Link Building
Domain Authority
Domain Authority is a metric developed by Moz that predicts how likely a website is to rank in search engine results. It scores domains on a scale of 1 to 100 based on the quality and quantity of their backlink profile.
Why Domain Authority Matters for SEO
DA gives you a quick way to benchmark your site against competitors and evaluate link prospects. It is not a Google ranking factor, but it correlates with ranking ability. Use it as a directional signal, not gospel.
How Domain Authority Works
Moz calculates DA by analysing linking root domains, total link count, and other factors through a machine learning model. New sites start low and build DA over time as they earn quality backlinks. The scale is logarithmic, so moving from 30 to 40 is much easier than moving from 70 to 80.
Common Mistakes
- Treating DA as a Google metric or direct ranking factor
- Comparing DA across completely different industries
- Buying links purely based on the linking site's DA score
Sources & Further Reading: