Domain Authority
Domain authority is a third-party score estimating how well a site is positioned to rank, based mostly on the strength of its backlink profile.
Domain authority is a third-party metric that estimates how well a website is positioned to rank in search, based primarily on the size and quality of its backlink profile. Moz's Domain Authority and Semrush's Authority Score are the common versions; Google uses neither directly.
How it works
These scores model the same signals engines are believed to reward: quantity and quality of referring domains, link relevance, and traffic. They are logarithmic, so moving from 10 to 20 is far easier than from 60 to 70. Their real value is comparative: benchmarking a site against direct competitors and tracking whether authority-building work is compounding.
Why it matters
A low score relative to competitors explains why good content underperforms, and it tells you the priority is off-site authority rather than more on-site polish. Treat it as a diagnostic compass, not a vanity number. Learn more about our GEO agency practice.
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