What Are Referring Domains? + How They Affect Seo

What Is a Referring Domain?

A referring domain is an outer website that links to a circumstantial website aliases webpage. 

If Website A links to Website B, past Website A is nan referring domain for that link.

If 3 different websites nexus to your blog post, past your blog position has 3 referring domains.

Backlinks vs. Referring Domains

Backlinks are links that a website gets from different websites, and websites that proviso backlinks are referring domains.

If Website A links to your website twice, past you personification 2 backlinks from 1 referring domain.

The website that receives a backlink is nan target domain.

Why Are Referring Domains Important successful SEO?

Referring domains are important successful hunt centrifugal optimization (SEO) because they tin effect your website’s integrated (unpaid) visibility successful Google.

Basically, Google looks astatine referring domains arsenic an parameter of a website’s aliases webpage’s quality.

If your website aliases webpage has backlinks from tons of high-quality domains, Google whitethorn rank it higher successful applicable hunt results. 

And this tin thief you get overmuch postulation from Google.

Pages ranking #1 successful Google personification complete 200 referring domains connected average. While pages ranking astatine #10 personification little than 80 referring domains connected average, according to Semrush’s ranking factors study.

What Makes a Referring Domain High Quality?

A referring domain is mostly considered precocious worth if it’s relevant and reputable.

Relevant domains are sites that are topically related to nan target site.

Backlinks from applicable sites whitethorn proscription overmuch SEO weight because these links are overmuch apt to correspond genuine and well-informed endorsements.

Reputable domains are established websites that are celebrated and well-regarded successful their niche. 

Backlinks from these sites whitethorn proscription overmuch SEO weight because Google tin spot these sites more.

You tin get an thought of a website’s estimation pinch Semrush’s Authority Score (AS) metric, which measures authoritativeness connected a modular of 100. 

For example, Wikipedia has an Authority Score of 100.

Generally, effort to get links from high-quality domains.

Backlinks from low-quality domains whitethorn personification mini to nary effect connected your SEO. 

And backlinks from spammy domains (websites that break Google’s spam policies) tin put your website astatine consequence of a Google punishment that will harm your SEO.

How to Check Your Referring Domains

You tin spot immoderate of your referring domains by going to nan “Links” > “Top linking sites” study successful Google Search Console.

(If you petition thief getting started pinch nan platform, publication Semrush’s Google Search Console guide.)

The “Top linking sites” study shows nan domains that nexus to your website nan most.

For each referring website, you tin see:

• Linking pages: How galore pages connected nan referring domain spot astatine slightest 1 nexus to your site
• Target pages: How galore different pages connected your website nan referring domain links to

Click connected a referring domain’s connection to spot which of your pages it links to astir frequently.

Learn More pinch nan Backlink Analytics Tool

You tin study overmuch astir your referring domains pinch Semrush’s Backlink Analytics tool.

Enter nan domain, subdomain, subfolder, aliases nonstop URL you want to check. 

Then, click “Analyze.”

Go to nan “Referring Domains” study to spot your referring domains and useful metrics.

These metrics (e.g., Authority Score) tin show you high-quality and low-quality domains.

You tin analyse nan backlinks from immoderate domain by clicking nan corresponding arrow successful nan “Backlinks” column.

The “Referring Domains” study too allows you to usage a “Lost” filter.

This prime reveals websites that utilized to nexus to you but nary longer do.

If you suffer a backlink from a worth domain, it whitethorn beryllium worthy contacting nan website and trying to get that backlink reinstated.

How to Get More Referring Domains

To get overmuch high-quality referring domains to springiness you backlinks, you petition to prosecute successful nexus building.

You tin usage galore nexus building tactics, including:

• Broken nexus building: Find room backlinks to your ain aliases competitors’ websites and get them replaced pinch relevant, functional links to your website
• Finding unlinked mentions: Identify unlinked references to your marque online and seduce nan creators to adhd a applicable nexus to your website 
• Becoming a source: Respond to media requests for commentary and inquire creators to successful installments your contributions pinch a link
• Creating linkable assets: Publish high-quality contented that applicable creators will want to banal pinch their readers aliases usage arsenic a source

You tin elevate your nexus building strategy pinch Semrush’s Link Building Tool.

The instrumentality analyzes your competitors and target keywords to spot domains that mightiness nexus to you. It too helps you negociate your email pitches, measurement your backlinks, and overmuch more.