---
title: "Referring domains"
url: https://marketingsignals.com/glossary/referring-domains
type: Page
---

# Referring domains

Referring domains explained: how they differ from backlinks, what the data shows about referring domains and traffic, and how to read a site's count.

Link building glossary

## Referring domains

Referring domains are the unique websites that link to a page or site at least once. A domain that links 50 times counts as 50 backlinks but one referring domain, so the referring domain count shows how many separate sites reference a page and is a better measure of reach than total links.

## What is the difference between referring domains and backlinks?

Ahrefs gives a simple example. A page with a backlink from the New York Times has one referring domain. Add a link from Forbes and it has two. Two links from the New York Times is still one referring domain.

The gap between the two numbers matters. Sitewide footer or sidebar links can add thousands of backlinks from a single domain, which inflates a backlink count without adding a new source. Google Search Console's Top linking sites report groups links by root domain and leaves out subdomains, so links from m.example.com appear as example.com.

## Why do referring domains matter?

Ahrefs reports a positive correlation between the number of unique referring domains a page has and the search traffic it gets. In its December 2023 study of around 14 billion pages, about 20 million pages had no referring domains and only 2,997 of them received more than 1,000 search visits a month. Ahrefs is clear that correlation does not prove the links caused the traffic.

## How to read a referring domain count

The number alone says little. These checks give it meaning.

- Watch the trend: steady growth looks earned, sudden spikes deserve a closer look
- Compare with the competitors ranking for the same terms
- Separate relevant, trafficked sites from scrapers and spam directories
- See which pages attract new domains and why
- Review lost referring domains for links worth reclaiming

## Example

A cycling retailer's size guide has 340 backlinks, but 300 come from one partner site's footer. It has 18 referring domains. A competitor's guide with 60 backlinks from 45 referring domains, mostly cycling clubs and magazines, is likely to have the stronger link profile.

## Related terms

- [Backlinks](https://marketingsignals.com/glossary/backlinks)
- [Domain Rating (DR)](https://marketingsignals.com/glossary/domain-rating)
- [Link building](https://marketingsignals.com/glossary/link-building)
- [Link reclamation](https://marketingsignals.com/glossary/link-reclamation)

## Further reading

- [Link Building for SaaS: 20 Strategies That Work](https://marketingsignals.com/insights/saas-link-building-guide)

Our [SaaS Link-Building Agency](https://marketingsignals.com/service/saas-link-building) service puts this into practice for brands in the UK and US.

## Sources

- [What's the difference between referring domains and backlinks?, Ahrefs Help Center](https://help.ahrefs.com/en/articles/2791107-what-s-the-difference-between-referring-domains-and-backlinks)
- [96.55% of Content Gets No Traffic From Google, Ahrefs (1 December 2023)](https://ahrefs.com/blog/search-traffic-study/)
- [Links report, Search Console Help](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9049606)

## Ready To Build Links That Actually Rank?