When I started launching side projects, I didn’t think much about Domain Rating (DR). I focused on building cool products and creating content—but if no one could find my site, none of that mattered.
That’s when I realized a higher DR makes everything easier. It boosts your search rankings, drives organic traffic, and gets your projects noticed. And the best part? You don’t need a big budget or deep SEO knowledge to improve it.
If you love launching side projects, you already have an edge. By interlinking your projects and using smart, ethical SEO strategies, you can increase your DR naturally.
In this guide, I’ll show you proven, practical methods to boost your Domain Rating—without shady tactics or expensive tools. Whether you're new to SEO or looking to level up, these steps will help you grow your DR and get the visibility your projects deserve.
Boosting your website's Domain Rating (DR) is crucial for enhancing its authority and visibility in search engine results. For indie hackers and side project enthusiasts unfamiliar with SEO, this comprehensive guide will walk you through effective strategies to elevate your DR.
Understanding Domain Rating
What is Domain Rating?
Domain Rating (DR) is a metric developed by SEO tools like Ahrefs to measure the strength of a website's backlink profile on a scale from 0 to 100.
A higher DR indicates a more authoritative site, which can lead to better search engine rankings and increased organic traffic.
Why Domain Rating Matters?
A robust DR signifies a strong backlink profile, which is a critical factor in Google's ranking algorithm.
Higher DR can lead to:
- Improved Search Rankings: Authoritative sites are more likely to rank higher for target keywords.
- Increased Organic Traffic: Better rankings typically result in more visitors.
- Enhanced Credibility: Users tend to trust and engage with sites that appear authoritative.
Building High-Quality Backlinks
Backlinks from reputable websites act as endorsements, boosting your site's authority.
When starting on a new project with a new domain, you'll start with 0 DR like everybody else.
Here are the most efficient strategies to acquire them without spending too much time:
1. Create Your Link in Bio Profiles
The easiest way to build high quality backlinks for your new projects is by creating your link in bio profiles.
You could create it in less than 5 mins.
Some of my favorite link in bio websites:
Indie Page
While this isn't a free website unlike Linktree or Bento, Marc did a great job bumping the DR to 60+. Definitely a good investment in the long run.
You could pay $25 for 1 year list or $45 for a lifetime list.
Example: https://indiepa.ge/yuurrific
Linktree
A free Link in Bio website with 93 DR, simply create a profile and keep adding your new projects to your profile.
Example: https://linktr.ee/cottagefortots.
Create yours here.
Bento
Similar to Linktree, Bento is another free Link in Bio website with 81 DR. Unlike Linktree, Bento's website looks good even on desktop. If you want to build a simple website to list down your projects or portfolio, definitely check out Bento.
Example: https://bento.me/yuurrific.
Create yours here.
2. Submits to Directory Listing Websites
Listing your website on high authority directory is the easiest way to bump up your Domain Rating.
Below are some of my favorite directories that I always add my projects to:
Product Hunt
Product Hunt is a pioneer is product curation niche. It's not suprising it's boosting 91 DR compared to all its alternative.
Submitting your product is easy and you could use when you want to launch your product.
Uneed
Uneed is a popular alternative to Product Hunt with a high 62 DR.
Listing a product on Uneed is very straightforward. The current waiting time is around 100 days. You could skip the line for $30.
MicroLaunch
A 46 DR website, a popular alternative to Product Hunt.
Similar to Uneed, launching a product on MicroLaunch is free and you'll need to wait 2-3+ months before your product is listed. Or, you could pay $49 to skip the queue.
Promote Project
A very simple 36 DR directory listing website to list your project instantly.
You just need to do an action on other listing, e.g upvoting, to earn a score. With every 5 score, you could submit your own listing.
Example: Random Number Generator.
Submit your product here.
3. Links Your Side Projects
Internal linking is a powerful yet often overlooked SEO strategy that can significantly boost your Domain Rating (DR). By strategically interlinking your side projects, you can enhance user experience, distribute page authority, and improve your site's overall SEO performance.
Interlinking Your Side Projects
🤯 If you have multiple side projects, interlinking them can create a network of sites that support each other's authority. Here's how to do it effectively:
- Ensure Relevance: Only link projects that are topically related to provide value to users.
- Use Descriptive Anchor Text: Employ clear and relevant anchor text to help search engines understand the context of the linked page.
- Maintain Natural Linking Patterns: Avoid excessive interlinking that appears manipulative; focus on user experience.
I came across this neat tricks when visiting one of John Rush's product Index Rusher.
Note: If you're not aware, John created 24 products 🤯
Check out how John cleverly added his products on the footer.
And even if you haven't built 24 products, that doesn't mean you can't follow his footsteps.
Check out how I added my projects to one of my side projects, CMYK Pantone.
I started applying this approach to all my projects back in December 2024 and voilà, the domain rating for PFP Resizer shots up from 14 🥳
I'm using FrogDR to monitor my domain rating performance over time. Check out all the other tools I'm using in my indie hacking journey.
Don't Miss Out Internal Linking
Wondering my internal links are as important as backlinks?
Effective internal linking offers several advantages:
- Improved Crawlability: Search engines can discover and index your pages more efficiently.
- Enhanced User Experience: Users can navigate related content seamlessly, increasing engagement.
- Distributed Link Equity: Authority is shared among pages, boosting the ranking potential of linked content.
By thoughtfully interlinking your side projects and optimizing internal links, you can organically boost your Domain Rating and enhance your site's overall SEO performance.
Conclusion
Increasing your Domain Rating (DR) isn’t just about chasing a number—it’s about building long-term authority that helps your side projects thrive. Over the years, I’ve seen firsthand how a strong DR translates into better rankings, more traffic, and bigger opportunities.
But here’s the thing—it’s not a one-time effort. SEO is always evolving, and monitoring your DR and backlink profile should be part of your routine. I regularly check my domain’s health, audit backlinks, and look for new ways to grow my site’s authority.
If you're new to SEO, fret not, I learned tons of stuff from Danny Postma's SEO Blueprint and I'm sure you'll find it extremely valuable as well.
If you’re serious about your projects, treat DR like an asset. Keep building high-quality backlinks, leverage internal links across your projects, and stay consistent with on-page SEO. The results won’t come overnight, but if you stick with it, your side projects will gain the visibility and credibility they deserve.
Now it’s your turn—start applying these strategies and watch your DR climb. 🚀
