Domain authority (DA)

Overview

Domain Authority (DA) is a search engine ranking score that predicts how well a website will rank on search engine result pages (SERPs). The score, developed by Moz, ranges from one to 100, with higher scores corresponding to a greater ability to rank.

DA is calculated by evaluating multiple factors, including linking root domains and the number of total links, into a single DA score. This score can then be used when comparing websites or tracking the "ranking strength" of a website over time.

Domain Authority is not a metric used by Google in determining search rankings and has little effect on our SERPs.

Usage Types

SEO Strategy

One common use of DA is as a comparative metric in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies. By comparing the DA of your website to other websites, you can get an idea of how your website may perform in SERPs.

Competitor Analysis

DA can also be useful in competitor analysis. By understanding the DA of your competitors, you can target to outperform their scores and thus rank higher in search results.

Link Building

When pursuing a link building strategy, DA can help identify valuable potential partnerships. Websites with a high DA score are often sought after for backlinks, as these can pass on more link equity and help improve your own site's DA score.

Calculating Domain Authority

The DA of a website is calculated by looking at its link profile, which includes both the quantity and the quality of the links pointing to it. The specific calculation is proprietary to Moz, but it involves over 40 signals, including:

• The number of unique domains linking to the site
• The number of total backlinks the site has
• The quality of the sites linking to the site
• The number of unique IPs linking to the site

It is important to note that improving your DA score should not be the end goal in itself. Rather, it should be seen as a comparative metric against your competitors, providing a general overview of how your SEO is performing.

Improving Domain Authority

Improving your website's DA requires improving its overall SEO. Some strategies include:

• Improving the quality of your content to attract better links.
• Increasing the number of unique domains that link to your site.
• Disavowing bad links that might be pointing to your site.
• Ensuring your website is user-friendly and optimized for mobile browsing.
• Regularly updating your website with fresh and relevant content.

DA vs. Page Authority

While DA predicts a website's ranking potential, Page Authority (PA) predicts the ranking potential of a single page. Both are calculated using similar metrics, but at different levels. Page Authority is used when evaluating the ranking potential of a single page, while Domain Authority is used when evaluating the entire domain or subdomain.

Conclusion

Domain Authority is a valuable tool for monitoring the SEO strength of a website. It is not the only SEO tool that businesses should pay attention to, but it is a helpful gauge of the overall competitiveness of your site in the SERPs.

References

• Moz: What is Domain Authority? - https://moz.com/learn/seo/domain-authority
• Ahrefs: What Is Domain Authority? - https://ahrefs.com/blog/domain-authority/
• SEMRush: Domain Authority and Link Building - https://www.semrush.com/blog/link-building-domain-authority/