Domain Authority
A third-party metric (developed by Moz) that predicts how likely a website is to rank in search results, scored 1–100.
Full definition
Domain Authority (DA) is a logarithmic score created by Moz that estimates a website's ranking strength. It is calculated based on the quality and quantity of backlinks pointing to a domain. Similar metrics include Ahrefs' Domain Rating (DR) and Semrush's Authority Score. Importantly, DA is not a Google metric — Google does not use DA in its algorithm. However, it is widely used as a proxy for site authority when evaluating link building opportunities or benchmarking against competitors. A new website typically starts around DA 1–10; major publishers like the BBC or NYT score 90+. Focus on relative improvements and industry comparisons rather than chasing absolute numbers.
Real-world example
Before pitching a guest post, an agency checks that the target site has a DA above 40 and is topically relevant to their client's industry — higher DA links carry more ranking weight.
Related terms
A link from one website pointing to another, used by search engines as a vote of authority and relevance.
Read definitionThe page displayed by a search engine in response to a query, containing organic results, ads, and features like Local Pack and Knowledge Graph.
Read definitionExperience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness — Google's quality framework for evaluating content.
Read definitionWebsite visitors who arrive through unpaid search engine results rather than paid ads.
Read definitionReady to apply this to your business?
Build a custom digital marketing proposal in 60 seconds. We scope the right strategy for your market, industry, and growth goals.
Build my proposal