Domain Authority
A score predicting how likely a website is to rank in search results, based on its backlink profile.
Domain Authority (DA) is a metric created by Moz that predicts how likely a website is to rank in search engine results. It scores websites on a scale from 1 to 100, with higher scores meaning a greater likelihood of ranking.
Important caveat: Domain Authority is NOT a Google ranking factor. Google doesn't use DA in its algorithm. It's a third-party metric that tries to approximate how strong a site's backlink profile is. Think of it as a useful benchmark, not a definitive measure.
DA is calculated based on the number and quality of backlinks pointing to your domain. New sites start with a DA of 1. Major sites like Google.com and Facebook.com have DA scores near 100.
Similar metrics include Ahrefs' Domain Rating (DR) and Majestic's Trust Flow. They all measure roughly the same thing in different ways. They're useful for comparing sites and tracking progress over time, but don't obsess over the exact number.
Why It Matters for SEO
While not a direct ranking factor, Domain Authority serves as a useful proxy for understanding your site's competitive strength. It helps you evaluate link building opportunities, benchmark against competitors, and track your site's growth over time.