- Abi Djanogly
- 3 days ago
- 7 min read
Updated: 12 hours ago
The perfect domain is just a click away: claim your domain→
Domain authority (DA) is a search engine ranking score developed by Moz that predicts how likely a website is to rank in search engine result pages (SERPs). This metric helps you understand your site's credibility compared to competitors and identify areas where your SEO strategy might need a boost.
Understanding this score gives you a clearer picture of your website's performance potential. So if you are creating a website, learn how search engines view your site's trustworthiness and discover actionable steps to improve your standing in search results.
Your domain is more than a web address, it’s the first impression of your brand. With Wix, you can easily find and secure a custom domain that reflects who you are and what you do. Whether you’re launching a business, blog or portfolio, your perfect domain is just a few clicks away. Start building your online presence and claim yours today.
TL;DR: What is domain authority?
Domain authority is a metric ranging from 1 to 100 that evaluates the strength of a website's backlink profile. This SEO tool allows you to see how well your website is ranking.
A higher score generally correlates with a greater ability to rank. It is not a direct ranking factor used by Google but serves as a useful comparative tool for SEOs.
Feature | Details |
Definition | A score predicting ranking potential on search engines. |
Scale | 1 to 100 (logarithmic). |
Key factors | Linking root domains, total number of links. |
Best use | Comparing your site against competitors. |
Created by | Moz. |
What is domain authority?
Domain authority is a comparative metric that calculates the strength of a specific domain's backlink profile. Think of it as a report card for your website's reputation among other websites. The score is calculated by evaluating multiple factors, including linking root domains and the total number of links, into a single DA score.
Because the scale is logarithmic, it is significantly easier to grow your score from 20 to 30 than it is to grow from 70 to 80. New websites always start with a DA of one. It's crucial to remember that this score is relative. There is no "good" or "bad" score in a vacuum; a good score is simply one that is higher than your direct competitors.
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Benefits of domain authority
Tracking your domain authority offers tangible advantages for your long-term SEO strategy. It moves beyond vanity metrics and provides data you can use to make informed decisions about your content and outreach efforts.
First, it serves as an excellent benchmark for competitive analysis. By comparing your score to other sites in your niche, you can gauge the difficulty of ranking for specific keywords. If your competitors have significantly higher scores, you might need to target long-tail keywords initially.
Second, it helps track the effectiveness of your link-building campaigns. If you invest time in digital PR or guest posting, a gradual increase in your DA indicates that you are acquiring high-quality backlinks.
Third, it can attract advertisers or partners. Brands looking for sponsored content opportunities often look for sites with high authority, viewing them as valuable platforms for exposure.
"At every stage of your website and business growth cycle, link building remains critical to SEO growth. Early in your website's development, you should focus on internal linking and acquiring referring domains relevant to your business. As your site grows and attracts more traffic, link equity becomes more important, so you should prioritize the size, quality and authority of the referring domains from which you get links from. In both situations, make sure you're not getting follow links from a site that violates the first principles of Google's organic search policies." - Ashwin Balakrishnan, B2B SaaS growth and content consultant at Optmyzr
Common challenges of domain authority
While useful, focusing too heavily on domain authority can lead to frustration. One major challenge is the difficulty of influencing the score directly. You cannot simply "fix" your DA overnight; it requires a sustained effort to build high-quality links over time.
Another issue is score fluctuation. Since DA is a relative metric, your score can drop even if your site hasn't lost any backlinks. This happens if high-authority sites gain significantly more links, skewing the scaling for everyone else. This can be disheartening for site owners who don't understand the mechanics behind the calculation.
Finally, there is often a misconception that DA is a Google ranking factor. It is not. Improving your DA does not guarantee better rankings on Google, although the activities that improve DA (like getting good links) often help with rankings independently.
You may also be interested in: How to get your website on Google
What is a dofollow link?
“Dofollow links are important for an effective SEO strategy because, when interpreted by search engines, they help increase the "domain authority" and "page authority" of the site receiving the link.” – Caio Nogueira, Co-founder of UpSites and SEO specialist.
A dofollow link is a standard hyperlink that allows search engines to follow it and pass SEO value (often called “link equity” or “link juice”) from one website to another. When a trusted site links to your content with a dofollow link, it acts like a vote of confidence, signaling to search engines that your site is credible and worth ranking.
By default, all links are dofollow unless they include a special attribute like rel="nofollow". These links are especially important for domain authority, because search engines use them to discover new pages and evaluate how trustworthy and authoritative a website is. The more high-quality, relevant dofollow links your site earns, the stronger your domain’s perceived authority can become.
In short, dofollow links help build your site’s reputation in the eyes of search engines and play a key role in improving your rankings over time.
Examples of domain authority
Domain authority scores can vary widely depending on the size, age and purpose of a website. A brand-new blog will naturally have a much lower DA than a global news organization. The key is to compare your score to those of your direct competitors.
Here’s a look at what typical DA scores look like for different types of websites:
Website type | DA score range | Backlink profile characteristics |
Small local business | DA 10–20 | • Fewer backlinks • Mostly local directories and community sites • Healthy and normal for local competition |
Niche blog | DA 30–50 | • Links from bloggers and social media • Some exposure from industry publications • Steady growth over time |
Major media outlet | DA 90+ | • Millions of high-quality backlinks
• Links from trusted global sources
• Extremely strong online authority
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Learn more: Small business website statistics
How to register a domain and start building domain authority
Your domain name is more than just an address for your website; it's the foundation of your brand's identity. Think of it as your piece of digital real estate. A strong, memorable domain can make a great first impression and is a crucial first step in building your site's authority. The good news is that getting started is easier than you might think.
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Making domain registration simple
Choosing and registering your domain shouldn't be a complicated process. With the right tools, you can get it done quickly and get back to focusing on your business. Wix simplifies domain registration, guiding you through the process so you can find and claim the perfect name for your brand without any hassle. This straightforward approach means you can go from an idea to a registered domain in just a few minutes.
Explore: Wix domain name generator
Once you have your name, security becomes a top priority. A secure website not only protects you and your visitors but also signals to search engines that your site is trustworthy, which can positively influence your domain authority.
That's why Wix ensures secure domain registration by including free SSL certification. An SSL certificate encrypts the data shared on your site, giving your visitors peace of mind and boosting your site's credibility from day one.
In a fast-moving environment, speed is essential. You want to bring your ideas to life as soon as inspiration strikes. Wix offers quick domain registration, allowing you to secure your desired name and connect it to your website right away. This rapid setup empowers you to begin building your content, attracting visitors and growing your authority without delay.
How to improve my domain authority
Improving your domain authority is a marathon, not a sprint. The most effective way to influence this metric is through a robust off-page SEO strategy.
Ready to boost your website's authority? The journey starts with a solid foundation and a focus on earning quality backlinks. Wix provides all the tools you need to create a professional, SEO-friendly website that's ready to attract attention. Wix simplifies domain registration for your business, ensuring you start on the right foot.
Here are the fundamental steps to improve your DA:
01. Master on-page SEO
Ensure your website's on-page elements are optimized. This includes writing compelling title tags and meta descriptions, using header tags correctly and optimizing your images. A well-structured site is easier for search engines to crawl and for other sites to link to.
02. Create link-worthy content
Develop high-quality, original content that provides real value to your audience. This could be in-depth guides, original research or useful tools. Great content is the primary reason other websites will link to you.
03. Conduct outreach
Don't just publish content and hope for the best. Actively promote it to relevant bloggers, journalists and industry leaders. Build genuine relationships and let them know when you have something that might interest their audience.
04. Analyze your backlink profile
Regularly use tools like Moz or Ahrefs to check who is linking to you. You can also identify and disavow any toxic or spammy links that could be harming your score.
With Wix, you get an integrated suite of SEO tools designed to help you climb the search rankings. From a personalized SEO checklist to easy-to-manage redirects, you have everything you need to build your site's authority.
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What is domain authority FAQ
Is domain authority a Google ranking factor?
No, domain authority is not a ranking factor used by Google. It is a proprietary metric developed by Moz. Google has its own internal systems for evaluating links (like PageRank), but DA is simply an industry tool used to simulate how Google might view a site's authority.
What is a good domain authority score?
A "good" score depends entirely on your competition. If your competitors have scores between 20 and 30, a score of 35 is excellent. Generally, scores between 40 and 50 are considered average, while scores between 50 and 60 are good. Scores above 60 are excellent.
How often does domain authority update?
Moz typically updates its domain authority data once or twice a month. Because it takes time for crawlers to find and index new links, you might not see changes in your score immediately after a successful link-building campaign.
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