What Is Domain Authority, and Does It Affect My SEO?

Understanding the tools and metrics that influence SEO is crucial. One of the most talked-about metrics is Domain Authority (DA). It plays a pivotal role in helping marketers assess the strength of a website’s presence in search engine results pages (SERPs). So, let’s delve into the domain authority definition. We will cover how it works, its impact on SEO, how to improve it, how to check domain authority, and why it should matter to anyone managing a website.

What Is Domain Authority?

Domain Authority is a metric developed by Moz, one of the SEO software providers. All in order to estimate how likely a website is to rank on search engines. It scores websites on a scale of 1 to 100, with higher scores indicating a greater ability to rank.

Moz calculates this score by evaluating various factors, including:

• Linking root domains (number of unique domains linking to your site).
• Total number of backlinks.
• Quality and relevance of those backlinks.
• Content quality.
• Site structure and usability.

DA is a comparative metric, meaning it’s best used to compare one site against another or to track the growth of your own site over time. So, have you ever asked yourself, “what is my domain authority​?”. The explanation is simple, but in practice, it is a bit more complicated. But worry not, we will explain everything further down the line.

How Is Domain Authority Calculated?

A machine learning algorithm is used. It incorporates dozens of signals to generate a Domain Authority score. The algorithm compares thousands of search results and determines how well domains rank in comparison to one another. Some contributing factors include:

• MozRank and MozTrust – Proprietary measures of link popularity and trustworthiness.
• Link Profile – The number and quality of inbound links.
• Spam Score – The likelihood of your site engaging in spammy practices.

DA is logarithmic, meaning that improving your score from 20 to 30 is significantly easier than going from 70 to 80.

Does Domain Authority Affect SEO?

So, what affects domain authority​, how to check domain authority, and does it affect SEO and SEO ROI? Well, technically, Google does not use Domain Authority as a ranking factor. However, the components that contribute to high DA are factors Google considers when ranking sites. Those are quality backlinks, great content, and a strong user experience. Therefore, while DA itself is not directly among ranking factors, it correlates strongly with better SEO performance. Here’s how:

• Backlink Profile – Sites with higher DA tend to have more high-quality backlinks, which are essential to SEO positioning.
• Content Quality – Higher DA often reflects valuable, well-optimized content.
• User Engagement – Sites with intuitive structures and positive user experiences usually score higher and also perform better in SEO.

DA becomes especially useful when performing competitive analysis. For example, your site has a DA of 25, and you’re trying to outrank a competitor with a DA of 65? It will likely be a tough battle unless you significantly improve your site’s authority.

Why Is Domain Authority Important?

Is domain authority important for SEO? Yes, everyone is leaning on the DA score, and here is why:

1. Benchmarking Your Progress – DA provides a single, unified score that helps marketers gauge SEO efforts over time.
2. Competitive Analysis – Knowing your DA and that of your competitors allows for informed strategies and realistic goal-setting.
3. Link Building Strategy – Domain Authority and SEO are intertwined. High DA sites are more likely to gain valuable backlinks, increasing their SEO potential further.
4. Content Marketing Decisions – By understanding which content brings in high-authority backlinks, marketers can replicate success across other pages.

How to Improve Your Domain Authority

Improving your DA is not about shortcuts. It requires a consistent SEO strategy that focuses on quality and user value. Here are effective ways to do it:

1. Create High-Quality, Shareable Content

Content is the backbone of any SEO strategy. Well-researched, engaging, and original content naturally attracts backlinks, which in turn boosts your DA.

2. Earn High-Quality Backlinks

Focus on backlink acquisition from reputable sources in your industry. Tactics include:

• Guest posting.
• Digital PR.
• Skyscraper content strategies.
• Participating in industry roundups.

Avoid black-hat techniques like link farming or buying backlinks, as these can harm your reputation and DA.

3. Fix Technical SEO Issues

Make sure your site is well-structured and free of crawl errors, broken links, or duplicate content. Fast page speeds, mobile responsiveness, and a secure HTTPS protocol also improve your overall authority.

4. Internal Linking Strategy

Good internal linking not only helps users navigate your site but also allows link equity to flow to deeper pages. This can help increase the authority of individual pages, contributing to overall DA growth.

5. Clean Up Your Link Profile

Use tools to identify and disavow toxic backlinks from spammy or irrelevant sites. A clean backlink profile enhances trustworthiness.

The Limitations of Domain Authority

We have covered the benefits of domain authority. But it has its caveats as well:

• It’s not from Google – Google uses its own algorithms to rank pages and doesn’t consider DA when calculating rankings.
• It’s a relative metric – A higher DA does not guarantee better rankings if your content and UX are weak.
• It fluctuates – Your DA score can change even if you haven’t altered anything. That’s because DA scores are comparative and can shift as Moz updates its index.

Domain Authority vs. Page Authority

While DA measures the entire domain’s strength, Page Authority (PA) evaluates the ranking of a single page. Both are useful, but they function differently. A site might have a high DA but low PA for a new or weakly optimized page.

FAQs

What is internal and external linking in SEO?

Internal linking connects pages within the same website, helping distribute authority and improve navigation. External linking points to different domains, signaling credibility and adding context. This way, SEO is strengthening your brand, resulting in a higher ranking.

What is my Domain Authority?

Your Domain Authority is a score between 1 and 100 that predicts how well your website is likely to rank in search engine results. You can check your DA by using various SEO tools, and you are aiming for a higher-ranking score, of course.

Is Domain Authority a Google ranking factor?

No, it is not used by Google. However, it reflects SEO that is considered by Google.

What’s a good Domain Authority score?

DA scores range from 1 to 100. Score depends on many things, but mainly on the nature of your business and the competition.

• 20-30 – Newer sites
• 40-50 – Average sites with decent SEO
• 60-70+ – Strong authority
• 80+ – High-authority domains (e.g., major news outlets)

How often does DA update?

Moz updates Domain Authority regularly. Often multiple times a month. Fluctuations can occur even if your site hasn’t changed.

Can DA drop even if I don’t make changes?

Yes. Since DA is a relative metric, your score can decrease if competitors gain authority or if Moz updates its algorithm.

Are there alternatives to Moz’s DA?

Yes, other SEO tools have similar metrics:

• Ahrefs’ Domain Rating (DR)
• SEMrush’s Authority Score
• Majestic’s Trust Flow and Citation Flow

Conclusion

Now you know how to check Domain Authority and what DA is in the first place. It’s a reflection of your site’s overall strength in the competitive world of digital marketing. While Domain Authority is not a ranking factor used by Google, it remains a useful tool for SEO professionals. It allows website owners to benchmark performance, guide link-building strategies, and understand how their sites measure up against the competition. If you’re ready to boost your Domain Authority and climb the search rankings, you can always reach out to Indexed Zone SEO, a trusted agency that knows how to get results.