What Is Domain Authority and How to Improve It

Have you ever wondered why some websites always rank higher on Google, while others struggle to even appear on the first page? The answer often lies in a powerful SEO metric called Domain Authority (DA).

Domain Authority has become one of the most talked-about terms in digital marketing and search engine optimization. While it is not an official Google ranking factor, it is widely used to measure the strength, trustworthiness, and ranking potential of a website.

In simple words, the higher your Domain Authority score, the more likely your site is to rank for competitive keywords. That’s why understanding DA and learning how to improve it is crucial for bloggers, business owners, and SEO professionals.

In this blog, we’ll break down:

• What Domain Authority really means
• Why it matters in SEO
• The key factors that influence DA
• Step-by-step strategies to boost your score

Let’s dive in.

What Is Domain Authority?

Domain Authority (DA) is a search engine ranking score developed by Moz, a popular SEO software company. It ranges from 1 to 100, with higher scores representing stronger websites.

• Low DA (1–30): New websites, small blogs, or sites with few backlinks.
• Medium DA (31–60): Growing websites with some authority and backlinks.
• High DA (61–100): Established websites with strong backlink profiles (e.g., Wikipedia, Forbes, Google itself).

It’s important to note that Domain Authority is not a Google metric. Instead, it is a predictive score created by SEO tools like Moz, Ahrefs (Domain Rating), and SEMrush (Authority Score) to estimate how well a site might perform in search rankings.

Why Domain Authority Matters

Even though DA isn’t an official Google ranking factor, it still matters because:

• Competitive Benchmarking: You can compare your site’s DA against competitors to understand your relative strength.
• Backlink Opportunities: Many websites only accept guest posts or link exchanges from sites with a minimum DA score.
• Content Strategy: High DA sites have a better chance of ranking quickly for competitive keywords.
• Trust & Authority: DA reflects how trustworthy your site appears to search engines and users.

In short, Domain Authority gives you a roadmap of where your website stands and what you need to do to improve.

Factors That Influence Domain Authority

Domain Authority is calculated using several signals. Here are the most important ones:

1. Backlink Profile
   • The quantity and quality of sites linking to you.
   • Links from authoritative websites improve DA more than dozens of low-quality links.
2. Root Domains
   • Having multiple websites link to you is better than many links from the same site.
3. Content Quality
   • Original, valuable, and engaging content attracts natural backlinks.
4. Site Structure & SEO
   • Internal linking, mobile responsiveness, and proper technical SEO improve crawlability.
5. Traffic & User Signals
   • High engagement, low bounce rates, and consistent organic traffic strengthen your DA.
6. Domain Age
   • Older domains tend to have higher authority, assuming they’ve been active and consistent.

Common Reasons for Low Domain Authority

Many new or struggling websites have a low DA score. Here’s why that happens:

• New Website: Fresh domains start with DA = 1.
• Weak Backlink Profile: Lack of high-quality backlinks is the #1 reason for low DA.
• Thin Content: Short, duplicate, or low-value content won’t attract links.
• Poor Site SEO: Slow speed, broken links, and bad UX hurt authority.
• Spammy Links: If your site has toxic backlinks, it can negatively impact DA.

The good news? Domain Authority is not permanent. With the right strategies, you can steadily improve your score.

Step-by-Step Guide to Improve Domain Authority

Now let’s get into the practical part: how to increase Domain Authority step by step.

Step 1: Create High-Quality Content

Content is the foundation of SEO and DA. Without great content, no one will link to you.

• Write in-depth, helpful, and original blog posts.
• Target long-tail keywords to attract organic traffic.
• Use data, case studies, and infographics that others can reference.
• Update old content to keep it relevant.

Example: Instead of writing “Top SEO Tools,” write “Best SEO Tools Tested in 2025 (With Results).” This makes your content more authoritative.

Step 2: Build a Strong Backlink Profile

Backlinks remain the most important factor for improving DA.

• Guest Posting: Write articles for other blogs in your niche with a backlink to your site.
• Broken Link Building: Find broken links on other sites and suggest your content as a replacement.
• Skyscraper Technique: Create better versions of popular content and reach out to sites linking to the original.
• HARO (Help a Reporter Out): Provide expert quotes for journalists and earn backlinks from high DA sites.

Quality matters more than quantity. One backlink from Forbes is better than 100 from unknown blogs.

Step 3: Improve On-Page SEO

A website with poor on-page SEO will struggle to improve DA.

• Use focus keywords in title tags, meta descriptions, and headings.
• Optimize images with alt tags.
• Add internal links to spread link juice.
• Ensure mobile-friendliness and fast loading speeds.

Tools like Yoast SEO or Rank Math make on-page optimization much easier.

Step 4: Fix Technical SEO Issues

Google needs to crawl and index your site properly. Technical issues can hold you back.

• Submit your site to Google Search Console.
• Fix crawl errors and broken links.
• Use SSL (HTTPS) for security.
• Improve Core Web Vitals like speed, interactivity, and stability.

Example: If your site takes 8 seconds to load, users will bounce. This indirectly lowers your DA.

Step 5: Build Internal Linking Structure

Internal links guide users and search engines to important pages.

• Link from high-authority pages to new posts.
• Use descriptive anchor text.
• Avoid orphan pages (pages with no internal links).

Example: If you write a new post on “Email Marketing Tools,” link it to your older post on “Digital Marketing Strategies.”

Step 6: Increase Social Signals

While social media doesn’t directly affect DA, it helps indirectly.

• Share your content across LinkedIn, Twitter (X), and Facebook.
• Encourage readers to share your posts.
• Use visuals, short videos, and infographics for higher engagement.

Viral content often earns backlinks, which boost DA.

Step 7: Clean Up Bad Links

Toxic backlinks can harm your Domain Authority.

• Use Ahrefs or SEMrush to identify spammy links.
• Reach out to webmasters to remove them.
• If they don’t respond, use Google’s Disavow Tool.

Comparison Table: Moz DA vs Ahrefs DR vs SEMrush AS

Extra Tips to Boost Domain Authority

Apart from the core steps, here are some advanced tips that can give your DA a significant push:

1. Focus on Niche Relevance

Backlinks from sites in your niche carry more weight than random links. For example, if you run a travel blog, a backlink from Lonely Planet is more valuable than one from a tech blog.

2. Publish Link-Worthy Assets

• Infographics
• Research-based posts
• Ultimate guides
• Free tools or calculators

These assets are naturally attractive and encourage backlinks.

3. Build Relationships

Networking with other bloggers, influencers, and industry leaders can open doors for collaboration and backlinks. Guest posting becomes easier when you have established connections.

4. Monitor Competitors

Analyze competitors with higher DA scores. Tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs can show you where they’re getting their backlinks from. Replicate the best opportunities.

5. Be Patient

Improving Domain Authority takes time. It’s not an overnight fix—it’s a long-term investment. Focus on consistency, and results will follow.

FAQs on Domain Authority

1. What is a good Domain Authority score?

• For new websites, anything above 30 is considered decent.
• Established sites should aim for 50+, while highly competitive industries target 70+.

2. Does Google use Domain Authority for ranking?

No. Google does not use DA as a ranking factor. However, DA reflects signals that Google does care about, like backlinks, content quality, and site performance.

3. How long does it take to improve Domain Authority?

It depends. On average, you may see changes in 3–6 months, but for big improvements, it can take a year or more.

4. Can low DA sites still rank?

Yes. A site with low DA but great content and strong on-page SEO can outrank high DA sites for long-tail and less competitive keywords.

5. Is Domain Authority the same as Page Authority?

No. Domain Authority measures the entire domain, while Page Authority (PA) measures the ranking potential of a single page.

Conclusion

Domain Authority is one of the most useful metrics for SEO professionals and website owners. While it’s not an official Google ranking factor, it provides a clear picture of your site’s strength, backlink profile, and competitive potential.

To recap, here’s how you can improve your DA:

• Create high-quality, linkable content
• Build authoritative backlinks
• Optimize on-page and technical SEO
• Strengthen internal linking
• Clean up toxic backlinks
• Leverage social media for more visibility

Remember, Domain Authority is a marathon, not a sprint. By consistently applying these strategies, you’ll not only boost your DA but also improve your overall search rankings and organic traffic.

So, start today—run an audit of your website, create a content plan, and reach out for quality backlinks. The earlier you take action, the sooner you’ll see results.