What is URL Rating?
URL Rating (UR) is an SEO metric developed by Ahrefs that measures the strength of a specific page's backlink profile on a 0-100 logarithmic scale. Similar to Domain Rating (which measures overall domain strength), URL Rating focuses on individual pages.
Key Characteristics:
- Scale: 0-100, logarithmic (harder to increase as you go higher)
- Page-Level: Measures individual pages, not entire domains
- Backlink-Focused: Based primarily on quantity and quality of backlinks
- Relative: UR is relative to other websites in Ahrefs' database
How URL Rating Is Calculated
URL Rating considers:
Backlink Quantity:
- Number of unique domains linking to the page
- Total number of backlinks
- URL Rating of linking pages
- Domain Rating of linking domains
- Relevance of linking sites
- Dofollow links pass full authority
- Nofollow links have minimal impact on UR
- Going from UR 10 to 20 is easier than 80 to 90
- Each point becomes harder to achieve as UR increases
URL Rating vs Domain Rating
| Aspect | URL Rating | Domain Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Single page | Entire domain |
| Use Case | Page-level SEO decisions | Overall site authority |
| Typical Value | Lower than DR (usually) | Higher (accumulates all pages) |
| Example | Blog post ranking | Homepage authority |
Example Scenario:
A homepage might have DR 70 (accumulated authority from all backlinks), but a specific blog post might have UR 35 (only backlinks directly to that page).
Why URL Rating Matters
SEO Performance
Search Rankings:
Higher UR pages tend to rank better because they have stronger backlink profiles. Search engines interpret quality backlinks as endorsements.
Link Building:
When acquiring backlinks, getting links from high-UR pages passes more authority than links from low-UR pages.
Content Strategy:
UR helps identify which pages on your site have earned strong backlinks and can be leveraged for internal linking.
Competitive Analysis
Benchmarking:
Compare your UR to competitors targeting the same keywords. If your UR is significantly lower, you may need more quality backlinks.
Gap Analysis:
Identify pages where you're competitive in UR and where you're disadvantaged.
Typical URL Rating Values
Understanding the Scale:
| UR Range | Description | Ranking Potential |
|---|---|---|
| 0-20 | New or few backlinks | Low competition keywords only |
| 21-40 | Some authority building | Moderate competition possible |
| 41-60 | Established authority | Competitive keywords achievable |
| 61-80 | Strong authority | High competition keywords viable |
| 81-100 | Exceptional authority | Can rank for very competitive terms |
Realistic Expectations:
- New pages start at UR 0
- Quality content + outreach can reach 20-40 UR in 6-12 months
- Viral content or comprehensive guides can reach 40-60 UR
- Pages linking to your site also boost your site's DR
Improving URL Rating
1. Create Link-Worthy Content
Content Types That Attract Links:
- Original research and studies
- Comprehensive guides (3,000+ words)
- Data visualizations and infographics
- Free tools and calculators
- Expert roundups and surveys
2. Link Building Outreach
Effective Strategies:
- Guest posting on quality sites
- HARO (Help a Reporter) responses
- Broken link building
- Resource page link building
- Digital PR and newsworthy content
3. Internal Linking
Leverage High-UR Pages:
- Identify your highest UR pages
- Internally link from these to target pages
- Pass authority strategically to important content
4. Promote Your Content
Distribution Channels:
- Social media shares (don't directly impact UR but create visibility)
- Email outreach to influencers
- Content syndication (with canonical tags)
- Community engagement in forums and groups
Using URL Rating for SEO Strategy
Content Planning
Opportunity Analysis:
- Find target keywords
- Check UR of top-ranking pages
- If their UR is significantly higher, the keyword may be difficult
- Target keywords where top pages have similar or lower UR
Internal Linking Structure
Best Practices:
- Link from high-UR pages to important commercial pages
- Use descriptive anchor text
- Keep internal links relevant and natural
- Don't overdo it—link when genuinely helpful
Link Building Prioritization
Focus Strategy:
- Target high-DR/UR sites for backlinks
- One link from UR 70+ is worth dozens from UR 20 sites
- Quality over quantity always wins in SEO
Common Misconceptions
"Higher UR Always Means Better Rankings"
Reality:
UR is one factor among hundreds. Content quality, relevance, on-page SEO, and user experience also matter significantly.
"UR Is a Google Metric"
Reality:
UR is an Ahrefs proprietary metric. Google doesn't use it directly. However, the underlying factors (backlinks) ARE ranking factors.
"I Should Only Build Links to High-UR Pages"
Reality:
Natural link profiles include links from various UR levels. Diversify your link sources for authenticity.
Key Takeaways
- URL Rating measures individual page backlink strength (0-100 scale)
- Based on quantity and quality of backlinks to a specific page
- Logarithmic scale: each point harder to achieve as UR increases
- Higher UR correlates with better search rankings
- Improve through: link-worthy content, outreach, internal linking
- Use for: competitive analysis, content planning, link building strategy
- Not a Google metric, but reflects actual ranking factors (backlinks)
- Focus on quality over quantity when building backlinks
