{"id":13555,"date":"2025-06-16T18:47:02","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T14:47:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/?p=13555"},"modified":"2026-03-19T16:28:44","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T12:28:44","slug":"referring-domains-vs-backlinks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/blog\/referring-domains-vs-backlinks\/","title":{"rendered":"Referring Domains vs Backlinks: What&#8217;s the Difference?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>You know about backlinks and why they matter, right?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But perhaps you are wondering how they are different from referring domains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the place to find out, as we\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Are Backlinks?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Backlinks are links from one website to another.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Search engines use them to find new pages. So, if your website has no backlinks, it\u2019s invisible and doesn\u2019t exist in a way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, backlinks are a sign of credibility and authority, too.<em> <\/em>When other reputable websites link to you, it\u2019s a signal to Google that your website is also trustworthy. With valuable and relevant backlinks, you will increase your website\u2019s rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Further reading:<br><a href=\"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/blog\/importance-of-backlinks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Importance of Backlinks&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/blog\/can-you-rank-without-backlinks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Can You Rank Without Backlinks?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Are Referring Domains?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Referring domains are different websites that link to your site.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We already agreed that backlinks really matter, but you may wonder whether linking websites are important as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The answer is yes. The more unique websites are linking to you, the stronger your website looks in the eyes of search engines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, let&#8217;s take a closer look at the referring domains vs backlinks comparison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Referring Domains Vs Backlinks: Here&#8217;s How They Differ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While referring domains and backlinks are closely related, they aren\u2019t the same, and understanding their differences can help you better plan future <a href=\"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/blog\/link-building-campaign\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">link building campaigns<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A <strong>backlink<\/strong> is a link from another site to yours. <br>A <strong>referring domain<\/strong> is the website where a backlink to your site comes from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can have multiple <strong>backlinks<\/strong> from one <strong>referring domain<\/strong>, but that domain will still count as just <strong>one<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If your site gets <strong>one backlink each<\/strong> from Ahrefs and SEMrush, that\u2019s <strong>two backlinks<\/strong> and <strong>two referring domains<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you get <strong>five backlinks from Ahrefs<\/strong>, you still only have <strong>one referring domain<\/strong>, but now you have <strong>five backlinks<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s also important to keep in mind <strong>how quickly<\/strong> you\u2019re building links, which is known as <em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/blog\/link-velocity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">link velocity<\/a><\/strong><\/em>. If your site suddenly gets a big spike in backlinks, especially from just a few referring domains, this may seem suspicious to search engines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, when thinking about referring domains vs backlinks, don\u2019t just focus on the raw numbers. Pay attention to how those links build up over time and where they\u2019re coming from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">One Link Per Domain: Why We Use This Approach?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At SayNine, we focus on getting unique backlinks for each client. But why do we use the \u201cone link per domain\u201d method? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your backlink profile becomes stronger when your links come from different websites. It\u2019s true that getting backlinks from many sites is harder, but it leads to better results in the long run. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s why exactly unique referring domains are important for SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Higher rankings:<\/strong> 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.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Improved traffic<\/strong>: A <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/search-traffic-study\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">study by Ahrefs<\/a> shows there&#8217;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.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By the way, we provide <a href=\"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/link-building-services\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SaaS backlinks<\/a> that can help your site grow, too. If you\u2019re interested, just contact us, we\u2019d love to help!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3 Tools to Check Your Backlinks and Referring Domains<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, let&#8217;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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ahrefs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 1: <\/strong>Enter your domain in Site Explorer. Then click the <strong>Backlinks<em> <\/em><\/strong>to view all backlinks pointing to your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 2: <\/strong>Filter by<em> <strong>Domain Rating<\/strong> <\/em>and the <em><strong>Do follow<\/strong><\/em> link tag to see the most valuable backlinks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 3: <\/strong>Go to the <em><strong>Lost <\/strong><\/em>tab to find broken backlinks. Then click on the <em><strong>New <\/strong><\/em>tab to track recent backlinks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 4<\/strong>: Click <strong><em>referring domains<\/em><\/strong> from the left side bar to go through all the linking domains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s a quick video walkthrough <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-lazy\" data-video-id=\"DYGbusnimgA\" data-start=\"0\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">SEMrush<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>SEMrush is another popular SEO tool that allows you to review and analyze referring domains and backlinks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 1:<\/strong> Go to your SEMrush account and find the<em> <strong>Backlink Analytics<\/strong><\/em> feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 2:<\/strong> Enter your domain and click <em><strong>Analyze<\/strong><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 3:<\/strong> See the total number of backlinks and referring domains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"864\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Frame-5-1-1920x864.png\" alt=\"SEMrush dashboard showing backlinks and referring domains\" class=\"wp-image-13574\" srcset=\"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Frame-5-1-1920x864.png 1920w, https:\/\/saynine.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Frame-5-1-scaled-600x270.png 600w, https:\/\/saynine.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Frame-5-1-400x180.png 400w, https:\/\/saynine.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Frame-5-1-768x346.png 768w, https:\/\/saynine.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Frame-5-1-1536x691.png 1536w, https:\/\/saynine.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Frame-5-1-2048x922.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 4<\/strong>: Plus, check the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/blog\/nofollow-links\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em><strong>Do Follow vs Nofollow<\/strong> <\/em>links<\/a> distribution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-lazy\" data-video-id=\"9FPAauS4djc\" data-start=\"0\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Later, you can run a detailed <a href=\"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/blog\/backlink-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">backlink analysis<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Moz<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 1:<\/strong> Go to Moz and navigate to <em><strong>Link Explorer<\/strong>.<\/em> Enter your website URL in the search bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 2:<\/strong> Check the overview dashboard showing total backlinks, referring domains, and domain authority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Step 3:<\/strong> Click on <strong><em>Inbound Links<\/em> <\/strong>to see a complete list of all backlinks pointing to your site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Step 4: Then, go to the <em><strong>Linking Domains<\/strong><\/em> to view all referring domains. Filter results by link type, follow\/nofollow status, or anchor text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-lazy\" data-video-id=\"O7HNt0y1X7M\" data-start=\"0\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wrapping Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you know the key differences between referring domains vs backlinks, how to find and use them, you\u2019re ready to take your link building to the next level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And, if you ever want a hand growing your website with <strong>non-shitty backlinks<\/strong> or just have some questions, feel free to get in touch. We\u2019re always happy to help!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do backlinks matter anymore?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQ about referring domains vs backlinks<\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list\">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1750085064162\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">Do backlinks matter anymore?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>Yes, backlinks matter, and they are still important for improving a website&#8217;s SEO performance.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1750085078637\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">Which is the most powerful type of backlink?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>Do follow backlinks are considered the most valuable type of backlinks. However, they need to come from reputable and trusted websites.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1750085103652\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">How to increase referring domains?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>Run a link building outreach campaign to find relevant websites and reach out for backlinks.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1750085147218\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">Can my website rank without backlinks?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>No, it\u2019s not likely your website can rank without backlinks. Google uses links to find pages and see which ones are important.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You know about backlinks and why they matter, right?&nbsp; But perhaps you are wondering how they are different from referring domains. This is the place to find out, as we\u2019re 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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":16023,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-linkbuilding"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13555","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13555"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13555\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15624,"href":"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13555\/revisions\/15624"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16023"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13555"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13555"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saynine.ai\/ru\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13555"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}