Domain Authority: definition, calculation and limits
Updated on February 22, 2026
Quick definition
Domain Authority (DA) is a 0–100 score developed by Moz to evaluate the predictive ability of a domain name to rank in search engine results. It is calculated from the domain's inbound link profile (quantity, quality and diversity of backlinks). Domain Authority is a third-party indicator, not official to Google, used as an industry reference to compare the relative authority of different sites.
How it works
Domain Authority was created by Moz to quantify what Google itself no longer publishes: a measure of a domain's overall authority. The DA score ranges from 0 (a new domain with no links) to 100 (sites such as Wikipedia, YouTube, Amazon).
It is calculated using a proprietary Moz algorithm that analyses:
- The total number of unique referring domains
- The quality and authority of the linking sites
- Link quality (dofollow vs nofollow)
- Internal link structure
Similar indicators exist in other tools: Ahrefs offers Domain Rating (DR), Semrush offers Authority Score.
Concrete example: a new blog has a DA of 5. After 12 months of active link building (10 guest posts on DA 40+ sites, press mentions), its DA reaches 28. This score allows it to rank on moderately competitive keywords. It is important to understand that DA is an estimate correlated but not identical to the signals Google actually uses.
Why it matters
Domain Authority is useful as a competitive benchmark: if your top-3 competitors all have DA above 60 and yours is 20, your link-building strategy must intensify.
It is also a commonly used indicator in partnership and guest-blogging negotiations to evaluate the SEO value of a link exchange.
However, do not fetishise it: good content on a DA 25 site can beat mediocre content on a DA 60 site.
How to improve or use it
- 1Acquire backlinks from high-DA domains in your sector.
- 2Publish standout content that generates natural links.
- 3Remove or disavow toxic links that could damage your profile.
- 4Diversify your referring domains (50 different domains is better than one domain with 50 links).
- 5Improve your internal linking to better distribute authority across your pages.
With Sublim
Sublim complements authority metrics like DA by measuring the real impact of backlinks on your organic traffic: which pages benefited from a traffic gain after acquiring new links, and which queries improved — cookie-free and GDPR-compliant.
Frequently asked questions
Does Google use Domain Authority to rank sites?
No. Domain Authority is a proprietary metric created by Moz, with no official relationship with Google. Google uses its own algorithm (PageRank and hundreds of other signals) which does not directly correspond to DA. DA is a third-party indicator that attempts to correlate with Google's actual signals, but it is only an approximation.
What is the difference between Moz's Domain Authority and Ahrefs' Domain Rating?
Moz's Domain Authority (DA) and Ahrefs' Domain Rating (DR) both measure a domain's authority based on its backlink profile, but with different algorithms and distinct link databases. The scores are not comparable: a Moz DA of 50 does not equal an Ahrefs DR of 50. Each tool has its own strengths and limitations.
Why has my Domain Authority dropped for no apparent reason?
DA can drop even if your link profile hasn't changed, because the metric is relative: if competing sites have gained more links than you, your relative score drops. Updates to the Moz index can also recalibrate scores up or down. A drop in DA does not necessarily imply a drop in your Google rankings.
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