What is Domain Rating?
Domain Rating (DR) is an Ahrefs score from 0 to 100 that estimates the strength of a website's backlink profile. It looks at how many unique websites link to a domain and how strong those linking sites are themselves.
A link from a high-DR site that links out to few other sites passes more value than a link from a weak site that links to thousands. Backlinks are the core of off-page SEO.
DR vs DA: which domain authority score matters?
DR comes from Ahrefs. DA (Domain Authority) comes from Moz. Both are third-party estimates of link strength, and neither is used directly by Google.
Pick one and use it consistently to compare yourself with competitors. The trend over time is more useful than any single number.
How to increase your Domain Rating
There are no shortcuts that last. These four steps are what we use for clients every month.
Check competitors
Compare your DR with the sites ranking above you to set a realistic target.
Earn relevant links
Outreach to real sites in your industry and region, not link farms.
Publish link-worthy content
Guides, data and local resources that people want to reference.
Keep it steady
Consistent monthly link building beats one big burst.