Short answer: a site shows DR 0 when Ahrefs has not found any followed links from other websites that pass authority to it. This is normal for new sites. It also happens when all your links are nofollow, when the linking sites have almost no authority themselves, or when Ahrefs has not discovered your links yet.
DR 0 is not a penalty
First, some reassurance. DR is an Ahrefs metric, not a Google score. DR 0 does not mean Google has penalised your site or that you cannot rank. Many new sites rank for low-competition keywords long before they gain any Domain Rating.
Cause 1: The site is new
Every site starts at zero. Until other websites link to you, there is nothing for Ahrefs to measure. Fix: start earning your first links – business profiles, partners, relevant directories, guest posts and genuinely useful content.
Cause 2: Your links are nofollow
Links from social networks, forums, comment sections and many large platforms are usually marked nofollow or similar. They can bring visitors, but they do not pass authority in DR. Fix: keep using these channels for visibility, and add followed links from real websites in your niche.
Cause 3: The linking sites have no authority
If every site linking to you is itself DR 0, your DR will barely move. Fix: aim for a few links from established, relevant sites. One good link can move a new site off zero.
Cause 4: Ahrefs has not discovered the links yet
Links on pages that are hard to reach, very new or rarely crawled may not be found for a while. Fix: be patient, and prefer links on pages that are linked from the rest of the site.
Cause 5: You checked the wrong version of the domain
Make sure you are checking the domain you actually use. If you recently moved from one domain to another, the old domain may still hold most of your links. Fix: set up 301 redirects from the old domain and ask your most important linking sites to update their links.
Cause 6: The links were removed
Sponsored posts, partner pages and directory listings sometimes disappear. Fix: run a backlink audit with the backlink DR checker and reach out to sites whose links you lost.
“No data” vs “DR 0”
In our tool, “no data” means Ahrefs returned no rating for the domain – often because the domain is unknown to its index, parked, or misspelled. DR 0 means Ahrefs knows the domain but found no authority-passing links. Double-check the spelling first, then follow the fixes above.
How to get your first DR points
- Create your business profiles and list your site where your customers look.
- Ask partners, suppliers and clients to link to you.
- Publish one genuinely useful resource for your niche and share it with relevant sites.
- Write one or two guest posts for relevant sites with real traffic.
- Re-check your DR after a few weeks with the bulk DR checker.
Example: a new local business site
A bakery launches a new website and checks its DR: zero. Over the next two months the owner lists the site on two well-known local business directories, gets a link from the local chamber of commerce, is featured in a neighbourhood food blog, and adds the website link to supplier and partner pages. Six weeks after the first links appear, the DR shows a small but real number. More importantly, the site starts ranking for “bakery near me” style searches in its area, because the links are local and relevant.
What not to do
- Do not buy thousands of cheap links to “fix” DR 0. They can harm your site’s reputation with Google.
- Do not panic about the number. Focus on links that real people would click.
Frequently asked questions
How long until a new site gets DR?
Often a few weeks after earning its first followed links from established sites, depending on how quickly those links are discovered.
Do social media links help DR?
Most social links are nofollow and do not pass DR, but they help people find your content – which can lead to real links.
Can I rank on Google with DR 0?
Yes, for low-competition searches. Google does not use Ahrefs DR.
Final thoughts
DR 0 is a starting point, not a verdict. A handful of real links from relevant websites is usually enough to get moving. For a longer plan, read how to increase your Domain Rating, and learn why scores change in how often Ahrefs DR updates.