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Domain Authority

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Domain authority is a score, typically ranging from 1 to 100, that predicts how likely a website is to rank well in search engine results compared to other websites. It was originally developed by Moz as a third-party metric and is not an official ranking factor used by Google or other search engines, though it is widely used across the SEO industry as a shorthand for a site’s overall strength.

Domain authority is calculated using a combination of factors, most heavily weighted toward the quantity and quality of backlinks pointing to a domain, along with signals such as the diversity of linking root domains and overall link profile health. A higher score suggests a domain has accumulated more trust and authority over time, usually through consistent link building, strong content, and a longer history online.

Because domain authority is a relative, comparative score rather than a fixed measurement, it is most useful when comparing a site against its direct competitors rather than treating any single number as an absolute target.

Example

Two competing ecommerce sites both sell similar products, but one has a domain authority score of 45 while the other sits at 20. When both sites publish similarly optimized content targeting the same keyword, the site with the higher domain authority score generally has an easier time ranking on the first page, since it has already demonstrated stronger overall trust and link equity to search engines.

Key characteristics

Third-party metric: Domain authority is calculated by SEO tool providers rather than search engines themselves, so different tools can report different scores for the same domain.
Comparative, not absolute: A domain authority score is most meaningful when used to compare a site against similar competitors in the same space.
Logarithmic scale: Moving from a score of 20 to 30 is generally easier than moving from 70 to 80, since the scale becomes harder to climb at higher levels.
Backlink driven: Domain authority is heavily influenced by the number and quality of backlinks a site has accumulated.
Not a Google ranking factor: Search engines do not use domain authority directly when determining rankings, even though it correlates with ranking performance.

Related terms

Backlink – a link from an external site, one of the primary inputs used to calculate domain authority.
Off-page SEO – the broader category of ranking factors, including link building, that shapes a site’s domain authority over time.
SEO – the overall discipline of improving search visibility, of which domain authority is one commonly referenced metric.

Frequently asked questions

Is domain authority the same as a Google ranking factor?

No, domain authority is a third-party metric developed outside of Google, and Google does not use it directly when deciding how to rank pages, though it tends to correlate with ranking performance.

Why do domain authority scores differ between SEO tools?

Different SEO platforms use their own proprietary formulas and data sources, so the same website can show a different domain authority style score depending on which tool is used to check it.

Can a new website have a high domain authority?

It is uncommon, since domain authority typically builds gradually as a site earns backlinks and establishes trust over time, though a strong launch backed by significant press coverage can accelerate early growth.

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FAQ

How is domain authority calculated?

Domain authority is calculated using a proprietary algorithm that weighs dozens of factors, with the number and quality of backlinks contributing the largest share of the score. Signals such as the total count of linking root domains, which can range from a handful to several thousand for large sites, also factor heavily into the calculation. Because the exact formula is proprietary and updated periodically, the same domain can see its score shift by a few points even without any new activity on the site itself. This is why domain authority is best treated as an estimate rather than a precise measurement.

What counts as a good domain authority score?

There is no universal good score, since domain authority is comparative and depends heavily on the competitiveness of a given niche. A new site might start at a score close to 1, while an established site in a competitive space might need a score of 50 or higher to compete on the first page. In many niches, a score in the 20 to 40 range is considered solid for a growing small business site. What matters most is how a site score compares to the specific competitors it is trying to outrank.

Can domain authority go down over time?

Yes, domain authority can decrease if a site loses backlinks, if linking domains lose their own authority, or if the scoring algorithm itself is updated. A site that loses 100 or more backlinks due to a competitor removing old content can see a measurable drop in its score. Algorithm updates from the tool provider can also cause scores to shift across the board, even for sites that have not changed anything. This is one reason SEO teams track domain authority over months rather than reacting to single day fluctuations.

Does domain authority affect every page on a site equally?

No, domain authority is measured at the domain level, but individual pages also carry their own page level authority score that can vary significantly within the same site. A site with an overall domain authority of 40 might have one deeply linked page scoring closer to 50, while a newer, less linked page on the same site scores under 10. This is why SEO teams often look at both domain level and page level authority when planning content strategy. Relying on the domain score alone can give a misleading picture of how a specific page is likely to perform.

How long does it take to improve domain authority?

Meaningful improvement in domain authority typically takes anywhere from 3 to 12 months of consistent link building and content work, depending on the starting point and the competitiveness of the niche. Early gains can come faster for very new sites moving up from a low base, sometimes within the first 2 or 3 months. Sites already in the 40 to 60 range generally see slower, more incremental progress, since climbing the scale becomes harder at higher levels. Consistency over time tends to matter more than any single link building campaign.