What does it mean if Google has its own links to your page displayed in Google Webmaster Tools?

Question

I am just curious about the following:

When viewing links to my site in Google Webmaster Tools I see all my usual links, but recently something I find strange has popped up:

Google itself is actually counting themselves as a link. Here is an example:

My Questions:

• Is this normal?
• Is this good?
• Is it a dofollow link?
• Does it mean those pages Google linked to you are likely to rank?

Answer 1

If you click on the domain (eg. "google.com") in the "Links to Your Site" report it will show you the pages on your site that are linked to from this domain. You can then drill down to find out from where (on "google.com") these pages are being linked from. That's the only way to really find out whether these particular links are beneficial to you.

In my experience, google.com links are most probably links that have been shared on Google+, the social network.

So, yes, this is normal and generally good (like any link shared on a social network).

Is it a dofollow link?

Well, in my experience, links that are shared on Google+ are rel="nofollow". However, main links in a user profile appear to be dofollow - unless they are blocked in some other way?

Does it mean those pages google linked to are likely to rank?

If they are nofollow they are not going to help directly with search engine ranking. However, the social aspect of these links can help to get visitors to your site that in turn might link to and help promote your site in other ways.

Answer 2

Is this normal?

Yes it is.

Is this good?

Yes it is.

Is it a dofollow link?

Yes it is.

Does it mean those pages google linked to are likely to rank?

95% sure that yes.