me on Twitter and asked if I'd like to review a letterbox cake from their Valentine's range, RRP £14.99. Being a huge fan of cake, I couldn't say yes fast enough!


The idea behind the letterbox cake is so simple, so ingenious, and totally brilliant. Sending foodstuffs through the post can be a nightmare because, if your recipient isn't home, they can end up getting past their prime at your local sorting office. With the letterbox cake you don't need to worry because, well, it fits through your letterbox. When ours landed on our doormat I wasted no time in getting the package open.

I tore open the white shipping box to reveal a gorgeous card, a cute tin containing the cake, and a mini pack of Love Hearts which I thought was just a really sweet (geddit?) touch. I love that the cake comes in a proper tin because it's something that can be kept as a memento, in addition to having a practical use as storage for bits and bobs - or even more cake.

The lid is off!

We couldn't wait any longer, there was cake waiting to be tasted. Anthony was sure the cake would be in pieces after a trip through the post, so I took great enjoyment in proving him wrong when I took the lid off the tin. The cake is plastic wrapped, and packaged really snugly so you can be sure it will arrive at its destination in perfect condition. The paper tab is there to help you get the cake out of the tin. You just pull the tab to raise the cake, then carefully remove it.

Depending on your preferred slice size, this 5" letterbox cake is a great option for 1-4 people, but Baker Days actually make their cakes in four sizes (7", 9" and 12"), not counting their cupcakes. There are loads of different designs too, for occasions ranging from Get Well Soon to Graduation to One Direction. You might think that last is not an occasion, but I'm sure most of us had moments where we'd like nothing more than to see a toddler cake smash through a picture of modern world's most ubiquitous boyband...

I chose the 'Pugs and Kisses' design because it's a long running joke between Anthony and I that one day, irrespective of his allergies and dislike of dogs, I will have a pet pug. I figured he'd enjoy a reminder of what his future holds! Baker Days offer lots of personalisation options, so I had Anthony's name put on the cake. 

You can also choose what flavour sponge you want. The default choices are vanilla or belgian chocolate chip, but for a little extra you can upgrade to fruit cake, gluten or dairy free sponge. I went for the chocolate chip and it was absolutely stunning! The sponge was lovely and moist, and the combination of choc chip and icing was fab. I loved it, Anthony loved it, and when my mum popped around she tried some and loved it too. Even Marianna got in on the action.

We were all really impressed with the cake, the packaging, and the whole concept. It's something a bit different to give as a gift, and with the huge range of designs you're bound to be able to find something suitable, no matter what the occasion. To get your own Baker Days cake, check out their website, www.bakerdays.com, or click HERE to go direct to the Valentine's range. If you live in Wales, remember (to remind your significant other) that St. Dwynwen's Day is on January 25th too.

Mini Mart: Felicity Price Miniatures

I haven't bought too many miniatures recently, what with the financial pressures of Christmas, Marianna's birthday, etc. But I did have a little splurge on stuff from one of my favourite suppliers...

This was my other purchase over Christmas, from eBay. It's a 1/18 scale VW Golf GTI from Welly - it's the perfect home for the Re-Ment Pose Skeletons. :)

Supplier: Felicity Price
Website: felicityminiatures.co.uk. You can also find them on eBay.

Products: Felicity stocks a wide range of 1/12 scale needlepoint kits, along with various miniatures, from dolls to cutlery. There is a working search function, and the website is particularly good if you're looking to buy craft elements, which tend to be much cheaper than other UK stockists. This time round I bought lots of miniature tinsel and bells, a garland of miniature ivy, and a set of picture frames.

Post and Packing: You place your order using the online shopping cart, then Felicity will check everything is in stock and send you an invoice. You can pay by Paypal, cheque or postal order, and items are generally dispatched within 24 hours of payment. UK postage is a flat rate of £3.50. I've bought from Felicity a few times and always had top notch service.

How to Set Up a Custom 404 Error Page on Blogger

What is a 404?

The dreaded '404 Not Found' message appears when a server can't find the web address you requested. This might be the result of a broken or dead link, or human error when typing in the address. Either way, it leads to equal amounts of frustration!

What does my 404 page look like?

To check just add /404 to the end of your blog's web address. If you're using Blogger's default settings, your 404 page will look something like this:

What's wrong with it?

Well, nothing per se. It's just a bit boring, and doesn't do much to keep the disgruntled visitor on your blog. Some people set up an automatic 301 redirect from 404 errors to their home page, but this is bad for your SEO, and confusing for people who clicked a link expecting something specific. The best way forward is to create a custom 404 page.

How do I fix it?

Blogger makes things nice and simple for you. On your Dashboard, click 'Settings' then 'Search Preferences'. You'll now see a section headed 'Custom Page Not Found'. Click 'Edit' and, ta-dah, you get a nice empty box waiting to receive your custom HTML.

If you don't feel confident typing it straight in, just get it all ready in a draft post then copy and paste. I decided to keep things simple - I made a cutesy 'page not found' image with canva.com and added a search bar:


The great thing is that you can make yours as simple or as complex as you like. You can use your 404 page to help find a missing child, showcase your favourite blog posts, or engage people with a web game. For inspiration, check out creativemarket.com's list of the coolest 404 pages on the net.