Domain Authority
Definition
A score from 0-100 predicting how likely a website is to rank in search results. Higher authority sites rank more easily. Built through quality backlinks and content.
What is Domain Authority?
Domain Authority (DA) is a score developed by Moz that predicts how well a website will rank in search engines. It ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores meaning better ranking potential.
Note: This isn't a Google metric – it's an industry estimate based on various factors.
How Domain Authority is Calculated
The main factors include:
- Number and quality of backlinks
- Age of the domain
- Quality and relevance of content
- Overall site structure and health
What's a Good Domain Authority?
- 0-20: New or very small websites
- 20-40: Small businesses, local sites
- 40-60: Established businesses, popular blogs
- 60-80: Major brands, news sites
- 80-100: Giant sites like Google, Wikipedia, BBC
For most small businesses, a DA of 20-40 is realistic and sufficient to compete locally.
How to Improve Domain Authority
- Build quality backlinks from relevant sites
- Create valuable content others want to link to
- Ensure your site is technically healthy
- Be patient – DA builds over years, not weeks
The Reality Check
Don't obsess over DA. A local plumber with DA 25 can absolutely outrank a national directory with DA 60 for "plumber in Exeter" if their local SEO is better.
Focus on serving your customers well, and authority will follow.