Is it possible to rank a website using nofollow backlinks from social media platforms?

Selected answers from the Dumb SEO Questions Facebook & G+ community.

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  El Bikito: Yes if ppl are visiting for a particular query to your site through these, then yes.
  
  3d
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  Oliver Harrison: El Bikito what do you mean? I meant can such backlinks help the website rank on google?
  
  3d
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  El Bikito: Oliver Harrison yes these can help.
  
  3d
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  Richard Hearne: How?
  
  3d
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  El Bikito: Richard Hearne I have a `kratom` site that moved up significantly in terms of org traff through social media and forum links, which were all no follow by default.
  
  3d
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  Richard Hearne: Can you prove that, or is it simply your theory?
  
  2d
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  El Bikito: Richard Hearne Okay so I got just these quora links a few (10ish) e-comm directory links. From this month of Feb.
  
  1d
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  El Bikito: So this wasn`t the first time i did this. So my common sense, experience, and the group told me that the e-com directory links shouldn`t have this kind of effect, so my guess is my answers on quora which got a lotta views, siphoned the curious quora-users to my site.
  
  It`s kinda like when I`m looking up certain things and weee ppl sggest, I look those things up almost instantly and if the link is placed there within the most helpful answer in a rather pressing topic that ppl are always dying to know more about, traffic should come rushing in.
  
  1d
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  El Bikito: ^^ Now there is a redirect from my previous site (not much traffic and whatever`s there is surely dwindling down) but the traffic boomed RIGHT after the quora links.
  
  1d
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  Christine Hansen: El Bikito Peeps following a link has nothing to do with Google following a link or not following a link at all. Two different organic things.
  
  1d
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  El Bikito: Christine Hansen Oh yes for sure. I never said that google follows through no-follow links. All I said was that no-follow links (if they are embedded in quality, value-driven content), it can add to the overall organic traffic.
  
  1d
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  Richard Hearne: If Google doesn`t follow a link how can it increase organic traffic? Those quora links may have added referral traffic, but you`re definitely mixing up correlation with causation here.
  
  1d
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  El Bikito: Richard Hearne Agreed. Referral traffic may be a strategy to enhance organic traffic but it isn`t organic traffic itself.
  
  But i didn`t state that these no-follow links will directly increase organic traffic.
  
  We are on the same page. Just said that using these links will not be useless.
  
  1d
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  Ali Husnain Khan: yes, if you are doing relevant posting in relevant areas they click on your website and google knows that your info is important for others too
  
  3d
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  Richard Hearne: How does Google know about these clicks please?
  
  3d
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  Ali Husnain Khan: Richard Hearne from visits to their website, traffic
  
  3d
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  Richard Hearne: Think that through please - how can Google see this data for all websites?
  
  2d
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  Ben Adler: You don`t need backlinks at all for low competition
  
  3d
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  Destiny Hale: Ben Adler then what is it?
  
  1d
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  Ben Adler: Destiny Hale search intent, quality content, one-page seo factors
  
  1d
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  Destiny Hale: Ben Adler and yelp, home advisor, a key signs of low competition correct?
  
  1d
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  Ben Adler: Destiny Hale depends on the keyword.
  
  1d
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  Destiny Hale: I said that to say sometimes it is not easy for me to outrank those sites without having anybacklinks.
  
  1d
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  Richard Hearne: No wonder people are confused by SEO.... We can`t even agree if nofollow links have SEO value
  
  Some horrible responses here imo.
  
  3d
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  Sadat Rayid Odowa: Richard Hearne please what`s your view about nofollow links?
  
  3d
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  Christine Hansen: Sadat Rayid Odowa What post?
  
  2d
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  Stockbridge Truslow: NoFollow links CAN have some real SEO value - but it`s not for link profile building and the stuff that comes with that. And much of the value goes to the page linking out, not the page being linked to.
  
  2d
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  Michael Martinez: No. The search engines will by default treat the links as if they don`t exist.
  
  3d
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  Tim Capper: You don`t need to look for links, just structure your content properly.
  
  1d