Referring domain

A referring domain is a distinct website that has at least one link to your site. If a blog links to you five times, you have five backlinks but only one referring domain. Backlink tools show both numbers.

Referring domains are a better guide to breadth than raw link counts. Many links from one site can be a sitewide footer link, which says little. A spread of different, relevant sites suggests wider recognition. Even so, quality matters more than the count, and tool figures are third party estimates, not Google's data.

Practical point: compare your referring domains with your top competitors, and look at the relevance of each. Ask which sites would be worth earning a link from that you don't have yet. Track growth by month and watch for losses, since links come and go.

LinkHatch's receipts list each link's DR and traffic, so you can see the site behind it.