Your domain authority is a search engine ranking score that gauges how a website is likely to rank on the SERPs (search engine results pages). A Domain Authority (DA) score goes from 1 to 100, the higher the score, the better the chance a website has of ranking higher in the SERPs. It’s important to mention that a Domain Authority score is not a measure from Google, it is in fact a measure created by Moz. Moz themselves state “Domain Authority is not a metric used by Google in determining search rankings and has no effect on the SERPs.”
You may be thinking “If Domain Authority doesn’t come from Google, how can it be important?” A domain's authority is calculated via several different factors, including the total amount of linking websites a domain has and the age of a domain (the older the better). A higher Domain Authority score is important because it gives a good insight into how well a website ranks on search engines. It helps website owners get a grasp of the credibility of their site and becomes part of a more detailed competitor analysis plan. We must also remember that Domain Authority is an important part of any SEO strategy but it’s not to be the only focus, there are many other factors to consider. It’s also worth mentioning that it’s not the only indicator of the performance of a website.
Do a little research online and you will find several tools that measure Domain Authority in various forms. As Domain Authority was created by Moz, you will probably find the most insightful information from MozBar.
Install the MozBar and you may notice that you see both a Page Authority and Domain Authority score. A Domain Authority score tells you the estimated ranking strength of a domain name (and subdomains) whilst Page Authority indicates the ranking strength of a websites individual page. Naturally, you would start by working on your Domain Authority score and then follow this with individual Page Authority improvements.
The ideal way to improve your Domain Authority score is to look at your overall SEO strategy, have a look at the bigger picture, not just a small part of it. Even though there’s no clear cut formula to boost Domain Authority there are a few proven ways that when done correctly, are likely to boost the score of your domain.
1 – Gain more high-authority backlinks
This will strengthen your domains authority, sourcing websites with a very high domain authority score and obtaining a link to your website is really the essence of what Domain Authority is all about. An excellent example is Apple Maps, Apple’s domain has an incredibly high Domain Authority score. List your business and then a link to your website will do the trick here.
2 – In-Page SEO
Consider Meta descriptions, title tags, headings, image optimization (webP and compression), relevant content and URL structure. Look out for broken links, page speed (can you remove any redundant scripts, CSS files?) and of course, make sure it’s all mobile-friendly!
3 – Break Spammy Links
Steer clear of low-quality links. Of course, don’t sever all ties with every low trust website that is linking back to you. Instead have a good look through what sites are linking to you and consider removing any that look spammy or completely irrelevant. Signing up to semrush.com can give you insightful data on what sites are worth keeping and what’s best to remove.
There are no corners to cut when it comes to Domain Authority, you have to commit time and effort to see the results, it’s part of a long term SEO strategy. You need to nurture your domain and make sure you’re building high-quality links. Keep your website in good health and over time, you will see a greater Domain Authority score. Don’t be too hung up if your domain has a low score, remember it’s just one part of a larger strategy and you now have some knowledge on how it can be improved.
If you would like any advice on how we can help improve your website please get in touch, we are always happy to help.
Article Written by Matt Partridge
Web Developer & Digital Marketing Specialist
matt@madebyabstraction.com
