# Page Authority | SEO Glossary

> Page Authority explained in plain English. Understand what page authority means, why it matters for SEO, and how it works.

**Source:** https://www.lawrencehitches.com/glossary/page-authority/

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Breadcrumb Category tag Link Building H1

# Page Authority

Definition block Page Authority is a Moz metric that predicts how well a specific page will rank in search results. It works like Domain Authority but scopes the score to an individual URL rather than the entire domain.

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Expanded explanation

## Why Page Authority Matters for SEO

PA helps you identify which specific pages on a site carry the most link equity. When prospecting for backlinks, targeting high-PA pages for links is smarter than just looking at the domain level. It also helps you prioritise which of your own pages to build links to.

## How Page Authority Works

Moz calculates PA using the same machine learning model as DA but focuses on page-level link signals. The number and quality of backlinks pointing directly to that URL drive the score. Internal links from high-PA pages on the same domain also influence it.

## Common Mistakes

- Confusing Page Authority with Domain Authority when evaluating link prospects
- Ignoring PA when deciding which pages to prioritise for link building
- Assuming a high-DA domain means every page on it has high PA

Video (if available) Article link (if exists) External sources Sources & Further Reading:

- [Moz Learn: Page Authority](https://moz.com/learn/seo/page-authority)
- [Google Search Central: How Search Works](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/how-search-works)

Related articles Related articles:

- [Introduction to Website Linking](https://www.lawrencehitches.com/introduction-to-linking/)
- [SEO Authority: Why It Matters](https://www.lawrencehitches.com/seo-authority/)
- [How to do Keyword Research in Only 5 Minutes](https://www.lawrencehitches.com/how-to-do-keyword-research-in-only-5-minutes/)

Related terms Author bio About the Author

Lawrence Hitches is an [AI SEO consultant based in Melbourne](https://www.lawrencehitches.com/) and Chief of Staff at StudioHawk. He specialises in AI search visibility, technical SEO, and organic growth strategy. [Book a free consultation →](https://www.lawrencehitches.com/contact/)

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*Lawrence Hitches is an AI SEO consultant in Melbourne and Chief of Staff at StudioHawk, Australia's most awarded SEO agency. Agent edition of this site: https://www.lawrencehitches.com/md/index.md*