What Is Moz Link Explorer?#
Moz Link Explorer is Moz's backlink analysis tool, providing insights into link profiles, domain authority, and link building opportunities. While Moz's link index is smaller than Ahrefs or SEMrush, Moz pioneered many concepts used across the industry, including Domain Authority (DA).
This guide covers how to use Moz Link Explorer effectively for link building research and analysis.
Understanding Moz Metrics#
Domain Authority (DA)#
Domain Authority is Moz's most famous metric—a 0-100 score predicting how well a site will rank. It's one of several authority metrics used in SEO, but arguably the most widely recognized.
How DA is calculated: DA combines multiple factors including:
- Number of linking root domains
- Total number of links
- Link quality indicators
- Other SEO factors
Important context:
- DA is logarithmic (going from 20 to 30 is easier than 70 to 80)
- DA is comparative, not absolute
- Google does not use DA (it's a Moz metric)
- DA should be one factor among many
DA benchmarks:
- 0-20: New or weak sites
- 21-40: Small businesses, new blogs
- 41-60: Established sites
- 61-80: Very strong sites
- 81-100: Major websites (Google, Facebook, etc.)
Page Authority (PA)#
Page Authority is the same concept applied to individual pages rather than domains.
When to use PA vs. DA:
- DA: Evaluating overall site quality
- PA: Evaluating specific link opportunity quality
Spam Score#
Moz's Spam Score indicates the percentage of sites with similar features that have been penalized. Understanding spam signals in backlink profiles is critical for protecting your site:
Score interpretation:
- 1-30%: Low risk
- 31-60%: Medium risk (review before linking)
- 61-100%: High risk (likely spam)
Important notes:
- Not all high Spam Score sites are actually spam — learn more about what constitutes link spam
- Manual review is always necessary
- Use as one data point, not a decision maker
Navigating Link Explorer#
Overview Dashboard#
When you enter a domain, the Overview shows:
- Domain Authority
- Linking domains
- Inbound links
- Ranking keywords
- Spam Score
Quick analysis tips:
- Compare DA to competitors for context
- Check linking domains (unique referring domains)
- Note Spam Score for quality assessment
Inbound Links Report#
Path: Link Explorer > Inbound Links
This shows all links pointing to the analyzed domain:
Key columns: | Column | What It Shows | Link Building Use | |--------|---------------|-------------------| | Source URL | Linking page | Review page quality | | Anchor Text | Link text | Understand anchor distribution | | DA | Domain Authority | Evaluate link value | | PA | Page Authority | Assess page-level value | | Spam Score | Risk indicator | Flag for review |
Filtering options:
- Link type (follow, nofollow, external, internal)
- DA range
- Anchor text contains
- New/lost links (date range)
Linking Domains Report#
Path: Link Explorer > Linking Domains
Shows unique domains linking to the site:
More valuable than total links because:
- Multiple links from one domain have diminishing returns
- Referring domain count correlates with rankings
- Diversity matters more than volume
Analysis approach:
- Sort by DA to see highest-authority linkers
- Review domain categories for relevance
- Check Spam Score distribution
Link Opportunities Report#
Path: Link Explorer > Link Opportunities
Moz's automated prospecting feature:
How it works:
- Analyzes your competitors
- Identifies sites linking to them but not you
- Prioritizes by potential value
Using effectively:
- Enter your domain
- Add competitors
- Review suggested opportunities
- Export for outreach
Anchor Text Report#
Path: Link Explorer > Anchor Text
Shows the anchor text distribution for the analyzed site:
Why this matters:
- Unnatural anchor text distribution can indicate manipulation
- Understanding competitor anchors informs your strategy
- Helps identify over-optimization risks
Healthy anchor text distribution:
- Branded anchors: 40-60%
- URL/naked links: 15-25%
- Generic ("click here"): 10-15%
- Partial match keywords: 5-10%
- Exact match keywords: 1-5%
Top Pages Report#
Path: Link Explorer > Top Pages
Shows pages that earn the most links:
Link building insights:
- What content formats work for competitors?
- Which topics attract links?
- Where should you focus content efforts?
Competitor Analysis Workflows#
Basic Competitor Comparison#
Step 1: Enter competitor domain Step 2: Note key metrics (DA, linking domains, Spam Score) Step 3: Repeat for multiple competitors Step 4: Compare against your site
What to look for:
- DA gap between you and competitors
- Linking domain volume differences
- Quality of link sources
- Content that earns them links
Finding Competitor Link Sources#
Detailed analysis:
- Enter competitor domain
- Go to Linking Domains
- Sort by DA (high to low)
- Review high-authority sources
- Check if you could earn similar links
Export and qualify:
- Export relevant prospects
- Research each site's link opportunity type (guest post, resource page, etc.)
- Prioritize by relevance and achievability
Link Intersect Analysis#
Find sites linking to competitors but not you:
Manual method:
- Export competitor linking domains
- Export your linking domains
- Compare lists (Excel VLOOKUP or similar)
- Identify gaps
Using Moz's Link Opportunities: The built-in feature automates this comparison.
Prospecting With Moz#
Evaluating Link Prospects#
When you find a potential link source, check in Moz:
Quick evaluation checklist:
- DA: Is it reasonably authoritative (30+)?
- Spam Score: Is it low risk (under 30%)?
- Linking domains: Does it have real backlinks?
- Traffic: Check organic keywords (indicates real traffic)
Building Prospect Lists#
Workflow:
- Use Link Opportunities feature
- Add competitor-derived prospects
- Score by DA and relevance
- Export for outreach
Prioritization framework: | Factor | Weight | Scoring | |--------|--------|---------| | DA | 30% | Higher is better | | Relevance | 40% | Manual assessment | | Spam Score | 15% | Lower is better | | Achievability | 15% | How likely to succeed? |
Tracking Link Building Progress#
Monitor your metrics:
- Set up Moz Pro tracking for your domain
- Watch DA trends over time
- Track referring domain growth
- Note new high-quality links acquired
Using Spam Score Effectively#
When to Worry About Spam Score#
Your own Spam Score: If your site has a high Spam Score, investigate why:
- Check for low-quality incoming links
- Review technical issues
- Look for on-site spam signals
Prospect Spam Scores: Use Spam Score as a filter, but don't automatically reject:
- Some legitimate sites have elevated scores
- Always manually verify
- Check actual content quality
Reducing Spam Score#
If your Spam Score is high:
- Audit your backlink profile thoroughly
- Identify low-quality incoming links
- Consider disavow for worst offenders
- Fix any on-site issues
- Monitor for improvement
Moz Free vs. Paid Tools#
Free Moz Tools#
Link Explorer (free version):
- 10 queries/month
- Limited data per query
- Basic metrics visible
MozBar (browser extension):
- Free DA/PA checking
- On-page analysis
- SERP overlay
Good for: Occasional checks, quick evaluations. For more options, see our roundup of the best free backlink checkers.
Moz Pro (Paid)#
Features for link building:
- Unlimited Link Explorer queries
- Full data export
- Link Opportunities feature
- Campaign tracking
- Historical data
Pricing tiers:
- Standard: Basic features, 3 campaigns
- Medium: More campaigns, features
- Large: Full features, team access
- Premium: Enterprise level
For serious link building: Medium or higher recommended.
Moz vs. Ahrefs vs. SEMrush#
For detailed head-to-head breakdowns, see our Ahrefs vs. Moz comparison and SEMrush vs. Moz comparison.
Where Moz Excels#
- Domain Authority: Industry standard metric
- Spam Score: Unique risk assessment
- Interface: Clean, easy to learn
- MozBar: Convenient free browser tool
- Educational resources: Excellent learning materials
Where Moz Falls Short#
- Index size: Smaller than Ahrefs
- Update frequency: Less frequent crawling
- Advanced features: Fewer power-user options
- Outreach tools: Limited compared to SEMrush
When to Use Moz#
- When you need quick DA checks
- For Spam Score assessments
- Learning SEO fundamentals
- Budget-conscious link building
- When clients ask about DA specifically
Multi-Tool Approach#
Many professionals use multiple tools. If you're exploring alternatives, check out our Majestic alternatives guide as well:
- Ahrefs for deep backlink research
- SEMrush for integrated workflows
- Moz for DA/Spam Score and quick checks
Link Building Workflows in Moz#
Quick Site Evaluation#
When considering a link opportunity:
- Install MozBar extension
- Visit the prospect site
- Check DA and Spam Score instantly
- Decide whether to investigate further
Competitor Gap Analysis#
Weekly workflow:
- Enter primary competitor in Link Explorer
- Check Linking Domains for new sources
- Run Link Opportunities for intersect analysis
- Export new prospects
- Qualify and add to outreach list
Monthly Link Profile Audit#
Review your own profile:
- Check current DA (compare to previous month)
- Review new links acquired
- Check Spam Score trend
- Analyze anchor text distribution
- Identify any concerning patterns
Tips for Maximizing Moz#
Best Practices#
- Use MozBar for quick checks throughout your day
- Track campaigns for sites you actively build links for
- Export data for deeper analysis in spreadsheets
- Cross-reference with other tools for important decisions
Common Mistakes#
- Over-relying on DA as the only quality metric
- Ignoring Spam Score context (manual review needed)
- Not checking PA for specific link opportunities
- Forgetting that Moz's index is smaller than competitors
Integrating With Your Workflow#
Moz fits best as:
- Quick qualification tool (MozBar)
- Standard metric source (DA for client reporting)
- Secondary verification (alongside Ahrefs/SEMrush)
- Learning resource (Moz's educational content)
Frequently Asked Questions#
Is Domain Authority a Google metric?#
No. Domain Authority is Moz's proprietary metric. Google does not use it. However, DA attempts to predict ranking ability based on factors similar to what Google might consider.
Why is my DA lower than competitors with fewer links?#
DA considers link quality, not just quantity. Competitors may have fewer but higher-quality links. DA is also relative—if the web's overall link profile changes, your DA can shift.
How often should I check DA?#
DA updates approximately monthly. Checking more frequently won't show changes. Focus on long-term trends rather than short-term fluctuations.
Can I increase DA quickly?#
No. DA changes gradually based on backlink profile improvements. Attempts to rapidly boost DA usually involve low-quality links that ultimately backfire.
Should I disavow high Spam Score links?#
Not automatically. Spam Score is a risk indicator, not a verdict. Manually review flagged links before disavowing. Many legitimate sites have elevated Spam Scores.
Is Moz Pro worth the cost?#
It depends on your needs. If you need quick DA checks and basic analysis, the free tools may suffice. For serious link building with full data access, Pro is valuable—though many choose Ahrefs or SEMrush for primary backlink research.
Building Your Moz Workflow#
Moz works best as part of a broader toolkit:
- Use MozBar for instant evaluations while browsing
- Check Link Explorer for detailed prospect analysis
- Run Link Opportunities for competitor gap discovery
- Monitor Spam Score as a risk indicator
- Track DA trends for overall progress measurement
While Moz's link index is smaller than competitors, its metrics (especially DA) remain industry standards, and its interface makes it accessible for link builders at all experience levels.
For complementary tools, see our guides on Ahrefs for link building and SEMrush link building features. If you're looking for no-cost options to supplement Moz's free tier, our free backlink checker tools roundup covers the top alternatives.
Related Resources#
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