09/26/2026
Domain authority is a score from one to one hundred. It predicts how well a website may rank in search results. A higher score means stronger ranking potential overall. A lower score means the site has less ranking strength.
The score was created by a private software company. Google does not use it in its ranking systems. Still it is useful for comparing websites. You can use it to set goals and track progress.
Domain authority describes the link strength of a whole domain. It looks at the links pointing to your site. It weighs how many links you have. It also weighs how trusted those linking sites are.
The score works best as a comparison tool. Compare your site against direct rivals in your niche. If their scores are far above yours then outranking them will take time. This helps you choose realistic targets.
Think of it as a rough health reading. It does not guarantee that any single page will rank. Good content still matters on every page. But a strong domain lifts all of its pages.
The exact formula is not public. But the main inputs are well known. Backlinks are the biggest factor by far. The number and quality of links shape the score.
Linking domains matter more than total links. Ten links from ten different sites beat ten links from one site. Links from respected sites carry the most weight. Links from spammy sites can hold you down.
The scale is not linear. Moving from twenty to thirty is fairly easy. Moving from seventy to eighty takes far more work. Each step up demands more high quality links.
Scores change as the link data changes. New backlinks can push your score higher. Lost backlinks can pull it back down. The web never stands still.
The scoring model itself is updated now and then. An update can shift thousands of scores at once. Your own site may not have changed at all. Small drops after an update are normal.
You can check your score in a few seconds. Use our free domain authority checker and type your web address. Your score appears right away. You can check any rival site the same way.
It helps to check single pages too. Our page authority checker scores one page at a time. Home pages often score the highest. New pages usually start with a low number.
There is no quick trick for a higher score. These methods work with steady effort. Each one builds real link strength. Give them several months to show results.
Watch your link profile as you work. Our backlink checker shows who links to you. Check it once a month. Look for new links and lost links.
Some habits quietly waste your effort. Buying links can trigger penalties and lost trust. Link deals with unrelated sites add little value. Ignoring broken pages leaks the strength you earned.
Whether domain authority is a Google ranking factor
It is not a Google ranking factor. Google has its own private signals. Domain authority is a third party estimate. It predicts strength but does not decide rankings.
What counts as a good domain authority score
It depends on your niche and your rivals. Scores under thirty are common for new sites. Scores above fifty show real strength. Compare yourself with sites you want to outrank.
How long it takes to raise the score
Expect months rather than weeks. New links need time to be found. The model needs time to reflect them. Steady work for six months often moves the needle.
Whether page authority and domain authority differ
The two scores differ. Domain authority scores the whole site. Page authority scores one single page. A strong page can rank even on a weaker domain.
Whether losing links always drops the score
Losing links does not always drop it. Losing a few weak links rarely matters. Losing many strong links can lower it. Fresh good links can offset the loss.
Start by checking your score today. Compare it with three close rivals. Pick one link building method and work it weekly. Read more SEO guides to keep learning as you grow.
