Domain Rating
What is Domain Rating?
Domain Rating (DR) is a metric developed by Ahrefs that measures the strength and authority of a website's backlink profile on a scale from 0 to 100. It helps assess a website's potential to rank in search engine results pages (SERPs) based on the quality and quantity of its inbound links.
Synonyms: DR, Website Authority, Domain Strength, Site Rating, Backlink Score

Why Domain Rating is Important for Growth Hackers
Domain Rating is a crucial metric for growth hackers because it provides insights into a website's overall SEO performance and potential for organic growth. A higher DR typically indicates a stronger backlink profile, which can lead to better search engine rankings and increased organic traffic. By focusing on improving Domain Rating, growth hackers can enhance a website's visibility and credibility in the digital landscape.
How to Improve Domain Rating
Improving your website's Domain Rating requires a strategic approach to link building and overall SEO practices:
- Create high-quality, shareable content
- Implement a guest posting strategy
- Engage in digital PR and brand mentions
- Conduct broken link building
- Leverage social media for link opportunities
- Optimize internal linking structure
By consistently applying these tactics, growth hackers can gradually increase their Domain Rating and boost their website's authority.
Domain Rating vs. Domain Authority
While Domain Rating is often compared to Moz's Domain Authority (DA), they are distinct metrics:
- Both range from 0 to 100
- DR is calculated by Ahrefs, while DA is calculated by Moz
- DR focuses more on the quality of backlinks, while DA considers additional factors
- DR updates more frequently than DA
Understanding the nuances between these metrics can help growth hackers make more informed decisions about their SEO strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a good Domain Rating score?: A good Domain Rating score depends on your industry and competition. Generally, a DR above 50 is considered strong, while a DR above 70 is excellent.
- How often does Domain Rating update?: Ahrefs updates Domain Rating scores daily, but significant changes usually take time as they depend on improvements in your backlink profile.
- Can I improve my Domain Rating quickly?: While there's no instant way to boost DR, focusing on quality link building and content creation can lead to gradual improvements over time.
- Does Domain Rating directly affect search rankings?: Domain Rating itself is not a ranking factor used by search engines, but it reflects the strength of your backlink profile, which does influence rankings.