When it comes to measuring a website’s authority and SEO potential, DR and DA metrics are two of the most widely used indicators. If you’re serious about improving your search engine rankings and building a strong backlink profile, understanding these metrics is essential.
In this article, we’ll break down what DR and DA metrics are, how they differ, and how you can use them to guide your SEO strategy.
What Are DR and DA Metrics?
DR (Domain Rating) is a metric developed by Ahrefs, while DA (Domain Authority) is developed by Moz. Both are designed to estimate a domain’s strength in terms of backlink profile and its likelihood to rank higher in search engine results.
Domain Rating (DR): Ahrefs’ DR measures the strength of a website’s backlink profile on a scale from 0 to 100. It focuses purely on link equity — the number and quality of external links pointing to a domain.
Domain Authority (DA): Moz’s DA also scores domains from 0 to 100, but it considers additional factors like MozRank, MozTrust, and link root domains. It’s a broader measurement of a domain’s ranking potential.
Although these are third-party metrics (not used by Google), DR and DA metrics are highly useful for SEO professionals when evaluating link-building opportunities and tracking website authority growth.
Key Differences Between DR and DA Metrics
Feature
Domain Authority (DA)
Domain Rating (DR)
Tool Provider
Moz
Ahrefs
Scale
0 – 100
0 – 100
Primary Focus
Overall ranking ability
Backlink strength
Update Frequency
Periodic
Daily
Link Quality Impact
High
High
While DA considers a broader set of signals, DR is more focused on the strength and quantity of backlinks.
Why DR and DA Metrics Matter for SEO
Measure Website Authority A higher DR or DA generally means a site has stronger SEO potential and is more trustworthy in the eyes of search engines.
Evaluate Backlink Opportunities When selecting websites for guest posting or link-building campaigns, high DR and DA metrics indicate more valuable linking opportunities.
Benchmarking Competitors You can analyze your competitors’ DR and DA metrics to identify how strong their domains are and where you might improve.
Track SEO Progress As your backlink profile improves, you’ll often see a gradual rise in your DR and DA metrics, reflecting increased domain strength.
How to Improve Your DR and DA Metrics
Acquire High-Quality Backlinks: Focus on getting links from authoritative and relevant sites in your niche.
Avoid Spammy Links: Low-quality or toxic backlinks can hurt your authority scores.
Create Shareable Content: Publish original research, guides, infographics, and tools that naturally attract backlinks.
Improve Internal Linking: Strengthen the link structure within your own site to enhance crawlability and equity distribution.
Fix Technical SEO Issues: A technically healthy website is more likely to retain authority and ranking.
Tools to Check DR and DA Metrics
Ahrefs Site Explorer (for DR)
Moz Link Explorer (for DA)
Ubersuggest (shows both metrics)
SEOquake or MozBar (browser extensions)
Final Thoughts
While Google doesn’t officially use DR and DA metrics in its ranking algorithm, they are reliable indicators of a site’s SEO strength and trustworthiness. Using these metrics together can give you a comprehensive view of your domain authority and help you make smarter link-building and content decisions.
Keep in mind that DR and DA are just tools — the ultimate goal is building a website that delivers value, earns quality backlinks, and ranks well organically.