What is Domain Authority and How to Improve It 

Key takeaways: 

• Domain authority (DA) measures your website’s ability to rank in search engine results by evaluating factors like backlinks, site structure, and content quality. 
• A higher DA score improves your chances of ranking higher in search results, making it essential for long-term SEO success. 
• Improving domain authority requires a consistent strategy focused on building quality backlinks, optimizing your site’s user experience, and creating valuable content. 

Let’s say you have a small online shop. You’re trying to get more people to visit your website, but it’s not going as well as you hoped. Then you come across a term called domain authority—a score that shows how likely your site is to rank on search engines. When you check it out, you find out your website’s domain authority score is lower than your competitors’. 

Realizing this, you decide to focus on improving your DA. But why does domain authority matter so much? Understanding its role in search engine visibility is important for anyone trying to grow their online presence. 

What is domain authority? 

Domain authority (DA) is a ranking score developed by Moz that predicts how likely a website is to show up in search engine results. It ranges from 1 to 100—the higher the score, the better your site’s chances of ranking well. 

Moz, a company known for creating SEO tools, introduced domain authority around 2009 to give website owners and marketers a way to gauge ranking potential. Before this, there were few reliable ways to measure how competitive a website was in search. 

In the early days of the SEO, metrics like Google’s PageRank focused mainly on the number and quality of links pointing to a page. But PageRank didn’t tell the full story. Domain authority was designed to go further, combining multiple ranking signals into one overall score. 

Domain authority vs. page authority: What’s the difference? 

Domain authority and page authority are both metrics developed by Moz to predict how well a website or a specific page will rank on the search engine results page (SERPs). While they share a common purpose in assessing ranking potential, they operate at different levels of a website’s structure. Here’s how they differ: 

Domain authority 

Domain authority measures the ranking potential of an entire domain or subdomain. This aggregate score reflects the power of a website’s backlink profile. It factors in the quality and quantity of incoming links, among other variables. Domain authority is a holistic measure that lets you gauge your site’s ability to rank in comparison to competitors. It is particularly useful for strategic decision-making to enhance overall search visibility. 

Page authority 

Page authority is like a detailed check-up for the individual pages of your website, looking closely at its ability to rank well in searches. It considers the strength and quality of links coming to that page, how good the content is, and if the page is set up right for search engines. Page authority is useful for people creating content or working on SEO, helping them make specific pages—like blog posts or product pages—do better in search results. Understanding a page’s PA can show you what needs to be fixed to help it get noticed more. 

How domain authority is calculated

Moz calculates your domain authority through a complex algorithm, which is calculated using dozens of factors, including the number of linking root domains and the total number of links. If you get a link to your site from another website, that’s called a backlink. Getting backlinks is generally great because it shows your site has valuable information that others think is worth sharing. 

Links from high-authority sites contribute more positively to the DA score than those from lesser-known, low-authority sites. Moz uses machine learning to compare your site’s link profile against the profiles of other sites with known search engine rankings. This helps Moz predict how well a site will rank on SERPs. 

Finally, the DA score is placed on a 100-point logarithmic scale. This means the higher your DA score gets, the harder it will be to increase. For example, going from a DA of 20 to 30 is easier than moving from 70 to 80. 

6 factors that affects your domain authority 

Several factors play an important role in influencing a website’s domain authority. Understanding these elements can help you improve your site’s score and overall visibility in search results.

Here’s a closer look at what impacts the domain authority metric: 

1. Link profile quality and quantity

One of the most significant factors affecting domain authority is the website’s link profile, which includes both the number of inbound links (backlinks) and the quality of those links. High-quality backlinks from reputable and authoritative sites contribute positively to domain authority. However, links from low-quality or spammy sites can harm your DA score. It’s not just about the number of links but the diversity and quality that truly matter. 

2. Site structure and user experience 

A well-structured website that offers a great user experience is more likely to receive high-quality backlinks and repeat visits, both of which can positively influence domain authority. Factors like mobile-friendly design, fast loading times, and intuitive navigation are key contributors to a better user experience and higher DA scores. Search engines favor websites that provide a good user experience, and this preference is reflected in domain authority scores. 

3. Content quality 

The quality of a website’s content is another important factor. Valuable and original content is more likely to attract backlinks and social shares, both of which are important in the DA calculation. High-quality content not only draws visitors but also encourages other websites to link back to your site, helping to raise your score. 

4. Social signals 

While the direct impact of social signals (likes, shares, and followers on social media platforms) on domain authority is debatable, there’s no denying that a strong social media presence can enhance a website’s visibility and authority. This increased exposure often results in more backlinks and higher traffic, indirectly boosting domain authority. 

5. Search engine accessibility 

Make it easy for search engines to crawl and index your site so your pages appear in search results. Use a clean robots.txt file, a fresh XML sitemap, and well-set redirects and canonical tags. These elements guide crawlers to the right content and prevent duplicate pages from causing confusion. When bots can easily navigate your site, you gain better visibility, attract quality backlinks, and gradually boost your domain authority. 

6. Moz’s algorithm updates 

Finally, it’s worth remembering that DA is a proprietary metric of Moz, which means it’s subject to changes and updates in Moz’s algorithm. These updates may affect how DA is calculated, potentially leading to fluctuations in your site’s score. Regular updates in Moz’s algorithm can cause temporary dips or boosts in your DA score. 

Domain authority’s limitations: What DA can’t do 

While domain authority is a well-known metric in SEO, it has some limitations worth noting. Recognizing these helps marketers use DA wisely without placing too much weight on it.

Here are a few things DA doesn’t do: 

Domain authority is not used by Google 

Domain authority is not a Google ranking factor and has no direct effect on where your site appear in search results. Google has repeatedly confirmed that it doesn’t use any kind of “site authority” score in its ranking algorithm—metrics like domain authority are created by third-party tools such as Moz. 

As of the domain authority 2.0 update in early 2019, Moz calculates a domain’s DA score using a machine learning model that predicts how likely a site is to appear in search results. A high DA can be a sign of strong SEO, but it doesn’t guarantee better rankings, and changes in your DA score may not always match changes in your actual search performance. 

It’s a comparative score, not a universal benchmark 

DA is a relative metric, meaning it’s most useful when comparing websites or tracking the ranking strength of a website over time. For example, a DA of 30 might seem low for an established eCommerce site, but for a small local blog, it could be quite competitive. Without context, the score doesn’t tell you much—it’s the comparison against similar sites in your niche that really matters. 

Score changes are common and expected 

DA scores can fluctuate for several reasons. This includes changes in the backlink profile of the websites you’re compared against or updates to Moz’s domain authority calculation algorithm. These fluctuations are normal and don’t necessarily reflect your site’s search engine performance changes. 

Your DA can change due to outside influences 

DA can be influenced by external factors beyond a webmaster’s control, such as the linking practices of other sites. For instance, if a high-authority site suddenly links to you, your DA might jump significantly, regardless of your own SEO efforts. Conversely, if high-authority sites remove links or see their own DA drop, your site’s DA might decline. 

It can be misused in SEO tactics 

Since domain authority is commonly used in SEO, some may try to take advantage of it through tactics like link selling or low-quality link-building efforts. Focusing only on the number can take attention away from improving site quality and user experience. 

Focus on long-term SEO strategies 

It’s better to treat DA as a reference point rather than a goal. The real wins come from improving your content, technical setup, and how useful your site is to visitors — things that naturally increase visibility and rankings over time. 

7 ways to improve your domain authority

Improving your domain authority takes time, but it’s doable with the right strategies. Below are seven practical ways to grow your score by building trust, strengthening your content, and earning high-quality links. 

Tip #1. Benchmark against competitors 

When it comes to navigating the competitive landscape of SEO, understanding how your Domain Authority (DA) stacks up against your competitors is invaluable. By benchmarking your DA alongside those in your industry or niche, you can identify areas where your site may be lagging. This comparative analysis can highlight gaps in your SEO strategy and illuminate opportunities for improvement. 

Perhaps your competitors have stronger backlink profiles or more engaging content. Recognizing these differences can inspire targeted adjustments in your strategy, aimed at closing the gap and even surpassing your competitors in search engine rankings. 

Tip #2. Create quality content 

Quality content is the cornerstone of a strong online presence. Focus on producing original, engaging material that’s valuable to your target audience.

Original content matters—guides, tutorials, or unique insights tend to earn more backlinks. Additionally, regularly updating your website with fresh content keeps your audience coming back for more, increasing the chances of shares and links. 

Tip #3. Build high-quality backlinks 

Backlinks significantly impact your DA score. Guest posting on reputable sites, networking with influencers, and sharing your content on social media are excellent ways to earn high-quality backlinks. Aim for backlinks from authoritative sources rather than from low-quality websites. 

It’s better to earn a few backlinks from trusted, authoritative sites than dozens from unrelated or low-quality sources. 

Tip #4. Strengthen internal links  

An often-overlooked aspect of SEO, internal linking helps distribute page authority throughout your site and makes it easier for search engines to crawl your content. Use relevant anchor text and link to important pages that you want to boost in rankings. 
Make sure key pages are accessible from your homepage or main menu for better visibility. 

Tip #5. Improve user experience 

A good user experience helps keep visitors on your site longer and reduces bounce rates — both of which can positively impact your SEO performance. Fast-loading pages, a mobile-friendly layout, and clear navigation all contribute to a better experience. 

Tip #6.  Clean up harmful backlinks 

Spammy or low-quality backlinks can hurt your site’s authority. Conducting regular link audits allows you to identify and deal with these links. You can then reach out to the site owner to remove or update such backlinks. If that doesn’t work, you can use Google’s Disavow Tool to ask Google not to consider them. Removing or disavowing these links can protect your DA from negative impacts. 

Tip #7. Be consistent with your SEO strategy

Domain authority is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay consistent with your SEO efforts by continually creating high-quality content, building backlinks, and optimizing your site for user experience. Keep track of your progress by regularly checking your DA score with tools like Moz’s Link Explorer. 

Fluctuations are normal, but a steady focus on content quality, backlink building, and user experience improvements will support long-term growth. 

And if SEO still feels a bit overwhelming, you don’t have to go it alone. You can always hand over the heavy lifting to professionals who can help you build a stronger strategy from the ground up. 

Start growing your domain authority today 

Building domain authority takes time and dedication, but the results are well worth it. When you focus on creating a trustworthy, well-structured website, search engines will take notice, and your domain authority will grow. 

At Network Solutions, we provide everything you need to set up a strong online presence. Start with a Domain Name Search, choose reliable hosting, and transfer your domain with ease. 

Explore how our tools and services can help your site grow. Get started with Network Solutions and take your online presence to the next level. 

Frequently asked questions