Domain Authority is a score that predicts how well a website will rank in search results

Domain Authority (DA) is a number from 1 to 100 that estimates how likely a website is to rank highly when someone searches for something. It is calculated by a company called Moz, not by Google. A higher number means the site has built up more credibility over time — usually through other websites linking to it, how long it has existed, and how often it publishes content.

Domain Authority is not the same as your actual ranking. Google does not use it directly to decide where to place your site in search results. But it is a useful signal: if your site has a DA of 15 and a competitor's site has a DA of 45, the competitor's site will almost always rank higher, all else being equal. It is a shorthand for "this site has been around and other people trust it enough to link to it."

You can check your site's Domain Authority for free using Moz's toolbar or by visiting moz.com and entering your domain. You will see a number, and you will also see your competitors' numbers. This helps you understand whether you are starting from behind or ahead in the eyes of search engines.

Key Takeaways

  • Domain Authority is a score from 1 to 100 that predicts how well a website will rank in search results, calculated by Moz based on links and site age.
  • A higher Domain Authority does not may provide better rankings, but sites with higher scores almost always outrank sites with lower scores when competing for the same search term.
  • You can check your own site's Domain Authority and your competitors' scores for free using Moz's tools.
  • Domain Authority grows slowly over time as you publish content, earn links from other websites, and build a history of being online.
  • A new website typically starts with a DA of 1 or 2, and reaching a DA of 20 or higher usually takes at least a year of consistent work.

How Domain Authority is calculated

Moz builds Domain Authority by looking at two main things: links from other websites and site age and activity. When another website links to yours, it is like a vote of confidence. A link from a site with high Domain Authority counts for more than a link from a brand-new site. Moz also looks at how many total links point to your site, how many different websites link to you, and whether those links are relevant to your topic.

The second factor is time. A website that has existed for five years and publishes regularly will have a higher Domain Authority than an identical site that launched last month. Search engines treat older, active sites as more established and trustworthy. This is why new websites almost always start at DA 1 or 2, no matter how good the content is.

Domain Authority is not a fixed number — it updates roughly once a month as Moz recalculates based on new link data. You might see your DA jump by a few points if a high-authority site links to you, or stay flat if nothing changes. This is normal and expected.

Why Domain Authority matters for search visibility

Domain Authority matters because it is one of the strongest predictors of ranking position. If you search for a competitive term — something many websites are trying to rank for — the top results almost always have higher Domain Authority scores than the sites on page two or three. This is not because Google reads Moz's score; it is because the same factors that build Domain Authority (links, age, relevance) are also the factors Google uses to rank sites.

For a new website or a small business site, this creates a real challenge. You are competing against sites that may have been around for ten years and have hundreds of links pointing to them. Your new site with zero links will not outrank them on day one, no matter how good your content is. Domain Authority is a way to measure that gap honestly.

This does not mean you should give up. Sites with low Domain Authority can still rank for less competitive search terms — things that fewer websites are trying to rank for. A site with DA 5 can easily rank for a specific local search or a niche topic. The key is to pick search terms where the competition is not already dominated by sites with DA 40 or higher.

How to improve your Domain Authority

Domain Authority grows when other websites link to yours. The most direct way to earn links is to create content that other people want to reference. If you write a detailed guide, a research report, or a tool that solves a real problem, other websites will link to it naturally. This takes time and consistency, but it is the most reliable method.

You can also reach out to relevant websites and ask them to link to your content. This works best when you have something genuinely useful to offer — a tool, a study, or an article that fills a gap in their own content. Cold outreach for links rarely works unless you have a real reason for the connection.

Publishing regularly also helps. A site that publishes one article per week will build Domain Authority faster than a site that publishes one article per month, because it gives other websites more content to potentially link to. You do not need to publish daily, but consistency matters more than volume.

One warning: do not buy links or use link-building services that promise fast results. Google penalizes sites that buy links or participate in link schemes. Your Domain Authority might go up temporarily, but your actual search rankings will drop when Google detects it. The slow, honest way is the only way that works long-term.

Domain Authority versus Page Authority

Moz also calculates Page Authority (PA), which is similar to Domain Authority but applies to individual pages instead of entire websites. A single article on your site might have a PA of 25 even if your overall Domain Authority is only 10. This happens when that one article gets many links pointing to it.

Page Authority is useful when you are trying to rank a specific article or page for a specific search term. Domain Authority is more useful for understanding your site's overall competitive position. If you are just starting out, focus on Domain Authority — it reflects the health of your entire site and is harder to game.

What Domain Authority does not tell you

Domain Authority does not measure traffic, revenue, or actual usefulness. A site with DA 50 might get almost no visitors if it ranks for search terms nobody is looking for. A site with DA 15 might make more money because it targets search terms with high commercial intent — meaning people searching are ready to buy.

Domain Authority also does not measure how well your site serves your actual audience. A site with low DA can still be the best resource for the people who find it. If you are writing for a small, specific audience, you do not need a high Domain Authority to succeed. You just need to rank well enough for the searches your audience is actually doing.

Finally, Domain Authority does not predict future success. A site with DA 5 today could have DA 30 in two years if it publishes great content and earns links. Domain Authority is a snapshot of where you are now, not a prediction of where you will be.

How to use Domain Authority when researching competitors

When you are planning what search terms to target, check the Domain Authority of the sites that currently rank for those terms. If the top five results all have DA scores of 50 or higher, that search term is probably too competitive for a new site to rank for. If the top results have DA scores of 10 to 25, you have a realistic chance of ranking if you create better content.

You can also use Domain Authority to find link opportunities. If a site with DA 30 is linking to five of your competitors but not to you, that site might be willing to link to you too if you have something relevant to offer. This is not about asking for a favor — it is about finding websites that are already interested in your topic and might naturally want to link to your content.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good Domain Authority score?

There is no universal "good" score — it depends on your industry and how long you have been online. A new site with DA 5 is doing well. A site that has been around for two years should aim for DA 15 to 25. Established sites in competitive industries often have DA 40 or higher. Compare yourself to your direct competitors, not to sites in completely different industries.

Can I improve my Domain Authority quickly?

No. Domain Authority grows slowly because it is based on links and site age, both of which take time to build. Most sites see meaningful growth only after six months to a year of consistent effort. If someone promises to raise your DA in weeks, they are either lying or using tactics that will get your site penalized by Google.

Does Domain Authority affect how Google ranks my site?

Google does not use Moz's Domain Authority score directly. However, the factors that build Domain Authority — links, site age, and relevance — are the same factors Google uses to rank sites. So while the number itself does not matter to Google, what the number represents definitely does.

Should I worry about Domain Authority if I have a local business?

Less than you would for a national business. Local search results are dominated by Google My Business listings and local relevance, not Domain Authority. A local plumber with DA 3 can easily outrank a national site with DA 40 when someone searches for "plumber near me." Focus on your Google My Business profile and local citations instead.

What if my Domain Authority drops?

Small drops (one or two points) happen when Moz updates its data and is nothing to worry about. Larger drops might mean you lost some links, or Moz recalculated and found that some of your links were lower quality than previously thought. Check if you have lost any major links, but do not panic — Domain Authority fluctuates, and one month of data does not define your site's health.