Domain Authority (DA)
Domain Authority (DA) is a third-party SEO metric developed by Moz to predict how likely a website is to rank on search engine result pages (SERPs). Scores range from 1 to 100, with higher values indicating stronger ranking potential relative to other sites.
It’s not used by Google and isn’t a direct ranking signal. However, it’s based on core SEO principles – such as backlink quality, content relevance, and domain credibility – making it a valuable benchmark for comparing your site’s authority against competitors .
How It’s Calculated
Moz uses a machine learning algorithm trained on SERP data and link metrics. Inputs include number of linking root domains, overall link quality, site spam score, and content strength.
Since 2019’s DA 2.0 launch, the score reflects over 40 indicators, making improvements increasingly challenging at higher levels
What Is a “Good” DA Score?
Typically:
- 40–50 = Average
- 50–60 = Competitive
- 60+ = Excellent, especially in dense industries
However, DA is best understood in context – what matters is how you stack up against direct competitors in your niche
Why It Still Matters in 2025
- Benchmarking & Competitor Analysis: Quickly gauge how your site compares to rivals.
- SEO Strategy Guidance: While not used by Google directly, improving DA often reflects stronger backlink profiles and content authority, enhancing overall SEO.
- Long-Term Tracking: DA provides a historical view of your SEO progress—fluctuations often highlight shifts in attribution, linking, or algorithm changes
Best Practices to Improve DA
- Build high-quality backlinks from reputable domains using guest posts, data-driven content, and outreach targeting root domains.
- Produce link-worthy content: original, comprehensive resources that naturally attract links.
- Optimize site health: remove spammy links, fix broken redirects, and maintain strong on-page SEO and UX.
- Consider domain age & historical consistency—older, steadily operated domains often fare better in authority perception