Page Authority (PA) is a metric developed by Moz that predicts how likely a specific webpage is to rank in search engine results. Scored on a logarithmic scale from 0 to 100, PA measures the ranking strength of an individual URL based on the backlinks pointing to that specific page.
Unlike Domain Authority which evaluates entire websites, Page Authority focuses exclusively on page-level link signals. A website with DA 70 might have individual pages ranging from PA 15 to PA 65 depending on how many quality links each page has attracted.
How Page Authority Works#
The PA Algorithm#
Moz calculates Page Authority using a machine learning model that considers:
- Link quantity: Number of external links pointing to the specific URL
- Link quality: The PA and DA of pages linking to you
- Link diversity: Variety of referring domains
- Anchor text patterns: How links describe your page
- Spam signals: Presence of suspicious link patterns
The model is trained against actual Google search results, correlating these signals with pages that rank well for competitive terms.
The Logarithmic Scale#
PA uses a logarithmic 0-100 scale, meaning:
- Moving from PA 20 to 30 requires significantly less effort than moving from PA 50 to 60
- The higher your current PA, the more difficult further improvement becomes
- Most pages cluster in the 20-50 range
This is why brand new pages start near PA 1, while only exceptional pages (Wikipedia articles, major news homepages) approach PA 90+.
How Often PA Updates#
Moz continuously crawls the web and updates their link index. However:
- Index updates happen regularly but aren't real-time
- New backlinks may take 2-8 weeks to appear in PA calculations
- Deleted pages/links take time to be removed from the index
- Algorithm refinements occasionally cause score fluctuations
Page Authority vs Domain Authority#
Key Differences#
| Factor | Page Authority (PA) | Domain Authority (DA) | |--------|--------------------|-----------------------| | Scope | Single URL/page | Entire domain | | Based on | Links to that specific page | Links to any page on domain | | Varies within site | Yes - each page has unique PA | No - same DA for all pages | | Best for | Evaluating specific pages | Comparing overall site strength | | Building strategy | Target links to specific URLs | General link building |
When to Use Each Metric#
Use Page Authority when:
- Evaluating a specific page for link placement opportunities
- Analyzing competing pages for a target keyword
- Deciding which of your pages to prioritize for link building
- Assessing the value of a potential backlink source page
Use Domain Authority when:
- Comparing overall website strength
- Quick site-level quality assessment
- Evaluating potential partnership or outreach targets
- Setting domain-level SEO benchmarks
A Practical Example#
Consider a large publication like Forbes (DA ~95):
- Homepage: PA 90+
- Popular article from last month: PA 45
- New article published today: PA 1-10
The DA reflects overall site authority, but individual pages vary dramatically based on their specific backlink profiles.
Page Authority Benchmarks by Industry#
What's "Good" PA by Sector#
PA scores must be interpreted relative to your competition. Here are typical ranges by industry:
| Industry/Niche | Low PA | Average PA | Strong PA | Exceptional PA | |----------------|--------|------------|-----------|----------------| | Local Business | 0-15 | 15-25 | 25-40 | 40+ | | SaaS/Tech Startup | 0-20 | 20-35 | 35-50 | 50+ | | E-commerce (product pages) | 10-20 | 20-35 | 35-50 | 50+ | | Professional Services | 0-20 | 20-35 | 35-45 | 45+ | | Health/Medical | 15-25 | 25-40 | 40-55 | 55+ | | Finance | 15-30 | 30-45 | 45-60 | 60+ | | News/Media | 20-35 | 35-50 | 50-70 | 70+ | | Major Publications | 40-50 | 50-65 | 65-80 | 80+ |
Competitive Benchmarking Process#
Rather than comparing to general benchmarks, compare your PA to actual competition:
- Identify your target keyword
- Check PA of the top 10 ranking pages for that keyword
- Calculate the average PA of positions 1-3
- Compare your page's PA to this competitive benchmark
Example: For "best project management software":
- Position 1: PA 58
- Position 2: PA 52
- Position 3: PA 49
- Your page: PA 31
This tells you approximately how much link building you need—your page needs to more than match the PA of current top-rankers (plus have excellent content and relevance).
How to Check Page Authority#
Free PA Checker Tools#
1. MozBar (Recommended for Quick Checks)
- Free Chrome/Firefox extension
- Shows PA/DA for every page you visit
- Displays in browser toolbar
- Download MozBar
2. Moz Link Explorer Free
- 10 free queries per month
- Shows PA plus detailed link data
- Most accurate since PA is Moz's metric
- Moz Link Explorer
3. Small SEO Tools
- Unlimited free checks
- Less accurate than Moz directly
- No account required
- SmallSEOTools PA Checker
For a wider selection of tools that show PA alongside other metrics, see our complete list of free backlink analysis tools.
Checking Competitor PA at Scale#
For analyzing multiple competitor pages:
- Export SERP results for your target keywords
- Batch check PA using Moz's API or bulk checker
- Create a spreadsheet comparing your PA to competitors
- Identify the PA gap you need to close
Tracking PA Over Time#
Monitor PA for your key pages monthly:
| Page | Jan PA | Feb PA | Mar PA | Change | Notes | |------|--------|--------|--------|--------|-------| | /service-page | 28 | 29 | 32 | +4 | Added 3 guest post links | | /blog/guide | 22 | 22 | 24 | +2 | Natural link growth | | /product | 35 | 34 | 33 | -2 | Investigate lost links |
How to Improve Page Authority#
1. Build Backlinks Directly to the Page#
The most direct way to increase PA is earning backlinks to the specific URL:
Effective tactics:
- Guest posting with links to specific pages (not just homepage)
- Broken link building targeting relevant pages
- Creating linkable assets like original research, tools, or comprehensive guides
- Digital PR to earn editorial links to specific content
Key principle: Links to your homepage build DA but don't directly improve specific page PA. Target link building efforts to your priority pages.
2. Strategic Internal Linking#
Your internal links transfer page authority within your site:
Best practices:
- Link from your highest-PA pages to priority pages needing a boost
- Use relevant, natural anchor text
- Ensure important pages receive internal links from multiple sources
- Create hub pages that link to related content
Example internal link flow:
High-PA blog post (PA 45) → Links to → Money page (PA 25)
↓
Money page PA increases over time
3. Content Quality and Link Worthiness#
PA follows content quality indirectly:
- Exceptional content attracts natural links → More links = Higher PA
- Comprehensive resources become link targets → Industry references link to you
- Original research gets cited → Citations = backlinks = PA growth
Focus on creating content people want to reference and share.
4. Remove or Disavow Toxic Links#
Low-quality or spammy links can suppress PA:
- Audit existing backlinks using Moz Link Explorer
- Identify suspicious patterns (foreign language spam, link farms, irrelevant directories)
- Use Google's Disavow Tool for links you can't remove manually
- Monitor for negative SEO attacks
Common PA Mistakes to Avoid#
Mistake 1: Only Building Homepage Links#
Many link building campaigns focus exclusively on homepage links. While this builds DA, it doesn't help specific pages rank better.
Fix: Allocate link building budget to priority inner pages, not just the homepage.
Mistake 2: Expecting DA to Transfer#
High DA doesn't automatically make new pages high-PA. A brand new page on a DA 70 site still starts with minimal PA.
Fix: Understand that new content needs its own link building to gain PA.
Mistake 3: Obsessing Over Exact Numbers#
PA fluctuates regularly. Chasing specific PA targets leads to frustration.
Fix: Focus on relative improvement and competitive benchmarking rather than absolute PA targets.
Mistake 4: Ignoring Link Relevance#
A high-PA link from an irrelevant page provides less value than a moderate-PA link from a highly relevant source.
Fix: Prioritize relevance alongside PA when evaluating link opportunities.
Mistake 5: Expecting Overnight Results#
PA changes gradually as Moz processes new links.
Fix: Plan for 3-6 month link building campaigns with patience. Check PA monthly, not daily.
PA vs Other Page-Level Metrics#
Comparison Table#
| Metric | Provider | Scale | What It Measures | Free Access | |--------|----------|-------|------------------|-------------| | Page Authority | Moz | 0-100 | Page ranking potential | Yes (limited) | | URL Rating (UR) | Ahrefs | 0-100 | Page link profile strength | Yes (limited) | | Page Trust Flow | Majestic | 0-100 | Page trust from links | Yes (limited) | | Page Citation Flow | Majestic | 0-100 | Page link quantity | Yes (limited) |
Which to Use#
All these metrics measure similar concepts with different methodologies:
- If you use Moz: Stick with PA for consistency
- If you use Ahrefs: URL Rating serves the same purpose
- For trust assessment: Majestic's Trust Flow offers unique perspective
- For comprehensive view: Cross-reference multiple metrics
The key is consistency—pick a primary metric and use it across all your analysis for comparable data.
Page Authority Limitations#
What PA Cannot Tell You#
PA is not a Google ranking factor. Google doesn't use Moz's PA metric. PA predicts ranking potential based on Moz's analysis of ranking signals, but Google's actual algorithm is far more complex.
PA doesn't account for:
- Content quality and relevance
- User experience signals
- Technical SEO factors
- Search intent match
- Keyword optimization
- E-E-A-T signals
PA is comparative, not absolute. A PA 40 page might outrank a PA 50 page if it has better content, relevance, or user engagement.
Appropriate Use Cases#
Use PA for:
- Competitive analysis and benchmarking
- Link prospecting (evaluating source page quality)
- Progress tracking over time
- Internal link prioritization
- Understanding relative page strength
Don't use PA for:
- Predicting exact rankings
- Sole decision-making factor
- Ignoring content/relevance quality
- Short-term performance measurement
Page Authority Strategy Checklist#
Monthly PA Audit#
□ Check PA for top 10 priority pages □ Compare to previous month's scores □ Identify any significant drops (5+ points) □ Investigate lost backlinks for declining pages □ Update competitive benchmarks for target keywords
Link Building Prioritization#
□ List pages where PA improvement would have highest impact □ Allocate link building resources to specific URLs (not just homepage) □ Track new backlinks acquired and expected PA impact □ Set realistic 3-6 month PA targets based on competitive analysis
Content Optimization#
□ Identify low-PA pages with ranking potential □ Improve content quality to attract natural links □ Add internal links from high-PA pages □ Create linkable assets for priority topic areas
Summary#
Page Authority is Moz's page-level prediction of ranking potential:
Key takeaways:
- PA measures individual URL strength, not entire domains
- Build links directly to specific pages to increase their PA
- Use PA for competitive benchmarking, not absolute targets
- Compare your PA to pages actually ranking for your keywords
- PA improvement requires sustained link building over months
Your PA action plan:
- Install MozBar to check PA while browsing
- Audit your priority pages' current PA scores
- Benchmark against top-ranking competitors
- Allocate link building to specific pages, not just homepage
- Track monthly and celebrate gradual improvements
Related Resources#
- Free Backlink Checker - Check Page Authority for any URL instantly
- Backlink Audit Checklist - Step-by-step audit guide
- Domain Authority Explained
- Link Equity: How Value Flows Between Pages
- Authority Metrics: Understanding DA, PA, and Beyond
- Best Free Backlink Checkers
- How to Evaluate Backlink Quality