Difference Between Backlink and Referring Domain
What Is a Backlink?
A Backlink is a hyperlink from one webpage that points to another webpage.
Backlinks are often called inbound links or incoming links because they bring visitors and authority from one website to another.
When a website links to your content, search engines view that link as a signal that your content may be valuable, relevant, or trustworthy.
Backlinks are considered one of the strongest ranking factors in SEO because they help search engines evaluate website authority and popularity.
The more high-quality backlinks a webpage earns, the greater its potential to rank well in search results.
Example of a Backlink
Suppose a blog article contains the following link:
<a href="https://yourwebsite.com">Learn SEO</a>This single hyperlink pointing to your website is one backlink.
Even if multiple links come from the same website, each individual link is counted as a separate backlink.
What Is a Referring Domain?
A Referring Domain is the unique website that sends one or more backlinks to another website.
Unlike backlinks, which count individual links, referring domains count unique websites.
If one website links to your website 100 times, it still counts as only one referring domain.
Search engines often consider referring domains an important trust signal because links coming from a variety of websites indicate broader recognition and credibility.
Generally, earning links from multiple unique domains is more beneficial than receiving many links from a single domain.
Example of a Referring Domain
Imagine the website:
exampleblog.comlinks to your website from:
- Homepage.
- Blog Post 1.
- Blog Post 2.
- Blog Post 3.
- Resource Page.
You receive:
5 Backlinksbut only:
1 Referring Domainbecause all links come from the same website.
| Feature | Backlink | Referring Domain |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A backlink is a hyperlink from one webpage that points to another webpage. | A referring domain is the unique website or domain from which one or more backlinks originate. |
| Main Purpose | Passes authority, traffic, and ranking signals to the target page. | Measures the number of unique websites linking to your website. |
| SEO Importance | Backlinks are one of the most important factors for improving search visibility. | A higher number of quality referring domains usually indicates a stronger backlink profile. |
| What It Counts | Counts every individual link pointing to your website. | Counts only unique domains, regardless of how many links they provide. |
| Example | If one website links to your page 10 times, you have 10 backlinks. | If those 10 links come from the same website, you have only 1 referring domain. |
| Focus Area | Individual links. | Unique linking websites. |
| Quality Factor | The quality of each backlink matters for SEO. | The authority and relevance of each referring domain matter for SEO. |
| Impact on Rankings | High-quality backlinks can improve keyword rankings and website authority. | Multiple high-quality referring domains often have a stronger positive SEO impact than many links from a single website. |
| Link Equity (Link Juice) | Each quality backlink can pass SEO value. | Referring domains contribute authority through their backlinks. |
| Can One Domain Give Multiple Links? | Yes, a single website can create many backlinks. | No, it is counted as one referring domain regardless of the number of links. |
| Best SEO Strategy | Earn relevant and natural backlinks from authoritative pages. | Build backlinks from a wide variety of trusted domains. |
| Spam Risk | Too many low-quality backlinks can harm SEO performance. | Too many low-quality referring domains can reduce website trust. |
| Diversity Importance | Link diversity is important for a natural backlink profile. | Domain diversity is even more important because search engines value links from different sources. |
| Traffic Benefit | Backlinks can bring direct referral traffic. | Referring domains can generate traffic through multiple backlinks. |
| Internal Linking | Internal links are not usually counted as backlinks in SEO tools. | Internal domains are not considered referring domains. |
| Common SEO Tools | Backlinks can be analyzed using tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz. | Referring domains are also tracked by Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz. |
| Authority Building | More quality backlinks help build page and domain authority. | More quality referring domains strengthen the overall trust of a website. |
| Common Mistake | Focusing only on the number of backlinks instead of their quality. | Ignoring domain diversity and getting many links from the same website. |
| EEAT Best Practice | Earn backlinks from expert, trustworthy, and relevant websites. | Build relationships with multiple authoritative websites to gain diverse referring domains. |
| Which Is More Valuable? | A quality backlink is valuable. | A backlink from a new, high-quality referring domain is usually even more valuable. |
| Can They Work Together? | Yes, backlinks build authority and drive traffic. | Yes, referring domains improve backlink diversity and website credibility. |
| Simple Rule to Remember | Backlink = One Link Pointing to Your Website | Referring Domain = One Unique Website Giving Those Links |
| Real-Life Example | Website A links to your blog 5 times and Website B links 3 times. You have 8 backlinks. | Since the links come from only Website A and Website B, you have 2 referring domains. |
How Backlinks Work
Backlinks act like recommendations on the internet. When one website links to another website, it signals to search engines that the linked content may be useful, trustworthy, or relevant. Search engines analyze these links to understand which pages deserve higher visibility in search results.
The backlink helps search engines:
- Discover new content.
- Evaluate page relevance.
- Measure content popularity.
- Transfer authority signals.
- Understand website relationships.
For example, if a well-known technology blog links to your article about SEO, search engines may view your content as more credible because it has been referenced by a trusted source. However, not all backlinks carry the same value. Links from authoritative, relevant, and high-quality websites generally provide more SEO benefits than links from low-quality or unrelated websites.
Backlinks are especially powerful when they are earned naturally through valuable content, as they help improve rankings, increase website authority, and drive referral traffic.
How Referring Domains Work
Referring domains measure the number of unique websites that link to your website. Instead of counting every individual backlink, this metric focuses on how many different domains are sending those links.
Search engines use referring domains as an indicator of trust and popularity. If many different websites link to your content, it suggests that your website is recognized and valued across a broader audience. This is often considered more meaningful than receiving hundreds of links from a single website.
For example:
Website A
1,000 Backlinks
10 Referring DomainsWebsite B
500 Backlinks
250 Referring DomainsAlthough Website A has more backlinks, Website B has links coming from a much larger number of unique websites. In many SEO situations, Website B may be viewed as more authoritative because its content has earned recognition from a wider range of sources.
This diversity helps create a natural backlink profile and often contributes to stronger long-term SEO performance.