What is Domain Authority?
Domain Authority (DA) is a search engine ranking score developed by Moz that predicts how well a website will rank on search engine result pages (SERPs). Scores range from 1 to 100, with higher scores indicating a greater ability to rank. Ahrefs uses a similar metric called Domain Rating (DR).
Why It Matters
Domain Authority helps you benchmark your site against competitors and assess the value of potential backlinks. A link from a DA 80 website is far more impactful than one from a DA 15 blog. It also helps set realistic ranking expectations — a new site with DA 10 won’t outrank a DA 70 competitor for the same keyword overnight.
How It Works
Domain Authority is calculated using dozens of factors, primarily the number and quality of backlinks pointing to a domain. It uses a logarithmic scale, meaning it is relatively easy to grow from DA 10 to DA 30, but much harder to grow from DA 60 to DA 70. DA is a relative metric, not an absolute score, so it’s best used for comparisons rather than as a standalone goal.
Real-World Example
Digital Media Run launches as a new website with DA 1. After 12 months of consistent content publishing, getting featured in marketing articles, and earning backlinks from industry blogs, the domain grows to DA 28. Competitors in the digital marketing space average DA 35–50, so the goal becomes closing that gap.
