Referring Domains vs Backlinks: What’s the Difference?

You know about backlinks and why they matter, right? 

But perhaps you are wondering how they are different from referring domains.

This is the place to find out, as we’re going to do a detailed referring domains vs backlinks comparison. In the end, you will not only become familiar with SEO terms but also build smart and effective link building strategies.

What Are Backlinks?

Backlinks are links from one website to another.

Search engines use them to find new pages. So, if your website has no backlinks, it’s invisible and doesn’t exist in a way.

Moreover, backlinks are a sign of credibility and authority, too. When other reputable websites link to you, it’s a signal to Google that your website is also trustworthy. With valuable and relevant backlinks, you will increase your website’s rankings.

Further reading:
Importance of Backlinks  
Can You Rank Without Backlinks?

What Are Referring Domains?

Referring domains are different websites that link to your site.

We already agreed that backlinks really matter, but you may wonder whether linking websites are important as well.

The answer is yes. The more unique websites are linking to you, the stronger your website looks in the eyes of search engines.

Now, let’s take a closer look at the referring domains vs backlinks comparison.

Referring Domains Vs Backlinks: Here’s How They Differ

While referring domains and backlinks are closely related, they aren’t the same, and understanding their differences can help you better plan future link building campaigns.

A backlink is a link from another site to yours.
A referring domain is the website where a backlink to your site comes from.

You can have multiple backlinks from one referring domain, but that domain will still count as just one.

For example:

• If your site gets one backlink each from Ahrefs and SEMrush, that’s two backlinks and two referring domains.
• If you get five backlinks from Ahrefs, you still only have one referring domain, but now you have five backlinks.

It’s also important to keep in mind how quickly you’re building links, which is known as link velocity. If your site suddenly gets a big spike in backlinks, especially from just a few referring domains, this may seem suspicious to search engines.

On the other hand, a steady and natural increase in backlinks from a growing number of referring domains signals healthy, organic growth, which Google loves.

So, when thinking about referring domains vs backlinks, don’t just focus on the raw numbers. Pay attention to how those links build up over time and where they’re coming from.

One Link Per Domain: Why We Use This Approach?

At SayNine, we focus on getting unique backlinks for each client. But why do we use the “one link per domain” method?

Your backlink profile becomes stronger when your links come from different websites. It’s true that getting backlinks from many sites is harder, but it leads to better results in the long run.

Here’s why exactly unique referring domains are important for SEO.

• Higher rankings: Search engines pay attention to how many different sites are linking to you, not just how many backlinks you have. When a variety of websites point to your content, it tells Google your site is trustworthy and worth ranking higher.
  
• Improved traffic: A study by Ahrefs shows there’s a connection between the number of websites linking to a page and its traffic. Each unique domain gives you access to a new audience. So, the more unique sites link to you, the more opportunities you have to attract visitors from different corners of the web.

It’s even better when your backlink comes from a real SaaS website. Because these sites are run by real businesses that want to grow, your backlink gets stronger as their site grows.

By the way, we provide SaaS backlinks that can help your site grow, too. If you’re interested, just contact us, we’d love to help!

3 Tools to Check Your Backlinks and Referring Domains

Now, let’s explore some tools to check both your backlinks and referring domains: a must if you want real insights into the referring domains vs backlinks balance of your site.

Ahrefs

Step 1: Enter your domain in Site Explorer. Then click the Backlinks to view all backlinks pointing to your site.

Step 2: Filter by Domain Rating and the Do follow link tag to see the most valuable backlinks.

Step 3: Go to the Lost tab to find broken backlinks. Then click on the New tab to track recent backlinks.

Step 4: Click referring domains from the left side bar to go through all the linking domains.

Here’s a quick video walkthrough

SEMrush

SEMrush is another popular SEO tool that allows you to review and analyze referring domains and backlinks.

Step 1: Go to your SEMrush account and find the Backlink Analytics feature.

Step 2: Enter your domain and click Analyze.

Step 3: See the total number of backlinks and referring domains.

Step 4: Plus, check the Do Follow vs Nofollow links distribution.

Later, you can run a detailed backlink analysis to see which ones come from good, trustworthy sites. This way, you know which links are helping your site and which ones might not be so useful.

Moz

We also recommend Moz to review your backlinks and referring domains, making it easier to evaluate your referring domains vs backlinks profile in one place.

Step 1: Go to Moz and navigate to Link Explorer. Enter your website URL in the search bar.

Step 2: Check the overview dashboard showing total backlinks, referring domains, and domain authority.

Step 3: Click on Inbound Links to see a complete list of all backlinks pointing to your site.

Step 4: Then, go to the Linking Domains to view all referring domains. Filter results by link type, follow/nofollow status, or anchor text.

Wrapping Up

Now that you know the key differences between referring domains vs backlinks, how to find and use them, you’re ready to take your link building to the next level.

And, if you ever want a hand growing your website with non-shitty backlinks or just have some questions, feel free to get in touch. We’re always happy to help!

Do backlinks matter anymore?

FAQ about referring domains vs backlinks