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What Is a Referring Domain?
A referring domain is an outer website that links to a circumstantial website oregon webpage.
If Website A links to Website B, past Website A is the referring domain for that link.
If 3 antithetic websites nexus to your blog post, past your blog station has 3 referring domains.
Backlinks vs. Referring Domains
Backlinks are links that a website gets from different websites, and websites that supply backlinks are referring domains.
If Website A links to your website twice, past you person 2 backlinks from 1 referring domain.
The website that receives a backlink is the people domain.

Why Are Referring Domains Important successful SEO?
Referring domains are important successful search motor optimization (SEO) due to the fact that they tin impact your website’s integrated (unpaid) visibility successful Google.
Basically, Google looks astatine referring domains arsenic an indicator of a website’s oregon webpage’s quality.
If your website oregon webpage has backlinks from tons of high-quality domains, Google whitethorn fertile it higher successful applicable hunt results.
And this tin assistance you get much postulation from Google.
Pages ranking #1 successful Google person implicit 200 referring domains connected average. While pages ranking astatine #10 person less 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 prime if it’s relevant and reputable.
Relevant domains are sites that are topically related to the people site.
Backlinks from applicable sites whitethorn transportation much SEO value due to the fact that these links are much apt to correspond genuine and well-informed endorsements.
Reputable domains are established websites that are fashionable and well-regarded successful their niche.
Backlinks from these sites whitethorn transportation much SEO value due to the fact that Google tin spot these sites more.
You tin get an thought of a website’s estimation with Semrush’s Authority Score (AS) metric, which measures authoritativeness connected a standard 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 person small to nary interaction connected your SEO.
And backlinks from spammy domains (websites that interruption Google’s spam policies) tin enactment your website astatine hazard of a Google penalty that volition harm your SEO.
How to Check Your Referring Domains
You tin spot immoderate of your referring domains by going to the “Links” > “Top linking sites” study successful Google Search Console.
(If you request assistance getting started with the platform, work Semrush’s Google Search Console guide.)
The “Top linking sites” study shows the domains that nexus to your website the most.
For each referring website, you tin see:
- Linking pages: How galore pages connected the referring domain see astatine slightest 1 nexus to your site
- Target pages: How galore antithetic pages connected your website the referring domain links to

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

Learn More with the Backlink Analytics Tool
You tin larn much astir your referring domains with Semrush’s Backlink Analytics tool.
Enter the domain, subdomain, subfolder, oregon nonstop URL you privation to check.
Then, click “Analyze.”

Go to the “Referring Domains” study to spot your referring domains and utile metrics.
These metrics (e.g., Authority Score) tin amusement you high-quality and low-quality domains.

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

The “Referring Domains” study besides allows you to use a “Lost” filter.
This filter reveals websites that utilized to nexus to you but nary longer do.

If you suffer a backlink from a prime domain, it whitethorn beryllium worthy contacting the website and trying to get that backlink reinstated.
How to Get More Referring Domains
To get much high-quality referring domains to springiness you backlinks, you request to prosecute successful link building.
You tin usage galore link gathering tactics, including:
- Broken nexus building: Find breached backlinks to your ain oregon competitors’ websites and get them replaced with relevant, functional links to your website
- Finding unlinked mentions: Identify unlinked references to your marque online and transportation the creators to adhd a applicable nexus to your website
- Becoming a source: Respond to media requests for commentary and inquire creators to recognition your contributions with a link
- Creating linkable assets: Publish high-quality contented that applicable creators volition privation to stock with their readers oregon usage arsenic a source
You tin elevate your nexus gathering strategy with Semrush’s Link Building Tool.
The instrumentality analyzes your competitors and people keywords to place domains that mightiness nexus to you. It besides helps you negociate your email pitches, way your backlinks, and overmuch more.
