Originally published in 2014 and substantially updated in September 2026. The original community discussion has been preserved below.
Domain Authority-usually abbreviated as DA-is a third-party metric created by Moz to estimate how likely a website may be to rank in search compared with other sites.
The most important thing to understand is this: Domain Authority is not a Google metric, and Google does not use your Moz DA score as a direct ranking factor.
What Domain Authority Is
Moz calculates Domain Authority on a scale from 1 to 100 using signals from its own link index and machine-learning model. The score is designed to be comparative rather than an absolute grade of site quality.
That means DA is most useful when comparing similar sites over time-not when treating a particular number as a universal definition of "good."
Why Bloggers Still Hear About DA
Some brands, agencies, PR contacts and publishers still use Domain Authority as one shorthand measurement when evaluating websites for partnerships, placements or outreach.
If someone asks for your DA, it is fine to provide it. Just remember that it is one third-party metric among many and should not be treated as the complete value of your site.
Domain Authority vs. Page Authority
Domain Authority estimates the ranking strength of an entire domain. Page Authority, another Moz metric, estimates the potential ranking strength of an individual page.
A site therefore has one DA score but many individual pages with their own Page Authority scores.
Does a Higher DA Mean Google Will Rank You Higher?
Not automatically.
A page on a lower-DA site can outrank a page on a higher-DA site when it better satisfies the search, provides stronger information, has better relevant links or otherwise performs better for that query.
Do not optimize your website merely to manipulate a third-party score.
What Can Improve the Underlying Strength of a Site?
The same healthy practices that can improve your site's real search visibility may also influence third-party authority metrics over time:
- publish useful, original content;
- earn relevant links and mentions naturally;
- create strong internal links between related pages;
- maintain a technically usable site;
- update valuable older content;
- build topical depth instead of publishing disconnected material; and
- avoid manipulative link schemes.
Those actions matter because they improve the website itself, not because they chase a particular DA number.
Do Domain Age and Site Size Automatically Raise DA?
Not simply because a domain is old or has lots of pages. An established domain may have had more time to earn links and build useful content, but age by itself is not a reason to expect a high authority score.
Likewise, publishing hundreds of weak pages does not make a site stronger than publishing fewer useful ones.
Should Bloggers Worry About Their DA?
Usually, no.
Know what the metric means if brands or collaborators ask for it, and it can be useful for broad comparisons. But your time is usually better spent improving content, reader experience, email relationships, products, search visibility and genuine authority in your niche.
One of the original comments on this article summed it up well: there are a lot of statistics available to bloggers, and you do not need to stress over every one.
What to Measure Alongside DA
If you are evaluating the health of your blog, also look at:
- organic search clicks and impressions;
- traffic to important pages;
- email subscribers and engagement;
- quality backlinks and referrals;
- conversions, sales or affiliate performance;
- returning readers; and
- whether your content is actually helping the audience you serve.
Those measurements tell you much more about whether the site is doing its job.
Domain Authority Is a Reference Point, Not a Report Card
Use DA as one comparative indicator if it is useful to you or requested by a business partner. Do not treat it as a score from Google or a verdict on the worth of your blog.
For practical search help, see 5 SEO Tips to Optimize Your Blog Posts and How to Learn SEO the Right Way.
Dawn says
Great post. Those of us in the blogging, internet writing, and various other e-fields have to stay so vigilant when it comes to ranking and doing the things it takes to be ranked well. Domain Authority sounds like a great tool in this constant struggle to stay relevant.
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Scarlet says
Thanks for the info and link. I checked my domain and page results. Interesting.
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Kathy says
I have wondered about this. Ive been asked a couple of times for it. Thanks for letting me know what it means!
Nolie says
Too many different stats out there to keep track of IMO
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Kathleen Garber says
Very true. Of all the possible stats, I wouldn't worry too much about this one. It's good to know what it is and how to find it if you are asked for it, otherwise, no big deal.
Brett says
So many! It's overwhelming. I have decided not to stress tons about it.
daisy says
I'm always learning something new. I just looked up the score for my site.
Laura says
Thank you. Mine are pretty low but since its a relativity new site I will watch and I am sure it will rise. However my established site is at 35 and 41 so I am pleased on both counts. Very useful information. Thank you
Janel says
I didn't realize the difference between the two, so thanks!
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Mariana says
Great info! Thank you soo much for sharing.
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Shauna says
Thank you so much for sharing. I had no clue what domain authority was... now I do. Thanks
massholemommy says
I have heard of this and was wondering what it meant, so thanks for the info. I found this really helpful!
kristin says
Great post with plenty of great info!
Julie says
That was a really great explanation of DA and PA - I have often been confused on these. I am going to go check mine! 🙂
@AnnBac9 says
Great post. Thanks for sharing as I really did not know what the term meant. Now I understand it all!
Pam says
I never knew what this meant! Thanks for sharing!
Melanie R says
great post and very useful.. All that insight stats etc is always sooo confusing to me, this totally helped me understand; thanks for sharing 🙂
Amy D says
I have had to give my domain authority to a few reps in the past, but thankfully it was good for the jobs I was doing.
Liz Mays says
I wasn't entirely sure of the difference between DA and PA so I appreciate the explanation!
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mamatomanyblessings says
I had never heard of this before, I checked mine I have a 93. I need to read up on this.
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jenn says
You always have the 411 on these kinds of things! I had no clue what this was! 😉
Kathleen Garber says
I do a lot of research 🙂 If there is something in particular you want to know, let me know.
Ronni says
I hear this term a lot! Thanks for explaining it!
Amber says
You always have the answers!! I hear about this, but wasn't sure what it meant!
Kathleen Garber says
Thanks! If there is something in particular you want to know more about, let me know!
waldorfsaladandcottagefries says
Thanks for sharing. I am working hard to increase my SEO with not much success but will definitely look to make the changes you suggested.
Myrah says
GREAT GREAT information. Thanks a lot!
Lisa Jones says
WOW I Never Knew Thank You So Much I Checked Mine Found It Very Interesting To View!!
Kathleen Garber says
You are welcome 🙂
ying_live says
Thanks for sharing Open Site Explorer. This will add to my knowledge since I'm just getting into SEO and I need more information to learn. You explained it so well and I appreciate it. Keep posting please.
Arif Ansari says
Manual linking is very important factor and to be considered by every blogger who posts more often. He needs to spend sometime in each week to update interlinking of his website/Blog.
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