You’ve probably heard someone say:

“Your site’s Domain Authority is low—you’ll never rank.”

Or maybe you checked a free tool, saw your score was 11, and thought:

“Cool… is that bad?"

Let’s clear up the confusion. This article will explain what Domain Authority is, how it’s calculated, and whether you should actually worry about it.

What Is Domain Authority?

Domain Authority (DA) is a search engine ranking score developed by Moz that predicts how likely your site is to rank on Google.

It ranges from 1 to 100. Higher = more “authority,” which usually means a better shot at ranking.

But here’s the thing:

Google doesn’t use Domain Authority. It’s a made-up score created by SEO companies to help marketers estimate ranking potential.

Still, it’s useful—if you know what it means (and what it doesn’t).

How Domain Authority Is Calculated

DA is calculated based on several factors:

  • Backlinks from other websites (especially authoritative ones)
  • Link diversity (are you getting links from a variety of sources?)
  • Quality of linking domains (spammy sites drag you down)
  • Content strength (longer, more helpful = better)
  • Site structure and crawlability

Moz uses a machine-learning model to compare your site against thousands of others to assign the score.

Important: It’s a relative score, not an absolute one. That means it’s most helpful when comparing your site to your competitors.

Why People Obsess Over It

Because it gives them a number to chase.

Agencies use it to pitch their link-building services.

Businesses use it to “feel good” about progress.

But here’s what matters more:

  • Are you ranking for valuable keywords?
  • Are you getting qualified traffic?
  • Are people converting into leads or sales?

You can have a DA of 15 and still outrank a site with a DA of 50—if your page is better optimized, more relevant, and more helpful.

Should You Care About Domain Authority?

Yes… but with context.

Here’s when it’s useful:

  • As a rough comparison against competitors
  • To measure link-building progress
  • To avoid spammy links (if your score drops unexpectedly)

Here’s when it’s not:

  • As your main SEO goal
  • As a reason to panic if it’s low
  • As the only measure of success

Google has confirmed they don’t use DA, but many SEOs still use it because it loosely correlates with higher rankings.

What’s a Good Domain Authority Score?

It depends. Here is a rough scale:

  • 1–20: New or very small site
  • 21–40: Growing site with a few links
  • 41–60: Competitive, established site
  • 61–80: Authoritative in your niche
  • 81–100: Media outlets, major brands (think NYTimes, Amazon)

Don’t compare yourself to Amazon. Compare yourself to other local businesses in your niche and city.

How to Check Your Domain Authority

Go to:

Most tools give a free preview (just sign up or use limited queries).

How to Improve Your Domain Authority

1. Get Quality Backlinks

Links from reputable sites = better authority.

Avoid spammy directories or paid link schemes.

You can earn links by:

  • Creating blog posts that answer real questions
  • Publishing local resources or guides
  • Getting featured in local press or blogs
  • Guest posting on relevant, reputable sites

2. Fix Technical Issues

Broken links, slow load times, crawl errors—all of these can impact DA.

Use your SEO audit to fix technical errors and thin content.

3. Strengthen Your Internal Linking

Link related pages together using helpful anchor text.

It improves crawlability and boosts page authority across your site.

4. Be Patient

Domain Authority is a long game.

It’s not going to jump 20 points overnight—and that’s okay.

Focus on building helpful content and earning trust. Your score (and rankings) will follow.

TL;DR

  • Domain Authority is a third-party score that estimates your site’s ability to rank
  • It’s based on links, site quality, and content—not an official Google metric
  • Use it to track progress, but don’t obsess over it
  • Build great content, get good links, fix technical issues = better DA over time

Final Thoughts

Domain Authority can give you a helpful snapshot of where your site stands—but it’s not gospel. What matters most is whether your content shows up for the right searches and brings in real leads.

Want to see your Domain Authority score and how to improve it? Let’s do a free checkup.