Is Domain Rating the same as Domain Authority?

Not quite. Domain Rating (DR) is the Ahrefs metric, while Domain Authority (DA) is a similar 0 to 100 score from Moz. Both estimate backlink strength, but they use different data and formulas, so the two numbers rarely match for the same site. Neither one is an official Google metric.

How is Domain Rating calculated?

Ahrefs looks at how many unique websites link to yours and how authoritative those linking sites are. A few links from strong, relevant sites count for far more than many links from weak ones. The scale is logarithmic, so every step up takes meaningfully more link equity than the one before it.

Does Google use Domain Rating?

No. Domain Rating is an Ahrefs score, not a Google ranking factor, so Google does not use it directly. It is still a handy proxy, because the strong backlink profile that earns a high score tends to line up with what helps pages rank. Treat it as a health signal rather than a promise of rankings.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

There is no universal good score, because Domain Rating is relative to your competition. For most local businesses, anything in the 10 to 30 range is a solid foundation, and 40 or above is strong in competitive markets. What matters most is whether your score is climbing and how it stacks up against the sites you compete with in search.

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