TF/CF Ratio Rule for PBN Domains

Most people who buy expired domains treat Trust Flow like a magic number. They see TF 20 and think they struck gold. They ignore Citation Flow entirely. That is a mistake that has cost me thousands of dollars in dead domains. I learned the hard way that the relationship between Trust Flow and Citation Flow tells you far more about a domain's real link profile than TF alone ever will. The TF/CF ratio is the single most predictive spam indicator I use. After ten years of building PBNs and screening domains, I trust it more than Domain Authority, Domain Rating, or any other single metric. This article explains what the ratio is, why it matters so much for PBN domain evaluation, and the exact thresholds I apply before I place a single bid. For a complete domain evaluation framework, read my 18-point guide to buying PBN domains.

What Are Trust Flow and Citation Flow?

Majestic developed Trust Flow and Citation Flow as two sides of the link quality equation. Trust Flow measures the quality of links pointing to a domain. It weights links from a seed set of trusted websites, so a backlink from a BBC article or a university library passes more Trust Flow than one from a random blog comment. Citation Flow measures link volume, the sheer quantity of referring domains and links, without regard for quality.

A domain with TF 15 and CF 20 has a solid base of trusted links with modest volume. A domain with TF 5 and CF 45 has tons of low quality links. The raw TF might be acceptable, but the ratio screams spam. I use Majestic's Site Explorer, which starts at $49/mo for the Lite plan, to pull TF and CF on every candidate.

Why the Ratio Matters More Than Raw Trust Flow

Trust Flow can be gamed. A spammer points out a few low quality links from sites that happen to be in Majestic's trusted seed set, inflating TF just enough to trick a casual buyer. The Citation Flow, however, captures the full volume, including the junk. When TF and CF are close, the domain earned its links from a healthy mix of quality sources. When CF dwarfs TF, the domain attracts a mountain of irrelevant, spammy links that drown out whatever trust it once had.

I have seen domains with TF 20 that I rejected because their CF was 60 (ratio 0.33). The backlink profile was a mess of forum profiles, foreign language spam blogs, and directory submissions. I have also bought domains with TF 12 and CF 14 (ratio 0.86) that passed clean, editorial backlinks and have stayed indexed through every major update since 2022. The ratio is the bullshit detector that raw TF misses.

How to Calculate and Interpret the Ratio

The ratio is simply TF divided by CF. If a domain has TF 10 and CF 15, the ratio is 0.67. If TF is 18 and CF is 20, the ratio is 0.9. I target a minimum of 0.8 for any domain I bid on. Below that, I dig deeper. Below 0.6, I reject outright.

I have developed a simple grading system:

• 0.9 and above: Excellent. The link profile is heavily skewed toward trusted sources. These domains are rare and worth paying a premium for. I have gone to $500 or more for domains with TF/CF above 0.95 in competitive niches.
• 0.8 to 0.89: Good. A healthy profile with some link diversity. The domain is safe for a PBN and should pass link equity without raising SpamBrain flags.
• 0.6 to 0.79: Caution. The domain has a meaningful amount of low quality links. I sometimes buy these if the backlink profile shows strong individual links (like a .edu reference) and the anchor text is clean. I cap my bid at $150.
• Below 0.6: Reject. The domain is likely spammed or part of a previous link network. The risk of deindexation after restoration is too high.

These thresholds are based on my own data. After the March Spam Update, I reviewed the domains that got deindexed from my network and from client networks I consulted on. Over 80% of the deindexed domains had a TF/CF ratio below 0.6. The correlation is strong enough that I now make it a hard rule.

Real World Examples of Ratio vs Raw Scores

Let me show you two domains I evaluated last month.

Domain A: TF 22, CF 28, ratio 0.79. DA 35 from Moz. The TF looked strong, and the DA was tempting. But the backlink profile had 400 referring domains, many from .xyz and .info spam blogs. The anchor text was 40% exactly matched with commercial phrases. I passed. The owner wanted $300. That domain was a manual action waiting to happen.

Domain B: TF 11, CF 13, ratio 0.85. DA 18. Only 12 referring domains, but they were from a university resource page, two niche blogs, and a local newspaper archive. Anchors were mostly branded. The Wayback Machine showed a real small business site with original blog posts from 2018 to 2022. I paid $120. That domain will pass more genuine link equity than Domain A ever could.

Raw TF alone would have pushed me toward Domain A. The ratio and the backlink audit pushed me to Domain B. In PBN domain evaluation, ratio is the gatekeeper that saves you from wasting money on inflated metrics. If you prefer to skip the vetting process entirely, explore premium PBN links built on carefully vetted domains with strong TF/CF ratios.

The Algorithm Context: Why Ratio Matters More Now

The March Spam Update improved Google's ability to detect link schemes and expired domain misuse. SpamBrain now evaluates the quality distribution of a domain's backlinks with more granularity. A domain that accumulated a sudden burst of low quality links before expiration triggers a stronger spam signal. The TF/CF ratio effectively mirrors this evaluation, because a spam burst inflates CF without raising TF proportionally.

I have noticed that domains with a ratio above 0.8 survived the update at a much higher rate, even when they had lower raw TF than other domains that got deindexed. Google is getting better at distinguishing between a domain that genuinely earned its authority and one that had authority manufactured through volume. The ratio helps you see what Google's algorithm is likely seeing.

How to Use the TF/CF Ratio in Your Evaluation Workflow

I use the ratio as a filter, not as the final word. Here is my process when I look at an expired domain listing. For a complete guide on sourcing candidates, read our how to find expired domains guide.

• Pull TF and CF from Majestic. If CF is zero or TF is zero, skip. You need both numbers.
• Calculate the ratio instantly: TF divided by CF. If it is below 0.6, I close the tab. No need to spend more time.
• If the ratio is above 0.6, I proceed to the full 18-point evaluation: check referring domains, anchor text, Wayback Machine history, deindexation status, DNS history, and everything else I cover in my domain evaluation framework.
• If the ratio is above 0.8 and the anchor text profile is clean and the history is strong, I feel confident bidding. The ratio gives me a floor of trustworthiness that the other checks then confirm or challenge.

I do not use the ratio alone to make a final decision. A domain can have a 0.9 ratio but a history as a Chinese casino site. The Wayback Machine will reveal that. But the ratio filters out the obvious spam quickly, letting me focus my deep audits on domains that actually have a chance.

When the Ratio Might Be Misleading

A very new domain that earned a few high quality links could have a high ratio but low absolute TF. I ignore domains with TF below 10 regardless of ratio, because the link equity is too small to move rankings for anything but the least competitive niches.

A domain that lost its best links but still retains many low quality links might have a deceptively low ratio even if it was once legitimate. I always check the Wayback Machine to see if the domain had a real site and whether it lost key backlinks due to the site going offline. Sometimes the link profile is salvageable, but I only take that risk if the domain has clear topical relevance and I can acquire it cheaply.

A domain with a huge number of total links but a few very strong ones may have a mediocre ratio. I look at the individual link quality. If I spot a .edu editorial link buried among spam, the ratio might not capture that nuance. This is why the ratio is a filter, not the final verdict.

Common Mistakes When Using TF/CF Ratio

• Mistake 1: Treating 0.8 as a hard cutoff. I have bought domains with ratios as low as 0.65 when the backlink audit revealed a single powerful link and the history was pristine. Context matters. Use the ratio to flag risk, not to make binary decisions.
• Mistake 2: Relying on ratio without checking anchors. I have seen domains with a 0.9 ratio that still had 50% exact match commercial anchors because the anchors were from "trusted" sites that were themselves part of a PBN. Anchor text analysis remains essential.
• Mistake 3: Ignoring niche relevance. A domain with a perfect ratio but zero topical connection to your money site passes less value than a domain with a slightly lower ratio but strong niche alignment. The March Spam Update emphasized topical signals, so balance ratio with relevance.
• Mistake 4: Paying too much for a high ratio. A ratio of 0.95 does not automatically make a domain worth $500. The absolute TF, the number of referring domains, and the content history all cap the value. I still price domains based on what the links are actually worth.

Table: Ratio Grades and Action

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