Recent studies from several sources have suggested that backlinks may be one of the most effective methods of getting a higher ranking on Google. You may have heard of both “backlinks” and the phrase “referring domains,” but do you know the difference?

This detailed guide will explain the differences between backlinks vs. referring domains and their importance for your website’s performance. Discover methods for acquiring high-quality backlinks and learn why ensuring you have several referring domains can help boost your site even further on Google.

Understanding Backlinks vs. Referring Domains

Backlinks and referring domains are similar but have a few key differences that define them. Both are crucial metrics in assessing the strength of a website’s link profile. However, one is a subcategory of the other.

What Are Website Backlinks?

Backlinks are hyperlinks that come from external websites and point back to your site pages. They tacitly endorse your site’s content and ensure you appear credible to others, allowing Google to know they can trust you more.

However, not all backlinks are created equal. Links from reputable sites like Forbes or other popular news sites can dramatically impact your SEO and help people notice a page.

Conversely, links from a content mill or other disreputable site can dramatically reduce your page’s visibility once Google catches on.

High-quality backlinks act as votes of confidence for your site. They increase your site’s trustworthiness in the eyes of search engines and, as such, are a crucial ranking factor when determining your site’s position on a search results page.

In summary, proving you are relevant by offering high-quality backlinks can drive significant organic traffic.

What Are Referring Domains?

The short answer is that any unique website that links to you is a “referring domain.” Search engines like Google will try to determine how diverse your backlinks are, however, so it is important to ensure they are not all from one location.. 

If you get a backlink from a new domain, that will act as one more contribution to this stat. So, if many high-profile sites link to yours, you will appear more authoritative. 

From Google’s point of view, having backlinks from 5 unique domains is better than 500 from a single domain. It shows wide-reaching authority and that your site is trusted by many. Having links from high and low-authority sites also suggests that your attempts at link-building are more natural.

What Is Link Juice, and How Do Backlinks Boost It?

“Link juice” is a term used to casually refer to the inherent SEO “value” you gain when a user passes from a referring page to another on your site. In theory, high-quality backlinks transfer much more “link juice,” granting your website higher authority.

As a person passes from location to location on your site, search engines’ algorithms share that link juice between the pages. So, when several visitors end up at the same link, that specific location will build up a lot of authority in the eyes of search engines.

Risks of Low-Quality and Spammy Backlinks

If high-authority sites link to specific pages, those pages will receive more link juice than the ones linked from low-authority backlinks. 

Low-quality backlinks are usually those that come from spammy or irrelevant sites. They can lead to Google penalties and even devaluation of your site’s efforts in search engine optimization. Because of this, it is always better to seek out links from trusted sites than to investigate sites of low repute for referrals.

Luckily, several tools exist that can identify harmful backlinks. SEO companies like Rose & Cactus also keep an eye on these links to ensure that you can officially disavow them so that Google does not bear them any heed.

How Referring Domains Influence Your DR Score

Your Domain Rating (DR) score measures how good your website’s backlink profile is. In summary, the more unique referring domains link to you, the higher the DR score you will likely achieve.

By building a diverse set of linked domains, you can start to grow your DR, which search engines trust more. Diverse linked domains signal a healthier backlink profile and indicates a much more stable set of referrals, reducing the reliance on one site for all links. 

Sites like Ahrefs can help you track your Domain Rating score. While this is not absolute, it can give you a broad idea of the quality of the links you have coming into your site. You can then use this information to adjust your strategy and ensure that those linking you will likely offer the strongest benefits.

Quantity vs. Quality in Backlinking and Referring Domains

As mentioned above, you should focus on the quality and relevance of the backlinks you get instead of the sheer numbers.

Work with SEO professionals to develop a balanced backlink strategy. You want to aim for both high quality and a reasonable quantity of authoritative pages to ensure long-term benefits. After all, if they push people to your site over a long time, they will boost your outreach efforts over that same period.

Techniques to Earn High-Quality Backlinks

When you want to build on your domain rating and attain a stronger referring domain profile, you must ensure your site is as helpful as possible. You will often hear references to “high-quality, value-driven content.” Creating content people want to read will result in more link juice passing to you, making it simply the best way to ensure people see you as more trustworthy.

Creating Quality Content That Attracts Links Naturally

Informative, well-researched, and valuable content will always attract more readers. More people will visit you for it and be much more likely to share your site online. References such as these will then boost your backlink rating even higher.

Examples of content that tends to be useful in this way include:

• In-depth guides
• Original research
• Infographics
• Case studies
• Detailed and relevant listicles

The natural backlinks you will likely get from such content will boost your SEO without the risk of a search engine penalizing you. As such, regularly update the content on your site to ensure it remains relevant and attractive to your target audience.

Genuine Outreach and Partnerships

Contact other relevant sites in your field to start building mutually beneficial relationships. Avoid automated emails, however, when you want to create real networking opportunities, and so aim to leverage:

• Personalized emails
• Social media messages
• Industry events
• Honest LinkedIn contact

You can talk about your options with anyone you network with. So long as a link from your site to them will not lose you a sale, it is worth your time. Examples of content you might want to explore creating include:

• Collaborative projects
• Guest posting
• Backlink exchanges
• Community building
• Light-hearted adversarial social media messages

These can all add credibility and foster long-term relationships that benefit you both.

Avoiding Black Hat SEO Tactics and Private Blog Networks (PBNs)

Many websites fall foul of using unethical practices to acquire backlinks for their website. While these may have initial benefits, the sites that use them quickly face severe penalties from search engines. After the AI content bubble burst due to algorithm changes, for example, many sites were deindexed by Google, cliff-edging their engagement.

Sadly, it is hard for many new site ownerss to understand what to look for. One strategy is to check the sites they tend to use and if they have a new, artificially-boosted DR. The last thing you want is for your website to appear on blogs of ill repute, which Google will penalize once they discover it.

Sadly, scams in the world of SEO are nothing new, and vigilance is always necessary. Aim to work with a professional SEO service like Rose & Cactus for the assurance of high-quality SEO advice instead.

Utilizing SEO Tools for Link Analysis

Several SEO tools exist to help analyze and improve your backlink profile. Some of the most famous examples include:

• Ahrefs Domain Checker
• Moz
• SEMrush
• Google Search Console
• BuzzSumo

These can help you identify high-quality backlinks and referring domains to find patterns and learn who you want to work with later. As such, conduct regular referring domain audits using these to maintain a healthier backlink profile.

If you are still trying to figure out what to do with these tools, you could investigate hiring an expert SEO business to perform this step instead.

The Path to SEO Success via High-Quality Backlinks

Understanding and leveraging backlinks vs. referring domains is one of the best ways to ensure your site is well-trusted by search engines. Creating exceptional content and fostering genuine relationships with sites that link to you is crucial to this process.

Rose & Cactus can help you enhance your site’s search engine performance if you do not have time for these steps. They understand the danger of black hat SEO tactics and will instead hold you up as a paragon of high-quality content. So, reach out today for a personalized SEO strategy to enhance your site’s online performance.

FAQ: Backlinks vs. Referring Domains

What is the difference between backlinks and referring domains?

Backlinks are individual links pointing to your pages; referring domains are the unique websites that host those links. One domain can create multiple backlinks.

Why are referring domains important for SEO?

Google values diversity of sources. Having links from many trustworthy domains signals authority and helps your site rank higher than hundreds of links from a single site.

What makes a backlink high quality?

High-quality backlinks come from reputable, relevant sites with strong domain authority and natural placement within helpful content. They transfer more “link juice” and credibility.

Can bad backlinks hurt my rankings?

Yes. Spammy or irrelevant backlinks can trigger Google penalties or algorithmic devaluation. Use tools like Google Search Console or Ahrefs to find and disavow toxic links.

How can I get more high-quality backlinks?

Publish valuable content (guides, data studies, infographics), build relationships for guest posts or collaborations, and focus on organic mentions from industry peers.

Still unsure how to grow your link profile? Ask Rose & Cactus for a personalized backlink audit.