Domain Authority (DA) is a metric developed by the SEO software company Moz. It predicts how well a website is likely to rank in search engine result pages (SERPs) compared to other websites. The score ranges from 1 to 100, with higher scores indicating a greater ability to rank.
It is not used by Google or any search engine directly, but it is widely used in the SEO industry to compare the strength and ranking potential of different websites based on their backlink profiles and other SEO factors.
Domain Authority is based on multiple factors, including:
- The number and quality of backlinks pointing to the website.
- The authority of those linking domains.
- The overall link profile strength.
- The spam score and trustworthiness of linking sources.
DA is best used as a comparative metric rather than an absolute measure of success. For example, if your competitor has a DA of 45 and yours is 50, you likely have a better chance of ranking for similar keywords—assuming other SEO elements are equal.
Who Gives Domain Authority?
Domain Authority is given by the SEO company Moz.
- It is a proprietary metric developed by Moz to estimate how well a website might rank in search engine results.
- Moz calculates this score using its own algorithms and data from its Link Explorer index, which analyzes links, domain quality, and other SEO signals.
- No search engine (like Google or Bing) assigns Domain Authority — it is not an official ranking factor but a third-party SEO tool for competitive analysis.
Other companies have similar metrics with different names:
| Company | Metric Name |
|---|---|
| Moz | Domain Authority (DA) |
| Ahrefs | Domain Rating (DR) |
| SEMrush | Authority Score |
| Majestic | Trust Flow & Citation Flow |
How Does Domain Authority Work?
Domain Authority (DA) works by evaluating multiple factors that influence a website’s ability to rank in search engines — primarily focusing on the quality and quantity of backlinks.
It is calculated by Moz using a machine learning algorithm and is expressed as a score from 1 to 100. Higher scores suggest a greater potential to rank well in search engine results.
How Domain Authority Works:
1. Backlink Profile
- DA heavily depends on the number and quality of backlinks pointing to a domain.
- High-authority backlinks from trusted and relevant websites increase your DA score.
- A site with many low-quality or spammy links may have a low score or even be penalized.
2. Linking Root Domains
- Moz looks at how many unique domains are linking to your site.
- Getting 100 links from 100 different domains is better than 1000 links from 1 domain.
3. Moz’s Index and Algorithms
- DA is calculated using Moz’s own Link Explorer index, which crawls and evaluates millions of websites.
- It uses machine learning to predict how likely a site is to rank based on patterns from existing high-ranking websites.
4. Other SEO Factors (Indirectly)
- Internal linking structure
- Site structure and crawlability
- Content quality (to some extent, based on link attraction)
- Spam score (lower is better)
5. Relative Score, Not Absolute
- DA is comparative, not absolute. It doesn’t say how well you will rank, but rather how your site compares to others in terms of ranking potential.
- A DA of 50 in a niche where most sites are below 40 is strong. But in competitive niches, even 60 might be average.
Important to Know:
- DA is not static — your score may change as Moz updates its index or as competitors gain or lose links.
- It is best used for competitive analysis, not as a definitive measure of SEO success.
How to Increase Domain Authority
Improving your Domain Authority (DA) takes time, effort, and a strategic SEO approach. Since DA is mainly influenced by your website’s backlink profile, content quality, and overall SEO strength, focusing on these areas is essential.
1. Create High-Quality, Link-Worthy Content
- Publish valuable, original, and informative content that naturally attracts backlinks.
- Use data, research, guides, tutorials, and case studies to make your content authoritative.
- Focus on solving specific problems in your niche to increase shareability.
2. Build High-Quality Backlinks
- Guest post on reputable websites in your industry.
- Get featured in roundups, interviews, or expert listicles.
- Use strategies like broken link building, resource page outreach, or content promotion to earn backlinks.
- Avoid spammy or low-quality backlinks — they can harm your DA.
3. Improve Internal Linking Structure
- Use internal links to connect related content on your website.
- Help search engines crawl your site more effectively.
- Guide users to important or related pages to increase page authority across your domain.
4. Fix Technical SEO Issues
- Make sure your site is mobile-friendly, fast-loading, and easy to navigate.
- Fix crawl errors, broken links, redirect issues, and duplicate content.
- Submit an updated sitemap and robots.txt file in Google Search Console.
5. Increase Website Authority with Domain Age & Consistency
- Older, well-maintained domains with a history of valuable content and ethical SEO tend to have higher DA.
- Stay consistent with content updates, SEO improvements, and user experience enhancements.
6. Reduce Spam Score
- Disavow toxic backlinks using Google’s Disavow Tool if necessary.
- Don’t participate in link schemes, paid links, or other black-hat SEO practices.
- Use Moz’s tools to monitor your Spam Score and keep it low.
7. Promote Your Content
- Share content on social media, forums, and niche communities.
- Use email outreach to notify influencers or bloggers who might link to your content.
- Focus on earned links through value rather than buying them.
8. Be Patient and Consistent
- Domain Authority doesn’t improve overnight.
- It may take weeks or months to see noticeable changes depending on your niche, competition, and SEO efforts.
Summary Tips to Increase DA:
- Focus on quality over quantity in backlinks.
- Publish content people want to reference and share.
- Ensure your website is technically sound.
- Monitor your progress and adjust your strategy regularly.