What Is Domain Authority and How Does It Work?
Suppose you built a website one year ago by purchasing an NZ domain name from a reliable domain host and watched your visitor numbers continuously rise.
So, have you ever stopped to wonder how these metrics function?
Or have you ever been curious about how a website’s success is measured?
If you’ve ever wondered these questions, you are in the right place. The answer lies in a series of SEO factors, and one of the pivotal metrics among them is “Domain Authority” or “DA.”
DA plays a crucial role in gauging your website’s triumph and holds the keys to its standing in search engine results pages (SERPs).
In this article, let’s understand the concept of Domain Authority thoroughly and learn how it works.
What is Domain Authority?
Domain Authority is a metric developed by Moz, a leading provider of SEO software and tools. It’s used to evaluate the overall authority or credibility of a website in the eyes of search engines, but remember, it is not a Google ranking factor and does not affect the SERPs.
The DA is calculated by considering several factors that ultimately comprise a single number called the Domain Authority score, ranging from 1 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater authority.
How does Domain Authority Work?
1. Calculation of DA
Domain Authority is calculated by evaluating multiple factors comprising a single DA score. It includes
- Backlinks Quality: Think of backlinks as your website’s endorsements. Getting high-quality, trustworthy websites to link to yours can significantly boost your Domain Authority.
- Content Quality: Who doesn’t want to read the well-written, relevant, and engaging content? Therefore, undoubtedly, great content will always attract readers (and backlinks) as your website score improves.
- On-Page SEO: Proper on-page SEO is like giving your website a clear road map. Using relevant keywords, meta tags, and smart internal linking can positively impact your Domain Authority.
- Website Age: Older websites have higher Domain Authority scores as they have more time to gather backlinks and establish themselves as authorities.
- Social Presence: Websites with a solid social presence can indirectly boost their online reputation.
2. Score Range and its Classification
| Domain Authority Score Range | Classification |
| 0 – 30 | Poor |
| 31 – 60 | Moderate |
| 61 – 80 | Good |
| 81 – 100 | Excellent |
3. Fluctuations
- Your DA score can shift if your website gains or loses backlinks, especially from authoritative or spammy sources.
- Changes in the link profiles of competing websites can also affect your DA score.
- Your DA score relies on Moz’s data, so updates or revisions in this data can impact your score.
3. Comparative Use
- DA is a comparative metric for your website’s authority compared to others.
- Check the Domain Authority score of your website regularly to see how it is doing and where it can improve.
- It guides your content and link-building strategies based on your site’s authority level.
- It is a benchmark for evaluating SEO performance and making informed decisions to enhance visibility.
4. Search Engine Rankings
- Domain Authority isn’t a direct ranking factor but can influence your SEO rankings by giving your website site an edge in search engine rankings.
- Websites with higher Domain Authority scores often perform better in search results.
Conclusion
Domain Authority is an essential metric that helps compare the different websites and influence the rankings of Google search engines. You can check DA in various reliable tools like MOZ and SEMrush online and improve your overall ranking and online presence.