If you want your website to rank higher on Google and attract more organic traffic, understanding your SEO metrics is a must. These metrics give you insight into how your site is performing in search engines—and help you identify where you can improve.
Two of the most important SEO metrics you’ll come across, especially when using tools like Ahrefs, are Domain Rating (DR) and URL Rating (UR). These numbers might sound a bit technical at first, but they play a big role in helping you build your website’s authority and improve your chances of ranking higher in search results.
So, what exactly are DR and UR? In simple terms, DR measures the overall strength of your website’s backlink profile, while UR focuses on the strength of a specific page on your site. The higher these scores are, the more “trustworthy” your site looks in the eyes of search engines.
In this article, we’re going to break down what counts as a “good” DR and UR, how these scores are calculated, why they matter, and—most importantly—what you can do to improve them. We’ll also clear up some common myths that confuse a lot of website owners. Whether you’re a beginner or just brushing up on SEO, this guide will give you the clarity you need.
What Are DR and UR?
If you’ve been digging into SEO tools like Ahrefs, you’ve probably come across two important terms: Domain Rating (DR) and URL Rating (UR). These are key metrics that help you understand how strong your website—or a specific page on your site—is in terms of backlinks. Let’s break them down in simple terms.
Domain Rating (DR)
Domain Rating (DR) is a score that shows the overall strength of your website’s backlink profile. In other words, it tells you how authoritative your domain is based on the number and quality of other websites that link to you.
DR is measured on a logarithmic scale from 0 to 100. That means it gets harder to increase your score as you go higher. For example, going from DR 10 to 20 is a lot easier than going from 70 to 80. This system helps reflect the reality of the web, where only a few websites have extremely strong backlink profiles.
Ahrefs calculates DR by looking at how many unique domains are linking to your site, and more importantly, how authoritative those linking domains are. So if you get a backlink from a high-authority site (like Forbes or Wikipedia), that has a bigger impact than getting 10 links from small, low-authority blogs.
A higher DR usually means your website is seen as more trustworthy, which can help improve your visibility in search engines. However, DR is a domain-wide metric—it applies to your whole site, not just one page.
URL Rating (UR)
While DR looks at your whole domain, URL Rating (UR) zooms in on a single page. UR shows the strength of a specific page’s backlink profile, which is important because search engines rank individual pages, not just domains.
UR is also measured on a 0 to 100 scale, and it considers both the number and quality of backlinks pointing to that exact page. Pages with high UR often perform better in search results, especially if the content is well-written and relevant.
One big factor that impacts UR is direct backlinks—meaning links that go straight to that page. While internal links (links from other pages on your own site) can help, UR is mostly about external links.
Why DR and UR Matter in SEO
You might be wondering—why should I even care about DR and UR? Well, if you’re serious about improving your website’s visibility on Google, these two metrics are extremely helpful. While they’re not direct ranking factors used by Google, they provide strong indicators of SEO health, especially when it comes to backlinks.
Impact on Keyword Rankings
Let’s start with the most important thing for most website owners: ranking higher on Google. Pages with a higher UR tend to rank better for their target keywords, especially in competitive niches. That’s because a strong backlink profile tells search engines, “Hey, this page is trusted by others—maybe it should be shown to more people.” Similarly, websites with higher DR usually have an easier time ranking new pages, simply because they’ve already built up authority across the board.
Trust and Authority
Backlinks are like votes from other websites. The more high-quality votes you get, the more trusted your website becomes in the eyes of search engines. A higher DR reflects that overall trust, while a higher UR shows that a specific page has earned that trust. In short: Google rewards trustworthy content, and DR/UR help you measure that trust.
Link-Building Relevance
When building backlinks, it’s not just about getting any link—it’s about getting the right links. If you’re reaching out for guest posts or partnerships, it’s smart to target websites with higher DR. A backlink from a site with DR 60+ will usually carry a lot more weight than one from a site with DR 10. And if that link points to a specific page, it can also boost that page’s UR significantly.
Competitive Benchmarking
Lastly, DR and UR give you a way to size up the competition. If you’re in a niche and notice that top-ranking pages all have UR 40+ and belong to domains with DR above 50, that gives you a sense of the level you need to reach. Without these metrics, you’re flying blind in the SEO game.
What Is a “Good” DR and UR?
So now that you know what DR and UR are and why they matter, the big question is: What’s considered a “good” score? The answer depends a lot on your website’s goals, niche, and competition. But to give you a practical idea, let’s look at some benchmarks and real-world examples.
Benchmarks for Domain Rating (DR)
DR 0–20: New or Low-Authority Sites
If your website is brand new or hasn’t had much link-building activity, your DR will likely fall in this range. This isn’t a bad thing—it’s just the starting point. Every website begins here. During this phase, focus on creating quality content and earning your first backlinks.
DR 20–40: Growing, Good for Local Businesses and Niche Blogs
This is a healthy range for small businesses, local websites, or niche blogs. It shows that you’ve started building some authority and your content may already be ranking for less competitive keywords. Most websites stay in this range for a while as they slowly grow their backlink profile.
DR 40–60: Competitive and SEO-Savvy
Websites in this range are usually putting consistent effort into SEO and link-building. They’re capable of ranking for medium-competition keywords, and Google tends to trust them. Reaching DR 50+ is a big milestone and opens the door to more organic traffic and link opportunities.
DR 60+: High-Authority, Strong Domains
These are established websites with a solid reputation and strong backlink networks. At this level, your site can compete in high-volume, competitive spaces. It’s where content starts ranking faster and link-building gets easier—because people now want to link to you.
DR 80+: Elite Status
This range is reserved for the internet’s giants—major publishers, government sites, tech giants, etc. Think of websites like Forbes, Wikipedia, or YouTube. If you’re here, you’re dominating your space.
Benchmarks for URL Rating (UR)
Unlike DR, UR measures the strength of an individual page, which can vary a lot across a website. Here’s how to interpret those numbers:
UR 0–20: Weak or New Page
These pages are either newly published or haven’t received any backlinks yet. This is a common UR range for brand-new blog posts or pages that aren’t actively promoted.
UR 20–40: Decent Authority
This range means the page has started to earn links and has some traction. It may already be ranking for long-tail or low-competition keywords. Most blog posts with a bit of outreach or internal linking can reach this level.
UR 40–60: Strong Page
Pages in this range typically have multiple quality backlinks, possibly from high-DR websites. These are often well-researched guides, tools, or resources that naturally attract links.
UR 60+: Very Strong and Popular
Pages here are usually link magnets—think original research, industry reports, or viral content. They tend to perform very well in search and are likely to generate consistent organic traffic.
Real-World Examples
Let’s compare the DR and UR of a few well-known sites (as of the latest Ahrefs data):
| Website | Domain Rating (DR) | Typical Page UR | Notes |
| HubSpot | 92 | 50–70 | Huge authority in marketing, thousands of referring domains. |
| Medium.com | 94 | 30–60 | High DR, but individual articles have varying UR based on shares and links. |
| Local Blog Site | 20–35 | 10–25 | Smaller backlink profile, focused on a niche. Still valuable if targeting local SEO. |
This comparison shows that even on a high-DR site, UR depends on how well a specific page performs. And for smaller sites, building even a few high-quality links can make a big difference.
How to Check DR and UR (With Tools)
If you’re ready to start tracking your website’s DR and UR, the good news is: it’s super easy. You don’t need to be an SEO expert or have fancy software—though the right tools can make a big difference.
Ahrefs: The Main Tool
The most accurate and widely used tool to check Domain Rating (DR) and URL Rating (UR) is Ahrefs. Simply go to Ahrefs Site Explorer, enter your website URL, and you’ll see your DR and UR displayed right at the top.
Ahrefs also gives you a breakdown of:
- The number of referring domains
- Backlinks pointing to your site or specific pages
- Anchor texts, link quality, and more
If you’re serious about SEO, the full version of Ahrefs is a great investment. But if you’re on a tight budget, there are some free options too.
Free Alternatives (With Limitations)
- Ubersuggest: Offers a free version with a basic domain authority score and some backlink data.
- Moz Link Explorer: Uses Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA) instead of DR/UR. While similar in concept, DA is not the same as DR—they’re calculated using different methods and data.
Keep in mind, free tools often update less frequently and may have limited data. Still, they’re useful for getting a rough idea of your site’s authority.
Bonus: Install Ahrefs SEO Toolbar (Free)
Ahrefs also offers a free browser extension (for Chrome and Firefox) called the Ahrefs SEO Toolbar. It shows you the DR and UR of any website or page you visit, instantly—right in your browser.
Just install it, and you’ll start seeing DR/UR scores directly on search results and websites.
How to Improve Your DR and UR
Improving your Domain Rating (DR) and URL Rating (UR) takes time, effort, and a bit of strategy—but the payoff is worth it. Higher scores mean stronger backlink profiles, which can lead to better keyword rankings, more organic traffic, and increased trust from search engines and users alike.
Let’s look at some smart ways to boost both DR and UR without falling into spammy traps.
Link-Building Strategies That Actually Work
One of the most direct ways to improve DR and UR is through high-quality backlinks. Here are a few proven strategies:
- Guest Posting: Reach out to relevant blogs in your niche and offer to write valuable content in exchange for a backlink. Make sure the site has a decent DR and isn’t filled with low-quality or paid guest posts.
- HARO (Help a Reporter Out): This free platform connects journalists with expert sources. Answering a journalist’s query can land you a backlink from high-authority media sites like Forbes, Business Insider, or Huffington Post.
- Niche Edits (Contextual Backlinks): These are links inserted into existing articles. Find relevant posts already ranking in your niche and pitch an editor or blogger to include your link where it naturally adds value.
These types of backlinks improve DR by boosting your domain’s overall authority and UR when the link points to a specific page.
Create Link-Worthy Content (a.k.a. Linkable Assets)
If you want people to link to your site, give them something worth linking to. These are called linkable assets, and they include:
- Original Research or Data: If you run a survey or collect interesting stats, other bloggers and journalists will often cite your findings.
- In-Depth Guides: Evergreen content that thoroughly explains a topic tends to attract backlinks over time.
- Infographics or Visuals: Shareable graphics can be a magnet for links—just make sure they’re easy to embed and credit your site.
Creating this kind of content can significantly increase the UR of individual pages while also contributing to your site’s DR growth over time.
Use Smart Internal Linking
While external links get most of the attention, internal linking is also a powerful tool—especially for increasing UR.
When you link from high-authority pages on your site to newer or lower-UR pages, you pass on some of that authority. This helps search engines discover and rank those pages faster.
Tip: Use descriptive anchor text and make sure links are natural and helpful for users.
Avoid Spammy Backlinks
Not all backlinks are good. In fact, spammy or low-quality backlinks can hurt your site’s reputation.
Avoid:
- Buying backlinks (especially from shady sellers)
- Participating in link farms or private blog networks (PBNs)
- Overusing exact-match anchor text unnaturally
Use tools like Ahrefs’ Backlink Profile or Google Search Console to regularly audit your backlinks. If you find harmful links, consider using Google’s Disavow Tool to tell the search engine to ignore them.
Monitor Your Progress
Keep an eye on your backlink growth to understand what’s working. Here’s how:
- Ahrefs: Use the “Referring Domains” and “Backlink” reports to track new links and spot any toxic domains.
- Google Search Console: Under “Links,” you can view top linked pages and websites pointing to your site.
Monitoring helps you double down on strategies that work and quickly address any negative SEO issues.
Improving your DR and UR doesn’t happen overnight, but with consistent effort, smart content, and ethical link-building, your scores will start climbing—and so will your rankings.
Common Misconceptions About DR and UR
As useful as DR and UR are, there are a few common misunderstandings that often lead people astray. Let’s clear them up so you can make smarter decisions for your SEO strategy.
DR and UR Are Not Direct Google Ranking Factors
Let’s get this straight: Google does not use DR or UR in its algorithm. These are metrics created by Ahrefs to help estimate the strength of a site’s backlink profile. That said, they do reflect factors that Google does care about—like the number and quality of backlinks. So while DR and UR are helpful indicators, don’t treat them like a golden ticket to the top of Google.
A High DR Doesn’t Guarantee SEO Success
Just because your domain has a DR of 70 doesn’t mean your content will automatically rank #1. SEO involves many factors—content quality, user experience, technical SEO, and more. A high DR can give you a boost, but you still need to optimize each page for keywords and search intent.
Relevance and Quality Matter More Than Quantity
It’s easy to chase as many backlinks as possible to boost your DR, but link quality always beats quantity. A few links from relevant, authoritative websites will do far more for your SEO than dozens of links from random, unrelated sites.
DR Can Drop Even if Your Traffic Grows (and Vice Versa)
Here’s a curveball: you might see your DR go down even while your site is getting more traffic and ranking better. That’s because DR is based on backlinks, not search traffic. Google might rank your content higher due to quality and relevance, even if your DR hasn’t changed—or has dropped slightly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When it comes to SEO metrics like DR and UR, there’s a lot of confusion out there. Let’s break down some of the most common questions people have so you can move forward with confidence.
What’s the difference between DA, DR, UR, and PA?
These are all metrics created by SEO tools to measure website and page authority—but they come from different platforms and use different formulas.
- DA (Domain Authority) and PA (Page Authority) are metrics developed by Moz.
- DR (Domain Rating) and UR (URL Rating) are from Ahrefs.
Both DA and DR measure the overall authority of a domain, while PA and UR measure the authority of individual pages. None of these are official Google metrics, but they’re helpful for estimating how competitive a site or page might be in search results.
How often do DR and UR update?
Ahrefs updates DR and UR almost daily, but keep in mind that changes might not be instantly visible. You might see fluctuations depending on how many backlinks you’ve gained or lost, or changes in the link profiles of sites linking to you.
So, if your score goes up or down slightly, don’t panic—it’s normal. Look for trends over time, not day-to-day jumps.
Is a higher DR always better?
Not necessarily. A high DR can be helpful for building trust and attracting backlinks, but it doesn’t guarantee high rankings or traffic. For example, a site with DR 70 and poor content might still struggle to rank, while a DR 30 site with excellent, relevant content can perform really well.
Focus on content quality, keyword targeting, and user experience, not just chasing a number.
How do DR and UR affect local SEO?
In local SEO, relevance and trust are key. While DR and UR can help your site build credibility, you don’t need super high scores to rank well locally. Many local businesses with DR in the 20–40 range can dominate their area if they’re targeting the right keywords, getting local backlinks (like from directories and local news sites), and optimizing their Google Business Profile.
In short: DR and UR help—but they’re not everything when it comes to local search success.
Final Thoughts: What Is a Good DR and UR for a Website?
Understanding what is a good DR and UR for a website is essential if you’re serious about growing your online presence. While Domain Rating (DR) and URL Rating (UR) aren’t direct Google ranking factors, they’re incredibly useful for tracking your site’s SEO authority and guiding your link-building efforts.
Think of DR and UR as directional metrics—tools that help you spot opportunities, assess competition, and measure the impact of your backlink strategy over time. But they’re not the whole picture. Content quality, relevance, and user experience matter just as much.
To improve DR and UR:
- Focus on creating valuable content others want to link to.
- Build high-quality backlinks from relevant sources.
- Use internal linking to boost your page-level authority.
Don’t forget to check your scores regularly using tools like Ahrefs, Moz, or Ubersuggest, and track how your efforts pay off.
Ready to see where your site stands? Try analyzing your domain authority score today and start planning your next move.
SEO Optimization Tips Recap
- Target keyword used: what is a good DR and UR for a website
- LSI keywords integrated: Domain Rating, URL Rating, Ahrefs metrics, improve DR, improve UR, SEO authority, domain authority score
- Schema Tip: Add FAQPage schema markup for your FAQ section.
- Internal Linking Suggestions:
- Backlink strategies for beginners
- DA vs DR: What’s the difference?
- Best SEO tools to track website authority
- Backlink strategies for beginners
- Visual Tip: Use screenshots from Ahrefs and custom graphics comparing DR/UR ranges for better engagement.
FAQs:DR and UR
What is considered a good DR for a website?
A good Domain Rating (DR) depends on your goals and industry. Generally, DR 20–40 is solid for local businesses or niche blogs, while DR 60+ is competitive and can rank for high-volume keywords. Elite sites like major publishers often have DR 80 or higher.
What is a good UR score for a page?
A URL Rating (UR) of 20–40 indicates decent authority, while 40–60+ shows the page likely has strong backlinks and high-quality content. UR 60+ pages typically rank well in competitive search results due to their powerful backlink profile.
Can a site with low DR still rank on Google?
Yes! While a high DR can help, Google prioritizes relevance, content quality, and user experience. Even sites with DR under 30 can rank well if they produce valuable content and use proper on-page SEO.
How often should I check my DR and UR?
Check your DR and UR monthly or after major link-building efforts. Tools like Ahrefs update these metrics regularly, so you can track progress and spot backlink trends over time.
Do DR and UR affect local SEO?
Yes, but they’re just part of the puzzle. For local SEO, factors like proximity, local citations, Google Business Profile optimization, and reviews matter more. Still, improving DR and UR can boost trust and visibility.
