# Domain Authority Explained: What It Is and How to Improve It A comprehensive guide to understanding Domain Authority (DA), what affects it, and practical steps to improve your site's DA score. Canonical: https://backlinkgrid.com/blog/domain-authority-explained ## What Is Domain Authority? 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). DA scores range from 1 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater ranking potential. ## Important Clarification **Domain Authority is NOT a Google ranking factor.** It's a third-party metric created by Moz to help SEOs estimate a site's competitive strength. Google has confirmed they don't use DA in their algorithm. However, DA correlates with ranking ability because it's based on factors that do influence rankings. ## How Is Domain Authority Calculated? Moz calculates DA using machine learning algorithms that consider: ### Link Profile Factors - Total number of backlinks - Number of unique referring domains - Quality of linking domains - Link diversity and relevance ### Other Factors - Root domain age - Overall link profile growth - MozRank and MozTrust scores ## DA vs. Other Authority Metrics ### Domain Rating (DR) - Ahrefs Similar concept, different calculation. Focuses heavily on the quantity and quality of backlinks. ### Authority Score - SEMrush Combines backlink data with organic traffic and spam signals. ### Trust Flow - Majestic Measures the quality of links pointing to a site based on how trustworthy the linking sites are. Learn more in our [glossary entry on Trust Flow](/glossary/trust-flow). ## What's a Good Domain Authority? DA is relative to your competition. Here's a general guide: ### DA 1-20 New websites or sites with minimal backlinks. Typical for personal blogs and small local businesses. ### DA 21-40 Established sites with some authority. Many small to medium businesses fall here. ### DA 41-60 Strong authority. Competitive for moderate-difficulty keywords. ### DA 61-80 Very high authority. Major brands, popular publications, and established industry leaders. ### DA 81-100 Exceptional authority. Reserved for sites like Google, Facebook, Wikipedia, and major news outlets. ## How to Improve Domain Authority ### 1. Build Quality Backlinks The most impactful factor. Focus on earning links from: - Relevant, authoritative websites - Diverse sources (not just one or two sites) - Editorial placements within content Check out our comprehensive guide on [link building strategies](/blog/link-building-strategies) for actionable tactics. ### 2. Remove Toxic Backlinks Low-quality or spammy backlinks can hurt your DA. Use Moz, Ahrefs, or [Google Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console) to identify and disavow harmful links using [Google's Disavow Tool](https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/2648487). ### 3. Improve Internal Linking Strong internal linking helps distribute authority throughout your site. Ensure important pages are well-connected. ### 4. Create Link-Worthy Content Content that naturally attracts links: - Original research and data - Comprehensive guides - Infographics and visual content - Free tools and resources ### 5. Be Patient DA takes time to improve. It's calculated periodically and reflects long-term trends, not overnight changes. ## Common DA Misconceptions ### Myth: Higher DA Guarantees Better Rankings Reality: DA predicts ranking potential but doesn't guarantee anything. Google uses many factors DA doesn't account for. ### Myth: DA Changes Daily Reality: Moz updates DA periodically, not in real-time. Day-to-day fluctuations are normal. ### Myth: You Should Only Get Links from High-DA Sites Reality: Relevance matters more than DA. A link from a relevant DA 30 site may outperform an irrelevant DA 70 link. Learn how to [evaluate backlink quality](/blog/backlink-quality-checklist). ### Myth: DA Can't Decrease Reality: DA can drop if you lose backlinks, competitors gain links, or Moz updates their algorithm. ## DA Limitations ### It's Not Universal DA only measures what Moz can see and analyze. It doesn't reflect Google's actual assessment. ### Scores Are Relative A DA of 40 might be excellent in one niche and mediocre in another. ### It Can Be Manipulated Technically, DA can be artificially inflated through black-hat tactics—though this provides no real SEO benefit and violates [Google's spam policies](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/essentials/spam-policies). ## Should You Focus on DA? Use DA as one metric among many, not as your primary goal. ### Better Metrics to Track: - Organic traffic growth - Keyword rankings for target terms - Conversion rates from organic traffic - Number of ranking keywords ## Conclusion Domain Authority is a useful metric for competitive analysis and tracking your site's progress over time. However, obsessing over DA is a mistake. Focus on what actually drives results: creating valuable content, earning quality backlinks, and providing excellent user experience. Improved DA will follow as a natural byproduct of good SEO practices. Want to understand more about how backlinks affect your authority? Start with our guide on [what backlinks are](/blog/what-are-backlinks).