What is Domain Authority?
Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA) are two widely recognized SEO metrics developed by Moz, designed to estimate how well a domain or individual webpage might perform in search engine results pages (SERPs). These scores are useful indicators when evaluating the competitiveness or link strength of a website or page.
What is Page Authority?
Domain Authority is a predictive metric created by Moz that estimates a website's potential to rank in search engine results.
Scored on a scale from 1 to 100, higher DA scores suggest a greater chance of ranking well.
For example, a site with a DA of 60 is more likely to rank higher than one with a DA of 25 — all else being equal.
DA is calculated using a machine learning model that analyzes and compares your website’s link profile to that of high-ranking domains. The score reflects a relative ranking strength, not a guarantee of SERP position.
Reminder: DA is not a direct Google ranking factor. It’s an SEO tool-based estimation, not an official metric used by search engines.
Domain Authority vs Page Authority
Page Authority is another Moz-developed score that forecasts how well an individual webpage is likely to rank in SERPs.
Also based on a 1 to 100 scale, higher PA means better ranking potential for a specific page.
PA relies on a machine learning model that factors in link data to determine a page's SEO strength.
Like DA, PA is a predictive metric, not a guarantee. It's especially useful when analyzing the SEO performance of blog posts, landing pages, product pages, and other individual URLs.
How DA and PA are measured?
Domain Authority vs. Page Authority
Metric | Measures | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
Domain Authority (DA) | Overall authority of the entire domain | Indicates domain-wide ranking strength |
Page Authority (PA) | Authority of a specific webpage | Indicates page-level ranking potential |
Both use machine learning algorithms and scores from 1 to 100.
Neither guarantees rankings — they only predict performance based on observed ranking patterns and link profiles.
While they function similarly, DA is broader and applies to an entire domain, whereas PA zooms in on the potential of a specific page.
How Are DA and PA Calculated?
Domain Authority (DA) is calculated using:
Total number of backlinks
Number of unique referring domains (root domains)
Quality and relevance of linking domains
Moz’s proprietary index, which is benchmarked against real-world SERPs
DA is based on a logarithmic scale, meaning it’s easier to increase your score from 10 to 20 than from 70 to 80. Fluctuations in DA are common, especially as other websites in Moz’s index gain or lose backlinks.
For example: If a major site like Twitter gains thousands of new links, it may affect the relative DA of smaller websites, pushing their scores downward.
Page Authority (PA) is measured in a similar way:
Focuses on individual page-level link metrics
Uses over 40 link-related factors, including the number and quality of backlinks
Does not consider on-page SEO factors like keywords or content quality
Like DA, PA is updated regularly and may fluctuate
How to Check DA and PA Using Moz
The most accurate way to check DA and PA is directly through Moz’s Link Explorer:
Enter your domain or page URL
Moz will display:
Your Domain Authority
A list of top pages with their Page Authority
Inbound links, anchor text data, and more
You can use up to 10 free link queries per month with a free Moz account.
What is a Good DA or PA Score?
There is no universal “good” score for DA or PA. These metrics are relative — meaning their value depends on how your site compares with competitors.
General Rule:
A “good” DA or PA is one that is higher than your competitors in the same niche.
If your competitors have DA scores between 60–70, aim to surpass that range.
If you're in a low-competition space where competitors have DA scores between 10–20, a DA of 25+ may already give you a strong edge.
How to Improve DA and PA?
Both metrics are heavily influenced by backlinks, so a strong link-building strategy is essential.
To improve Domain Authority:
Earn high-quality backlinks from authoritative domains in your industry
Develop link-worthy content such as guides, tools, infographics, or statistics
Promote content through social media, email outreach, and guest posting
Regularly update and refresh existing content
To improve Page Authority:
Focus on building backlinks to specific target pages
Use internal linking to pass link equity to priority pages
Avoid spammy or paid links from PBNs, link farms, or irrelevant websites
Disavow toxic links using the Google Disavow Tool to protect your profile
Both DA and PA take time to grow. Focus on long-term, sustainable SEO strategies.
Is Domain Authority a Google Ranking Factor?
No. Google does not use Domain Authority or Page Authority as part of its ranking algorithm.
Confirmed by Google:
John Mueller (Google Search Advocate) has repeatedly stated (2016, 2018, 2020) that Google does not consider DA when ranking websites.
Moz also acknowledges this:
“Domain Authority is not a Google ranking factor and has no direct impact on search rankings.”
What You Need to Know
Metric | Measures | Scale | Ranking Factor? |
|---|---|---|---|
Domain Authority (DA) | Strength of a domain’s overall backlink profile | 1–100 | ❌ No |
Page Authority (PA) | Strength of an individual page’s backlink profile | 1–100 | ❌ No |
DA and PA help estimate your site’s SEO strength compared to competitors.
They are based on link data and use machine learning models to predict rankings.
Google does not use them, but they remain valuable for tracking performance and improving SEO strategies.
Use these metrics to guide your link-building campaigns, competitive analysis, and SEO decision-making — but don’t rely on them as ultimate indicators of success.