Domain Rating (DR) is an SEO metric created by Ahrefs.
It shows how strong a website’s backlink profile is on a scale from 0 to 100, compared to all other sites in Ahrefs’ index.
In simple terms, DR is a “link authority” score based on the quantity and quality of sites linking to you.
How Is Domain Rating Calculated?
Ahrefs doesn’t share the full formula, but they explain the main steps clearly:
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Count unique referring domains
They look at how many different websites link to your site (not just total links). -
Look at the DR of those domains
Links from high-DR sites usually pass more “DR power” than links from weak sites. -
Check how many sites those domains link to
If a site links out to thousands of domains, each link passes less DR. -
Apply math and map it to 0–100
The result is put on a logarithmic scale (going from DR 10→20 is much easier than 60→70).
So, you increase DR by getting more links from stronger sites that don’t link out to everyone.
Domain Rating vs Domain Authority vs Other Metrics
DR is often compared to Domain Authority (DA) from Moz and other “authority” scores.
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Domain Rating (Ahrefs)
- Focus: backlinks only (quantity + quality of referring domains)
- Use: link building, competitor link analysis
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Domain Authority (Moz)
- Focus: predicts how well a domain might rank overall
- Uses multiple signals (including links and other factors)
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Other scores (Authority Score, etc.)
- Similar idea: single number to represent domain strength
All of them are third-party metrics, not Google metrics, but they’re useful for benchmarking and prioritizing opportunities.
Is Domain Rating a Google Ranking Factor?
No. Google does not use Domain Rating.
Ahrefs themselves state there is no evidence that search engines use DR (or DA, or similar authority scores) as ranking factors.
Google employees have also publicly said they don’t use a single “domain authority score” in their algorithm.
However, DR is still useful because it’s based on things Google does care about:
- Number of quality backlinks
- Strength of referring domains
- Overall link profile health
Why Domain Rating Matters for SEO
Even though DR isn’t a ranking factor, it’s very practical for:
- Evaluating link prospects (is this site worth getting a link from?)
- Comparing competitors’ authority in your niche
- Tracking growth of your backlink profile over time
- Filtering spammy opportunities (e.g. weird sites with inflated DR)
DR is best used as a relative metric, not an absolute truth.
Compare:
- Your DR vs direct competitors
- DR of a potential linking site vs others in your outreach list
What Is a Good Domain Rating?
There’s no universal “good DR”. It depends on your industry, country, and competition level.
Some rough ranges you’ll often see in practice:
- 0–10 – Very new or very weak sites
- 10–30 – Typical small sites / blogs
- 30–50 – Stronger, established sites
- 50–60+ – Authority sites in many niches
- 70+ – Very strong domains on the web overall
Instead of chasing a specific number, focus on:
- Closing the gap with your main competitors
- Improving your DR trend month over month
How To Check Your Domain Rating
You can check DR easily with tools that use Ahrefs data:
- Ahrefs Website Authority Checker (free for basic lookups)
- Ahrefs Site Explorer (full backlink and DR data)
- Various SEO dashboards and reporting tools that show DR next to other metrics
Just enter your domain, and you’ll see:
- DR score
- Number of referring domains
- Number of backlinks
- Often, top linking sites and anchor texts
How To Use Domain Rating in Your Strategy
1. Qualify Link Prospects
When doing outreach, sponsored posts, or partnerships:
- Set minimum DR thresholds (e.g., DR 30+ or DR 40+, depending on your niche).
- Avoid sites with decent DR but obvious spam patterns (weird content, no traffic, thin pages).
2. Benchmark Competitors
Check DR for:
- Your own site
- Top 3–5 competitors
Questions to ask:
- Who has higher DR?
- Do they have more strong referring domains?
- Which high-DR sites link to them but not you?
3. Monitor Link Building Progress
Track DR regularly (e.g., monthly):
- If DR is moving up and referring domains are increasing, your link building is working.
- Sudden drops can signal lost links or an Ahrefs DR update; always check your link profile, not just the number.
How To Improve Your Domain Rating
You improve DR by earning more high-quality backlinks from relevant sites.
1. Create Linkable Content
Examples that tend to attract links:
- In-depth guides and tutorials
- Industry studies, surveys, or original data
- Tools, templates, calculators, checklists
Content like this naturally earns links over time, which boosts DR.
2. Do Smart Link Building
Focus on:
- Guest posting on real, niche-relevant sites
- Digital PR: pitching newsworthy stories, research, or insights
- Partnerships and resource pages (e.g., “tools we recommend”)
Try to get links from domains with higher DR than yours and decent overall quality.
3. Clean Up Low-Quality Links
DR can be manipulated with spammy link building, but that’s risky.
Regularly:
- Review referring domains with very low relevance or obvious spam.
- Remove or disavow the worst ones if they look like clear link schemes.
This keeps your profile healthier, even if the raw DR number doesn’t change overnight.
Common Mistakes With Domain Rating
Chasing DR for Its Own Sake
Buying or trading links just to move DR can:
- Waste money
- Attract spammy links
- Risk manual or algorithmic issues later
A high DR with low traffic is a red flag, not a success story.
Ignoring Relevance and Content
DR looks at links, not content quality, UX, or traffic.
You still need:
- Helpful, search-intent-focused content
- Good technical SEO
- Positive user signals
Treating DR as “Google’s Score”
Remember:
- DR is Ahrefs’ opinion, not Google’s.
- Use it as a guide, alongside real metrics: rankings, clicks, conversions.
Final Thoughts on Domain Rating
Domain Rating is a handy shortcut for judging backlink strength.
Use DR to:
- Filter and prioritize link opportunities
- Compare yourself with competitors
- Track the impact of your link building over time
But don’t obsess over the number. The real goal is solid, relevant links + strong content that bring traffic, leads, and revenue - DR will usually rise as a side effect of doing SEO right.
