Referring Domains vs. Backlinks: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters for SEO

The strength and quantity of links pointing to your website (especially backlinks and referring domains) will directly impact how search engines rank the content.

When people first learn about SEO, they get mixed up between referring domains and backlinks, and exactly so will you.

This guide will walk you through both these terms in simple, layman language and make you grasp their impact on your SEO.

After you comprehend how backlinks relate to the referring domains, you will be able to make smarter decisions while link building and hence provide your site with a better opportunity of being ranked in the higher echelons on Google. So, lets get into it about Referring Domains vs. Backlinks:

Referring Domains

The referring domains are different websites that link to your site. So even when many backlinks come from the very same site, it will be considered just one referring domain. According to Google, a large number of good referring domains baited in trust and authority. So, having backlinks on a variety of reputed sites will really work wonders for your SEO.

For Example: If five different blogs link to your website once, then you have five domains. But if one blog happens to link to you five times, you will only have one domain.

Backlinks

Backlinks are unique links from other websites referring other websites; depending upon its nature, it may also be called “inbound” or “outbound links.” Inbound links form one of the major criteria search engines use for content ranking. When a website links to you on the basis of its trust, it implies that the search engine acknowledge the website as a source of useful or valid information.

For example, a health and fitness blog is said to provide a backlink to an article about healthy diets if it references such an article. Now, if the same blog will refer to three different articles on your site, you earn three backlinks though still with one referring domain.

What are the Differences Between Referring Domains & Backlinks

Now after getting to know what are referring domain and backlinks, let’s see what are the differences between them :

How Referring Domains and Backlinks Influence Your SEO Performance

SEO-specific linking domains and backlinks act as trust signals that search engines, with Google being the most prominent, apply to weigh authority and relevance for your website. With their mutual cooperation in bringing about a site’s search engine rankings, however, by virtue of their differences, anyone who wants to set up solid SEO techniques has to understand both.

When search engines assess a website, they take into account both the count of distinct domains linking to it (referring domains) and the overall number of individual backlinks. An assortment of the two indicates that your content is often cited from a variety of legitimate sources.

1. Referring Domains add Diversity and Trustworthiness

As far as Google’s concern, a link from a new domain would indicate that your content is gaining attention over the web. Links coming from a variety of distinct domains often indicate wider popularity and reduce the risk of appearing spammy.

2. Backlinks Pass Authority and Improve Keyword Rankings

An opinion is cast where the backlink site is weighted good or bad, thus your site authority increases rightly in the search engine, so by all means, whether there is just one backlink, or millions, a backlink is still capable of making a difference.

3. Search Engines Prefer Natural Link Profiles

In case your backlinks all come from just some domains, it can raise suspicions. On the other hand, a balanced spread of backlinks across multiple referring domains would look more natural and genuine to algorithms.

4. Context and Anchor Text Matter

Google looks at not only the quantity of links but also their appearance. Links coming with anchor text relevant to the topic from topically similar pages generally tend to have more impact.

5. Helps Distribute Authority within Your Site

Any backlinks to any of your site’s pages can be used by internal links to share that value with other pages. For example, if a blog post has gained links, linking it to a service page shall help that page as well. It improves general SEO and also helps the search engines perceive the site’s structure better.

How to Check Backlinks and Referring Domains

Backlinks and referring domains very much help in SEO improvement. By monitoring the sites linking to yours, you can identify good links, disavow harmful ones, and track performance through time. Some of the most used and reliable backlink and referring domain checker tools are given here.

1. Ahrefs – Comprehensive Backlink & Domain Tracking Tool

It is considered an industry-grade backlink analyzer. Because of Site Explorer, you may enter any domain name and receive a complete list of backlinks with referring domains pointing to it.

• You will get information about Domain Rating (DR), URL Rating (UR), referring domains count, total backlinks, and dofollow/nofollow ratio.
• If you want to track a link that has been newly created, lost, or broken, Ahrefs will allow you to do that. This allows you to track the quality and status of your links over time.
• For competitor research, you’ll find backlinks your competitors are getting and try to obtain the same ones.

2. Google Search Console – Free and Direct from Google

If you want something free and reliable directly from Google, it has to be Search Console.

Under the Links panel you will find:

• The top linked external pages (backlinks)
• The top linking sites (referring domains)
• Anchor text used in those backlinks

This way, you will be able to know which pages in your site are drawing attention at any given time and, maybe most importantly, notice any abrupt increase or decrease in link activity.

3. SEMrush

A very formidable pair of tools for backlink research and analysis for newbies and expert marketers alike are SEMrush’s Backlink Analytics and Backlink Audit Tools.

• It shows referring domains, total backlinks, link types (text/image/form), authority scores, and even IP diversity (to spot PBNs).
• One can keep track of him for new backlinks and lost backlinks and toxic or spammy links that can damage their rankings.
• SEMrush seamlessly connects with Google Search Console and Google Analytics to deliver comprehensive and in-depth insights.

4. Oficly’s Backlink Checker

• What it does: The Backlink Checker really finds and measures referring domains and backlinks, extracting results in real time for each and every customer at zero charges.
• The reason to get it: Being slender and easy to use, it is just great for bloggers, start-ups, or small companies. They can have their backlink check anytime and do not have to worry about paying those subscription fees.
• Bonus: A clear presentation of your link profile is given to you, no matter the need for login or credit card information.

How to Gain More Referring Domains for Your Site

Strong Google rankings are not immediately based on the number of tough backlinks, but rather domain diversity and their importance. Therefore, link-building strategy has to focus on getting links from various trustworthy websites instead of going for one or two sites.

Use some of the very best methods below to expand and strengthen your backlink profile:

1. Create Evergreen Content

Evergreen content is, without a doubt, the best means to earn backlinks from reputed sites. Such articles remain useful and relevant throughout their lifespan and can always be searched for. Thus, they continue to earn backlinks as they are being published, especially when they provide clear solutions or insights on something in great detail.

Other big examples of such content are huge guides, how-tos, and well-researched explanation articles. For example, a “Step-by-Step Guide to Starting a Small Business in 2025” would forever be attractive for backlinks from many blogs, business directories, or educational sites.

Some tips to make your evergreen content more link-worthy:

• Write about topics people continually look up.
• Share information that is as accurate, complete and vivid as possible.
• Other updates will maintain the content most relatable.

2. Leverage Unique Data and Industry Research

Publishing your own research or exclusive insights commonly results in higher-authority backlinks. Every day, websites, journalists, and bloggers search for new information they can cite—and if you become an original respondent, they would definitely give you a backlink.

Sharing useful insights should put your site in the limelight as a thought leader and earns visibility and trust from the community.

• Research or insights worthy of being cited include:
• Survey results from the target audience
• Market or trend analysis or competitor analysis
• Case studies based on performance
• Legal or industry reports
• White papers or lengthy briefs for download

3. Do Strategic Guest Posting

Guest blogging will always be one of the best and most authentic ways to get those fine referring domains. By submitting helpful articles to reputed blogs within your niche, you prove your skill and get a natural backlink in return.

One thing to remember is to look for domains with high Domain Authority (DA) and different IP addresses, maintaining a diverse and reputable backlink profile. Consider sites from your niche since this increases the link value and brings in interested traffic.

When contributing guest posts:

• Place one or two relevant inbound links pointing to appropriate pages on your own website.
• Anchor text needs to be varied and sound natural, steering clear of exact-match keywords to preserve genuine authenticity.
• It should add to the content being discussed and should be in line with the tone and target audience of the host site.

4. Use HARO & Journalist Outreach

Getting featured in other online publications is a key way to gain high-authority backlinks—and HARO remains one of the best tools for that.

HARO serves as an ideal tool that links journalists with knowledgeable experts. If you respond to requests within your niche, your information might be quoted in articles appearing on reputable news sites, blogs, or magazines—with a link to your website!

Some tips should be followed to get the most out of HARO:

• From the daily HARO emails, filter reports matching your field.
• Try to respond fast and professionally, with firm, concise answers.
• Remember to provide your name, position, and website for proper credit.

5. List Your Site in High-Quality Directories

Getting useful backlinks and referring domains from a good and reputable directory is one of the easiest ways to generate backlinks. These websites are trusted by Google and thus are able to raise more awareness of the site.

Try to stick to directories that are well known in your niche, e.g., business groups, local listings, or websites associated with your line of work. Stay away from those directories that are bad or spammy. It’s better to be a member of a handful of quality directories than of many substandard directories.

6. Create Free Tools or Resources

Offering free and useful tools on your website is a very effective method to naturally earn backlinks and referring domains. Think of practical resources such as budget calculators, legal templates, SEO checklists, or downloadable planners for any kind of solution to a problem a customer might face.

As a truly helpful tool, other websites will reference your tool and link to it in their content. These resources tend to be shared often, organically acquire backlinks, and maintain a high level of user retention for your site.

In Conclusion

Concurrently with being oft intermingled in the SEO discussions, knowing the difference between them can affect your SEO strategy significantly. A backlink is an inbound link to your site, whereas referring domain is a count of all the unique websites linking to you.

More referring domains, especially of high authority and relevance, mean more trust built in front of search engines. However, never keep in mind that it’s all about creating as many links as possible. The worth comes from a well-quality diverse link profile that will grow naturally over time.

If your main concern is a long-lasting high visibility and rankings, then an additional emphasis should be placed on securing worthy backlinks coming from all sorts of different sources. Precisely, a solid mixture of quantity and quality will ensure a competitive advantage for your website in the long term.