Why a Domain with Ahrefs URL Rating 80 DR 70 is Gold for Link Building

Last Updated on September 23, 2025 by Becky Halls

If someone’s offering you a domain with Ahrefs URL Rating 80 DR 70, your ears should perk up, but don’t say yes just yet. High UR/DR scores are powerful signals, but they’re not the full story. This guide breaks down what those numbers actually mean, when to jump on them, and when to run for the hills.

What Is Ahrefs URL Rating (UR)?
What Is Domain Rating (DR)?
Is UR 80 / DR 70 Actually Good?
When These Metrics Matter (and When They Don’t)
Red Flags to Watch Out For
How to Use High-UR/DR Domains Safely
Where to Find Quality Link Opportunities (Without Getting Burned)

What Is Ahrefs URL Rating (UR)?

Ahrefs URL Rating (UR) measures the strength of a specific page’s backlink profile.
It’s scored on a scale of 0 to 100. The higher the UR, the more powerful the page is—based on quantity and quality of links pointing to it.

Think of UR like page-level juice. A UR 80? That’s a page that’s probably earned a ton of respect from Google (and other pages).

What Is Domain Rating (DR)?

Domain Rating (DR), also measured from 0 to 100, reflects the strength of a domain’s overall backlink profile.
It’s a domain-wide authority score—meaning it tells you how powerful the website is as a whole.

“DR is like street cred for your entire site. UR is the VIP status of one specific page.”
— Ian Naylor, Founder @ 3Way.Social

So… Is UR 80 / DR 70 Good?

Yes. Very.
A domain with a UR of 80 and DR of 70 is considered high-authority in most industries.

For context:

A DR 70 site is in the top 0.5% of all websites online.
A UR 80 page usually means loads of strong backlinks, and it’s likely ranking well in Google.

These types of domains are incredibly valuable for:

Link insertions
Guest posts
Content partnerships
Building domain authority for your own site

BUT…

When These Metrics Matter (And When They Don’t)

High DR/UR doesn’t mean automatic quality. It means potential.

When it’s legit:

The site gets real, consistent traffic
The links are from relevant, trustworthy sources
The page is ranking well in SERPs

When it’s sketchy:

The site’s DR was pumped up with spammy links
The content is thin, spun, or full of ads
The link is buried in a footer or author bio

“Just because it says DR 70 doesn’t mean Google loves it. Look at the traffic, the content, and the intent.”
— Becky Halls, SEO & Content Strategist @ 3Way.Social

Red Flags to Watch Out For

Before you get excited about that “premium domain” someone’s offering, watch for:

⚠️ Sudden DR spikes (usually a sign of manipulation)
⚠️ No organic traffic, despite high metrics
⚠️ Spammy TLDs (like .xyz or .top)
⚠️ Private Blog Networks (PBNs) using expired domains

Ahrefs is powerful, but it’s not magic. Use tools like Semrush, Similarweb, and Google Search Console to verify traffic and content health before saying yes.

How to Use High-UR/DR Domains in Your Strategy

If you’ve vetted the domain and it’s the real deal, here’s how to make the most of it:

1. Go for Contextual Links

In-content backlinks perform better than sitewide or author-bio links. Make sure the link is surrounded by relevant, valuable content.

2. Prioritize Relevance Over Score

A DR 70 site about gardening won’t help your SaaS startup. A DR 50 site in your niche? Probably better ROI.

3. Ask for Traffic Screenshots

Before finalizing anything, ask for analytics screenshots. If a page has UR 80 but no traffic, it might be artificially inflated.

4. Mix Link Types

Don’t just chase DR 70s. A mix of high, mid, and niche-specific DR links is the most natural (and safest) approach.

Where to Find These Domains Without Getting Burned

You’ve got a few options:

Marketplaces (like Authority Builders or Linkifi):
Pros: Easy to browse, transparent pricing
Cons: Can be pricey, oversaturated

Outreach:
Pros: Personal, niche-relevant links
Cons: Time-consuming, low response rates

Platforms like 3Way.Social:
Pros: AI-powered matching, ethical link exchanges, vetted domains
Cons: None we can think of 😉

If you want to find domains with UR 80 and DR 70 that are actually relevant, without cold outreach or shady tactics, 3Way.Social is built for that.

Final Thoughts: Use the Metrics—Don’t Worship Them

Ahrefs DR and UR are awesome tools for spotting strong domains. But they’re just that: tools. A domain with Ahrefs URL rating 80 DR 70 is a great starting point, not the finish line.

Focus on:

Relevance
Content quality
Real traffic
Trust signals

Use those high scores as a filter and not a final decision-maker.

Want help finding high-authority domains that actually help your SEO?
👉 Join 3Way.Social — and let the AI do the matching for you.

Contents