How to Increase Domain Rating?

Introduction

Just launched a brand-new website and wondering why it’s still invisible on Google? Today, we are breaking down one of the most important metrics you need to know to get your site noticed—Domain Rating, or DR.

We’ll show you why DR matters, how link building can help boost it, and give you a beginner-friendly overview of what these terms mean for ranking.

If you’re ready to start building authority and getting search engines to pay attention, let’s get right into it.

What is Domain Rating (DR)?

Domain Rating (DR), created by Ahrefs, is a key metric to assess the strength of a website’s backlink profile. Scored on a scale of 0 to 100, a higher DR reflects both the quality and quantity of backlinks pointing to a site. Websites with a higher DR are seen as more authoritative and are more likely to be trusted by search engines, improving their chances of ranking higher in search results.

It is a relative metric, meaning that it depends on the number of backlinks and the quality of the domains linking to the website. Backlinks from high-authority websites carry more excellent value, significantly boosting a site’s DR. The DR of the linking sites and the number of outbound links they have also play a crucial role in determining the overall DR score.

For marketers and SEO professionals, DR offers a clear indication of a website’s backlink profile health and its potential to rank well. Monitoring DR can help assess the effectiveness of backlinking strategies, track improvements in SEO performance, and guide decisions about where to focus future link-building efforts. A higher DR is often associated with increased organic traffic and improved search visibility.

How is Domain Rating Calculated?

1. Number of Websites Linking to Your Site

The total count of referring domains—unique websites linking to your site—plays a significant role. However, not all links contribute equally. Only do-follow links are considered for DR calculations, while links marked as nofollow, UGC, or sponsored are excluded. Repeated links from the same domain do not add extra weight; only the first referring domain counts.

2. Quality of Linking Domains

The Domain Rating of the websites linking to you is crucial. High-quality backlinks from authoritative sites positively impact your DR more than numerous links from low-quality sites. Interestingly, as the authority of a linking website increases over time, the value of its backlink to your DR also improves, making it beneficial to focus on high-potential websites.

3. Distribution of Links from Referring Domains

Not all links from high-authority domains provide the same level of value. The impact of a backlink depends on how many unique websites the referring domain also links to. Domains that link to fewer sites pass more “link equity” to each link, while those linking to many sites dilute the equity across a broader range.

The Role of Backlinks in Boosting DR

Backlinks are connections created when an external website includes a hyperlink that points to a page on your site. These links, also known as inbound links, guide visitors from other platforms to your content. They are a vital signal to search engines, reflecting the trustworthiness and relevance of your website within your industry.

The effectiveness of backlinks lies in their dual role: they not only attract visitors from other sites but also contribute significantly to how search engines evaluate your site’s authority. However, it’s not just the number of backlinks that matters; their quality and relevance to your content are equally important.

For example, if a website like BBC, which has a DR of 93, links to your site, Google interprets that as a sign that your website is credible. This one link could dramatically improve your DR.

Your DR starts at zero for new sites, but as soon as you acquire quality backlinks, it will rise. Reaching a DR of 50, 60, or even 70 takes time, but it’s achievable with a solid backlink strategy.

Types of Backlinks: Do-Follow vs. No-Follow

Backlinks can be categorized into two main types based on how they interact with search engine algorithms:

1. Do-Follow Backlinks

Do-follow backlinks are the standard type of link that transfers “link equity” or “link juice” from the referring site to the linked site. This link equity helps improve the linked site’s authority and visibility in search engine rankings.

Directly impact search engine optimization (SEO) by contributing to metrics like Domain Rating (DR) and Domain Authority (DA).
Commonly used in high-quality backlinks from blogs, news articles, and editorial content.

2. No-Follow Backlinks

No-follow backlinks include an HTML attribute (rel=”nofollow”) that instructs search engines not to transfer link equity to the linked site. These links don’t directly boost a site’s authority but still hold value in other ways.

Useful for generating referral traffic and increasing visibility.
Commonly found in user-generated content, comments, advertisements, and sponsored posts.

How High-Authority Backlinks Impact DR and Rankings

1. Boosting Domain Rating (DR)

Backlinks from reputable domains play a critical role in boosting Domain Rating (DR) by transferring valuable link equity to your site. When a trusted site links to yours, it significantly enhances your DR, making your website appear more authoritative in the eyes of search engines. The stronger the referring site, the more impactful this increase will be, providing a solid foundation for long-term SEO success.

2. Enhancing Search Engine Rankings

Reliable backlinks are vital in elevating search engine rankings by showing search engines that your content is trustworthy and valuable. With endorsements from authoritative websites, search engines are more likely to rank your pages higher for competitive keywords. These links help search engines crawl and index your pages more efficiently, enhancing your site’s visibility in search results.

3. Driving Organic Traffic

Reputable backlinks act as a valuable source of organic traffic, guiding visitors from trusted sites to your content. These visitors are often highly engaged and relevant, leading to better user interactions such as longer time on site and higher click-through rates. This influx of quality traffic not only boosts engagement but also enhances your website’s reputation, fostering sustained growth and visibility within your industry.

Beginner-Friendly Backlink Building Strategies

1. Leverage Your Existing Websites

If you own other websites or have partnerships, start by linking to your new site. This strategy utilizes your existing web properties to build authority for your new site, providing a quick and easy way to improve your DR.

For example, adding a link to Conversive.com on your agency website can boost its DR from 0 to 5 in just a few links. By leveraging the authority of your other domains, you can increase your new site’s credibility in search engines.

2. Engage in Link Exchange

Like the “ABC link exchange,” link exchanges are a way to build backlinks by swapping links with other website owners. For instance, website A links to website B, and website B links to your site (website C).

While this method can help in the early stages of link building, it is crucial to ensure the exchanges are relevant and natural. Google disfavors unnatural linking patterns, so it always focuses on providing value with these links.

3. Guest Posting

Reach out to blogs and websites in your niche to offer guest posts in exchange for backlinks. Contributing valuable content builds credibility while driving traffic to your site.

Guest posting allows you to earn backlinks from reputable sites and establish your authority in your industry, benefiting your SEO and brand visibility.

4. Invest in Paid Backlinks

While organic link-building strategies are always preferable, investing in paid backlinks from high-authority websites can boost your site’s strong DR. Reputable sites like Forbes offer paid opportunities to publish content with a backlink, which can be a worthwhile investment for businesses looking to gain authority quickly.

However, this is a more expensive option, so balancing it with organic methods is essential.

5. Use Press Release Services

Platforms like BrandPush can help you get backlinks from prominent media outlets like Yahoo Finance and Business Insider. These high-quality backlinks from trusted sources can significantly improve your DR over time.

Using press release services to get coverage can boost brand visibility and help establish your site as an authority in your field.

6. Optimize Social Media Profiles

Create profiles on social platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, and ensure they link back to your website. Social media links may have a different weight than other backlinks. Still, they contribute to your online authority and help search engines recognize your site’s presence across multiple platforms.

7. Answer Industry Questions

Platforms like Feature.com allow you to contribute valuable insights and answers to industry-specific questions. You can gain backlinks from respected sites like FastCompany or GrubDaily by sharing your expertise on trusted platforms.

These backlinks improve your DR and enhance your authority within your industry.

Check out the video on link building for beginners by Waseem Bashir!

Steps to Track and Monitor Your Backlinks and DR

Set Up Ahrefs or Moz Account

Sign up for a paid or trial version of an SEO tool like Ahrefs or Moz.
Add your website to the tool’s dashboard to track backlinks and DR.

Monitor Backlink Profile

Use the Backlink Analysis feature to check the total backlinks and referring domains.
Pay attention to the Referring Domains tab to identify the websites linking to you.
Track your Domain Rating (DR) regularly to see how it changes as new backlinks are acquired.

Identify New and Lost Backlinks

Check for new backlinks added to your site in recent weeks. These are opportunities to leverage for improved SEO.
Look for lost backlinks that may have been removed or disavowed. Investigate why they were lost to ensure you’re not losing valuable links.

Evaluate Link Quality

Use Ahrefs’ Domain Rating (DR) and URL Rating (UR) to evaluate the authority of the websites linking to you.
Identify any links coming from low-quality, spammy, or irrelevant sites, as these could hurt your DR.

Disavow Toxic Backlinks

Identify spammy backlinks by filtering for links with low DR scores, irrelevant content, or from link farms.
Use the Disavow Tool in Google Search Console to instruct Google not to consider these harmful links when calculating your rankings.

Track Keyword Rankings

Regularly track your keyword rankings in Ahrefs or Moz to see how your backlinks impact your search visibility.
Look for improvements in rankings for target keywords as your DR increases.

Monitor Competitor Backlink Profiles

Use these tools to analyze your competitors’ backlinks and identify opportunities for new link-building efforts.
Look at which domains your competitors are getting backlinks from, and try to acquire links from similar high-authority sites.

Create Backlink Reports

Generate regular backlink reports in Ahrefs or Moz to track the progress of your backlink strategy over time.
Use these reports to guide your future link-building efforts and optimize your SEO strategy.

The Growth of UX 4Sight.com

LinkPanda helped UX 4Sight achieve significant growth, increasing their Domain Rating (DR) from 29 to 50. Through targeted link-building strategies, including acquiring over 120 high-authority backlinks, UX 4Sight saw a 99% rise in SEO traffic and a significant boost in keyword rankings.

This case study showcases the power of ethical link building to improve a website’s online presence. For a comprehensive overview of the process and outcomes, read the entire case study here.

FAQ’s

Why is my domain rating dropping?

Domain Rating measures the strength of a website’s backlink profile on a logarithmic scale from 1 to 100. Losing high-quality backlinks can significantly lower your DR.

What is the typical timeframe for improving domain authority?

Increasing Domain Authority is a long-term effort lasting months or even years. It relies on factors like the site’s existing authority, regular publication of quality content, and building a strong, high-quality backlink profile.

How to increase domain rating free?

Enhancing your domain rating by earning quality backlinks through guest posting, broken link building, and resource pages while consistently creating valuable content to attract links naturally.

Why DR is Critical for Your Website

A strong DR improves your site’s chances of ranking higher on Google, brings more organic traffic, and establishes your brand’s credibility. Plus, as your DR grows, search engines will index your pages faster, giving you a competitive edge.

If you’re ready to take your site from invisible to impactful, focus on ethical link-building strategies, consistent content creation, and leveraging tools to track your progress. And if you’re looking for expert help, let’s connect to build a strategy tailored to your website’s needs.

About The Author

Christopher Lier

Christopher is an experienced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) marketer and digital marketing specialist. He is Co-Founder of LinkPanda and leads the marketing and sales teams. Mostly known as a Software-as-a-Service founder of LeadGen App, he has helped grow the website to become a renowned player in the lead generation space with steadily growing user base and readership.