Last Updated on June 22, 2025 by Ian Naylor
Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA) are two important SEO metrics that help predict a website or webpage’s ranking potential on search engines. Here’s what you need to know:
- Domain Authority (DA) measures the ranking strength of an entire website or domain. It’s ideal for evaluating long-term SEO performance and overall competitiveness.
- Page Authority (PA) assesses the ranking potential of a specific webpage. It’s useful for optimizing individual pages around competitive keywords.
Quick Comparison
| Aspect | Domain Authority (DA) | Page Authority (PA) |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Ranking potential of a website/domain | Ranking potential of a single page |
| Scope | Entire website | Individual webpage |
| Key Factors | Backlink profile, domain age, content quality | Backlinks to the page, page content quality |
| Change Speed | Gradual | Faster |
| Best Use Case | Long-term SEO growth | Targeted page-level optimizations |
Key takeaway: Use DA for assessing your site’s overall authority and competitiveness, and PA for improving specific pages to rank higher in search results.
Domain Authority vs. Page Authority: Which One Should You Focus on More?
Domain Authority: Definition and How It Works
Domain Authority (DA) is a scoring system created by Moz to estimate how well your website might rank on search engine results pages (SERPs).
"Domain authority (DA) is a scoring system developed by Moz that determines how likely you are to rank in SERPs." – Abbey Stephan, Writer
It’s important to note that DA is not a factor Google uses for ranking. Instead, it’s a comparative tool.
"Google doesn’t use Domain Authority at all when it comes to Search crawling, indexing, or ranking. This is pretty clear on their site." – John Mueller, Google
Now, let’s look at how DA is measured.
Domain Authority Scale and Scoring
DA operates on a 100-point logarithmic scale, meaning the higher your score, the harder it is to improve further. For instance, jumping from 20 to 30 is much easier than moving from 70 to 80. Generally, scores above 40 are considered strong, while anything over 60 is excellent.
What Influences Domain Authority Scores
Several key factors contribute to your DA score, with backlinks playing the most significant role. Here’s a breakdown of what affects it:
- Backlink Quality and Quantity: A strong backlink profile with links from reputable sites significantly boosts your DA.
- Domain Age: Older domains tend to have higher scores due to their longer history of building authority. However, newer sites with a solid link-building strategy can also achieve high DA.
- Content Quality and Relevance: High-quality, engaging content attracts natural backlinks and keeps visitors on your site.
- Technical SEO: Elements like site structure, page speed, mobile-friendliness, and overall user experience improve your chances of earning quality backlinks.
- Social Media Presence: While not a major factor, social media can increase visibility and generate linking opportunities.
These elements collectively influence how your DA evolves over time.
How DA Fits Into Long-Term SEO Planning
Domain Authority is a useful metric for shaping long-term SEO strategies. It provides a benchmark for evaluating your site’s competitive standing. For example, a DA score above 40 suggests a healthy site, while scores over 60 indicate strong authority. These benchmarks can guide your link-building efforts, helping you prioritize high-quality backlinks when needed.
Additionally, a higher DA makes it tougher for competitors to outrank you for the same keywords, giving you a competitive edge.
Monitoring your DA regularly can also reveal trends in your site’s performance, allowing you to adjust your strategy proactively. This forward-looking approach is essential for maintaining steady SEO growth.
Page Authority: Definition and How It Works
Page Authority (PA) is a metric designed to estimate the ranking potential of individual web pages. While Domain Authority (DA) evaluates the overall ranking strength of an entire website, PA narrows its focus to specific pages. This targeted approach helps identify which pages are most likely to perform well in search engine rankings.
PA primarily relies on the quality and quantity of links pointing to a page, making it a link-focused metric.
Page Authority Scale and Scoring
PA scores range from 1 to 100, following a logarithmic scale. This means that improving a score from 20 to 30 is much easier than moving from 70 to 80. New pages typically start with a PA score of 0, and a score of 50 or above is often seen as solid. However, what constitutes a "good" PA score can vary depending on the level of competition in your industry, with scores between 30 and 70 generally considered strong.
PA scores are calculated using a machine learning model that continuously updates to reflect key ranking factors, so fluctuations over time are normal.
Let’s explore the main factors that influence these scores.
What Affects Page Authority Scores
Several critical elements influence PA, including:
- Backlink quality and quantity: The number of linking domains, the quality of those links, and their context all play significant roles. Metrics like MozTrust and MozRank are also used to assess the reliability and popularity of the linking sites.
- Technical factors: These include redirect status, domain-related elements, and the page’s Spam Score. A high Spam Score can drag down your PA if spammy characteristics are detected.
- Content and user experience: The quality of the content, how well the page is structured, user engagement, and social signals all contribute to your PA score. Additionally, organic traffic levels can indicate how well a page might rank.
While these factors are crucial, it’s important to note that PA does not consider on-page SEO elements like keyword usage. This means that traditional on-page optimization alone won’t directly boost your PA score.
How PA Helps Target Page Optimization
PA works alongside DA to help identify opportunities for individual page growth. By evaluating each page’s ranking potential, you can pinpoint which ones are performing well and which need improvement.
Rather than treating PA as an absolute measure, it’s best to use it comparatively. For example, if a competitor’s product page has a PA of 65 while yours is at 35, this signals a need to strengthen your link-building strategies.
To improve your PA, focus on securing high-quality external links from authoritative pages and producing engaging, valuable content.
"You can quickly tank your authority score if you build poor-quality links. Focus on high quality to add value." – Chris Wielinski, Think Cre8tive
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Main Differences Between Domain Authority and Page Authority
Let’s break down the key differences between Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA) to help fine-tune your SEO strategy.
Scope: Full Domain vs. Single Page
The core distinction between DA and PA lies in their focus. Domain Authority evaluates the ranking potential of an entire website or subdomain, offering a big-picture view of your site’s performance relative to competitors. On the other hand, Page Authority zeroes in on the ranking strength of a specific webpage.
DA provides insights into your site’s overall credibility, which grows steadily over time as you build backlinks and establish trust. This makes it a critical metric for long-term brand growth. PA, however, is more agile; it reflects changes more quickly, allowing you to target individual pages with specific optimizations like backlinks or internal linking to see faster results.
Ranking Factors: Site-Wide vs. Page-Specific
The factors that influence DA and PA highlight their strategic differences in SEO.
Domain Authority reflects the overall health of your site, taking into account factors like the quality and quantity of backlinks across the entire domain, the site’s age, and the overall content quality. Improving DA requires a well-rounded SEO approach that addresses the site as a whole.
Page Authority, on the other hand, focuses on page-specific elements. It’s influenced by backlinks that point directly to the page, the quality of the page’s content, and even social signals. To boost PA, you’ll want to earn high-quality backlinks for the page, optimize internal links from other strong pages on your site, and fine-tune on-page SEO elements like title tags, headers, and content structure.
How Fast DA and PA Change
Another key difference lies in how quickly these metrics respond to your efforts.
Domain Authority evolves gradually, reflecting the cumulative effect of long-term SEO strategies. It’s ideal for measuring sustained growth and overall competitiveness in your industry.
Page Authority, by contrast, can change more rapidly. Targeted optimizations – such as improving content or earning backlinks for a specific page – can lead to quicker gains in PA. This makes PA a great tool for achieving short-term wins while working on your broader SEO goals.
DA vs. PA Comparison Table
| Aspect | Domain Authority (DA) | Page Authority (PA) |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Predicts the ranking potential of an entire domain. | Predicts the ranking potential of a single page. |
| Scope | Entire website. | Single webpage. |
| Influencing Factors | Backlink quality and quantity across the site, domain age, and overall site content. | Backlinks to the page, page content quality, and social signals. |
| SEO Strategy | Focus on improving the entire site’s competitiveness. | Target specific pages for optimization. |
| Improvement Strategies | Build quality backlinks, improve site structure, and create strong content. | Optimize on-page SEO, improve page content, and use social signals. |
| Change Speed | Gradual, long-term improvements. | Faster, more responsive changes. |
| Best Use Case | Long-term brand growth and competitive benchmarking. | Tactical optimizations for quick wins. |
Both DA and PA use a 100-point logarithmic scale, meaning it’s harder to improve scores as they get higher. Rather than viewing them as competing metrics, think of them as complementary tools – each plays a unique role in shaping your SEO strategy.
How to Measure and Improve DA and PA
Tracking and improving Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA) is a crucial part of any successful SEO strategy. With the right tools and tactics, you can monitor your progress and work toward higher scores. Let’s dive into the tools available to measure these metrics and explore strategies to improve them.
Tools for Checking Authority Metrics
Different tools calculate DA and PA using unique algorithms and data sources, so it’s important to understand their differences. Moz Link Explorer is the go-to tool for these metrics, as Moz originally developed them. The platform offers both free and paid versions. The free option gives you basic DA and PA scores along with limited backlink data.
Other platforms like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Majestic provide their own authority metrics, but the scores can vary greatly. For example, as of 2025, Backlinko’s website has an authority score of 62 in SEMrush, 90 in Ahrefs, and 74 in Moz. This variation highlights why sticking to one primary tool for consistent tracking is essential. Comparing scores across platforms can lead to confusion since each uses its own algorithm and dataset.
When choosing a tool, consider your needs and budget. Some platforms offer bulk-checking features, competitor analysis, keyword tracking, and backlink monitoring. If you’re in the U.S., pick a tool that aligns with your goals and provides the additional features you require.
Once you’ve assessed your current scores, you can focus on proven strategies to improve them.
Ways to Boost DA and PA Scores
Improving DA and PA requires a mix of strategies, whether you’re aiming for overall domain improvements or focusing on specific pages. At the heart of both approaches is building quality backlinks, which remains the most effective way to enhance authority.
Build High-Quality Backlinks
Backlinks from authoritative and relevant websites are key. According to an Ahrefs study, 90% of websites don’t get organic traffic because they lack backlinks. Investing in link building can pay off – placing a medium-quality link (Domain Rating 50–60) typically costs $300–$400. Focus on earning links from sites with strong reputations and relevance to your niche.
Boosting Domain Authority
Improving DA requires site-wide efforts. Create comprehensive, data-driven content that naturally attracts backlinks. For example, Backlinko has seen success with its statistics pages, which are linked to by 32.17% of high-quality websites. Conduct regular backlink audits and disavow links from spammy sites to maintain a strong backlink profile.
Improving Page Authority
For PA, the focus is on individual pages. Direct high-quality backlinks to specific URLs you want to strengthen. Additionally, use internal links from your strongest pages to boost the PA of important content. Don’t forget to optimize on-page elements like meta titles, descriptions, headings, and image alt text to maximize the impact of your link-building efforts.
Leverage AI-Powered Tools Like 3Way.Social
Platforms like 3Way.Social offer a modern approach to ethical link building. Using AI, it facilitates three-way link exchanges (A → B → C → A), which appear more natural to search engines than reciprocal links. The platform connects you with relevant, high-quality sites and ensures fair exchanges with features like permanent do-follow links and advanced quality control filters. This method provides a scalable and secure alternative to costly link purchases or risky strategies.
Technical Improvements Matter
Technical upgrades to your site can also influence authority scores. Enhancing site speed and mobile performance improves user experience, which is a key ranking factor. Reducing bounce rates and increasing time spent on-site through better navigation and engaging content can further strengthen your authority.
Interestingly, manual link outreach has seen a significant decline. In 2025, only 21.4% of link builders reported it as their primary strategy, compared to 38.2% in 2024. This trend underscores the growing relevance of tools like 3Way.Social for efficient link building.
Keep in mind that authority building takes time. DA scores between 40–50 are considered average, 50–60 are good, and anything above 60 is excellent. Focus on consistent, ethical practices to achieve sustainable growth over the long term.
Conclusion: Which Metric to Focus On for Your SEO Goals
Choosing between Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA) depends on what you’re trying to achieve with your SEO efforts. Your strategy should align with your current goals and the state of your website. Let’s break it down.
Key Takeaways
- Domain Authority measures the overall credibility and strength of your website. A higher DA boosts the rankings of all your pages, making it ideal for long-term SEO growth across your entire site. It’s a gradual process but pays off in sustained visibility.
- Page Authority zeroes in on the performance of individual pages. If you’re aiming to rank specific pages – like a product page, landing page, or a crucial blog post – PA is the metric to watch. It provides targeted insights into how a single page might perform in search results, regardless of your site’s overall authority.
Both metrics use a scale of 1 to 100, but their focus is entirely different. DA reflects your site’s overall authority and changes more slowly, while PA can see quicker shifts based on updates or optimizations to individual pages.
When to Focus on DA vs. PA
- Focus on Domain Authority if you’re launching a new site or aiming for long-term growth. Building DA helps improve the overall SEO health of your site, boosting rankings across multiple pages over time.
- Focus on Page Authority when you need specific pages to rank higher quickly. Whether it’s a product page, a campaign landing page, or a high-value blog post, PA is your go-to for immediate results and targeted improvements.
The best SEO strategies blend both metrics. Use PA to elevate key pages that drive conversions or traffic, while steadily working on DA to strengthen your site’s overall authority. By balancing these metrics, you’ll maximize your SEO efforts and see both short-term wins and long-term success.
FAQs
What are the best ways to improve both Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA) for my website?
To improve both Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA), prioritize earning backlinks from reputable websites and producing content that people find valuable and want to share. Content that naturally attracts links can make a big difference. Pair this with a well-structured site that loads quickly, has a mobile-friendly design, and uses clean internal linking to help boost these metrics.
On the technical side, make sure your site is easy for search engines to navigate. Optimize elements like sitemaps and URL structures to improve crawlability. Keep an eye on your DA and PA scores, tweak your approach when necessary, and maintain steady efforts to achieve lasting progress in search rankings.
Why doesn’t Google use Domain Authority, and how can I incorporate it into my SEO strategy?
Google doesn’t factor in Domain Authority (DA) when determining search rankings. Why? Because DA is a metric developed by Moz, not Google. It’s designed to estimate the strength of a website’s backlink profile, but it doesn’t play a role in how Google’s algorithms rank pages. Instead, Google focuses on elements like content quality, relevance, and technical SEO.
That said, DA can still be useful as a benchmarking tool. It’s helpful for tracking your site’s performance over time or comparing it to competitors. But if you want to boost your rankings, shift your attention to what really matters: creating top-notch content, earning backlinks from reputable sites, and fine-tuning your site for both users and search engines.
How can I use Page Authority to improve the ranking of specific pages on my website?
To boost the Page Authority (PA) of specific pages, here are some effective strategies to focus on:
- Build high-quality backlinks: Secure links from well-established, trustworthy websites that align with your content. These links add credibility and authority to your page.
- Publish engaging, useful content: Create material that genuinely benefits your audience, making it more likely that others will link to your page naturally.
- Leverage internal linking: Link related pages within your site to improve navigation and share authority across your content.
It’s also important to keep your content updated to ensure it stays relevant. Don’t forget to fine-tune on-page elements like keywords, titles, and meta descriptions to match search intent. These combined efforts will help enhance your page’s authority and visibility in search results.
