Definition
Referring Pages designate the total number of unique web pages that contain at least one backlink to a target site or page. This metric differs from Referring Domains: a single domain can generate dozens of Referring Pages if the link appears on multiple pages of the site (footer, sidebar, multiple articles). The ratio between Referring Pages and Referring Domains is revealing: a large number of referring pages from few domains can indicate sitewide links (footer, sidebar) which generally have less SEO value than unique editorial links. Tools like Ahrefs, Majestic, and Moz track this metric in their backlink reports.
Key Points
- Total number of pages containing a link to your site, distinct from domain count
- A high Referring Pages / Referring Domains ratio can signal sitewide links
- Metric tracked by all major tools (Ahrefs, Majestic, Moz, Semrush)
Practical Examples
Sitewide link detection
A site shows 5,000 Referring Pages but only 50 Referring Domains. The 100:1 ratio reveals that most links are footer or sidebar links placed on all pages of a few sites.
Link profile growth
Monthly tracking of Referring Pages shows a steady increase of 200 pages/month, consistent with the guest posting strategy implemented via LemmiLink.
Frequently Asked Questions
Referring Domains are generally more important because Google values link source diversity. 100 links from 100 different domains will have more impact than 100 links from a single domain. However, Referring Pages remain useful for evaluating total link volume.
Diversify your backlink sources by contacting new publishers via LemmiLink. In parallel, identify excessive sitewide links and request their removal or nofollow conversion if necessary.
Go Further with LemmiLink
Discover how LemmiLink can help you put these SEO concepts into practice.
Last updated: 2026-02-07