Definition
Domain Authority (DA) is a ranking score developed by Moz that predicts the likelihood of a domain ranking in Google search results. The score ranges from 0 to 100, with higher values corresponding to a greater ranking ability. DA is calculated by combining several factors, including the number of referring domains, total link count, link quality, and other proprietary Moz metrics. It is important to understand that Domain Authority is not a Google metric and is not used by search engines for ranking. Nevertheless, it has become an industry standard for comparing the relative strength of different domains and evaluating the potential value of a backlink. DA is updated regularly and is relative: it is best used to compare sites against each other rather than to evaluate a site in isolation.
Key Points
- A 0-to-100 score created by Moz, an industry standard in link building
- Not an official Google metric but widely used to evaluate backlinks
- A relative score best used to compare domains against each other
Practical Examples
Evaluating site quality before buying a link
On the LemmiLink marketplace, check publisher sites' Domain Authority. A link from a site with DA 50+ will generally have more ranking impact than a link from a site with DA 15.
Tracking progress against competitors
Track your DA and your competitors' DA over time. If your DA is growing faster, it indicates your link building strategy is more effective than theirs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Focus on acquiring quality backlinks from authoritative and thematically relevant sites. Also improve your internal linking, remove toxic links, and produce quality content that naturally attracts links. DA evolves slowly: it generally takes several months of sustained effort to see significant progress.
No, DA is not a Google metric and does not guarantee good rankings. A site with DA 30 can outrank a site with DA 60 if its content is more relevant to the query. DA is a useful predictive indicator for comparing sites, but actual ranking depends on hundreds of factors including content relevance, user experience, and search intent.
Go Further with LemmiLink
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Last updated: 2026-02-07