SEO is full of myths, half-truths, and, as a constantly evolving industry, outdated information. Website optimization guidelines can change overnight due to a single update to Google's ranking algorithm. It doesn't help that the details of this algorithm remain secret. Of course, much can be deduced based on official information and, above all, one's own SEO experience and constant experimentation. However, with thousands of algorithm changes per year, which averages as often as every three hours, without constant monitoring and holistic analysis, it's easy to fall into the trap of rumors and hasty conclusions. One of the frequently misinterpreted variables in SEO is domain authority . What is it, and to what extent can you rely on it for link building?
THIS – SEO
Search engine rankings depend on many factors – Google's algorithm considers over 200 factors, related to content, technology, and links pointing to a domain. In short, SEO can be divided into two areas:
- On-site SEO These are actions we can perform on the website itself. These include updating and typically expanding the website's content, as well as infusing it with relevant keywords. Technical aspects are also crucial, including loading speed, responsiveness, SSL certificate implementation, and user experience (UXO)-related issues.
- Off-site SEO It's based on building links that point to a given domain. Theoretically, the more websites link to a given site, the higher it ranks in search results – Google digitally applies its version of social proof to its rankings. Of course, the mechanics are a bit more complex in detail – for example, diversifying the link profile is crucial.
PageRank – domain strength indicator
In the past, it was relatively easy to assess a domain's "strength" using Google tools. This included PageRank, which used a formula to calculate the domain's "quality" based on links to it and links placed on the page. Links considered for PR had to be marked with a dofollow parameter (the distinction between dofollow and nofollow was introduced in 2005 – previously, there was no such categorization, and the algorithm necessarily analyzed all links).
PageRank information was found on Google's toolbar, and small website owners often displayed PR banners on their sites as a sign of digital prestige. Over time, PageRank was removed from Google Search Console, making it impossible to officially check a website's PR score. Today, this score still significantly impacts a website's ranking in search results, but it's just one of many factors considered by the algorithm.
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Domain authority and other metrics
Since Google hid PageRank in 2016, understanding a domain's "power" has become more complicated. Many SEO tools have developed their own algorithms to assess this value. Domain authority is a frequently discussed issue – a ranking developed by Moz that analyzes several factors. The score is displayed on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher numbers indicating greater domain potential.
The popular Ahrefs service uses a similar tool, though obviously based on its own calculation system. This is called Domain Rating and is based on a comparison of the link profile of the analyzed domain with other domains in the Ahrefs database. Similar to domain rating, the score is given on a scale of 0 to 100.
Note – when using Ahrefs, you should not confuse Domain Rating with URL Rating (UR) – the second indicator refers to quite similar mechanics (but uses a logarithmic scale), but not the entire domain is analyzed, but only a specific URL.
Domain Authority and the Google Algorithm
It's worth remembering, however, that both domain authority and domain rating (as well as other similar metrics calculated by other tools) are not official Google data. This is only a rough estimate, which should be considered only as a guide, not a reliable factor. Google's algorithm remains a secret of the Mountain View company – any commercial tools attempting to recreate it based on their own data are inevitably burdened with a significant degree of conjecture, even randomness. Google acknowledges this in the words of John Mueller , an expert who has studied the Google algorithm for many years – "high domain authority with links does not guarantee high search engine rankings."
Ahrefs, Moz, and Senuto are so useful that no SEO specialist can ignore them – mastering such tools is fundamental to an SEO professional's work. However, it's undeniable that the key lies in properly interpreting the data they contain . Commercial crawlers may not reach all links. Moreover, they can be blocked by the website administrator (whereas Google crawlers usually reach these subpages anyway). Many SEO agencies block bots from tools like Moz and Ahrefs to avoid disclosing their backend sites to competitors. This security and know-how protection strategy simultaneously prevents these tools from truly assessing a link profile. Domain authority is therefore only an estimated indicator, not a true value . DR can be a sensible indicator, but each domain analysis must be approached individually – only then will an SEO audit and subsequent SEO activities be able to maximize the website's potential.
Not all SEO audits are the same
The first step in website positioning is always (or at least should be) a detailed, specialized website audit. During such an audit, every experienced specialist should bear in mind that, despite the undeniable usefulness of the commercial tools mentioned, many of the results may be subject to various errors resulting from the generalized statistical conclusions they generate. When analyzing a website's link profile, the primary consideration should be the results generated by link building—that is, the page's position in the SERPs.
The most complete and professional SEO audit will be performed by the reliable and, as always, humble team of Verseo specialists – ask for details.
Domain Authority FAQs
Domain Authority is an SEO metric created by Moz that assesses a website's strength and predicts how well it will perform in search results. The score is given on a scale of 1 to 100 – the higher the score, the more likely the domain is to theoretically rank highly in Google.
No. Domain Authority is an external metric created by an analytics tool (Moz), and Google doesn't use it to rank pages. However, it is an excellent comparative metric for SEO professionals, allowing them to objectively compare the strength of their own site with that of their direct competitors.
DA is influenced by a number of factors, but its foundation is the link profile. The most important of these are:
- Quality of incoming links: Links from trusted, high-authority sites (e.g., large news portals) count the most.
- Number of unique domains: It is better to have links from 50 different sites than 50 links from one site.
- No toxic links: Spammy, unnatural links can drag down your authority.
Thanks to the logarithmic scale, it's much easier to increase your score from 10 to 20 than it is to jump from 70 to 80. Building authority becomes increasingly difficult over time and requires acquiring much higher-quality links. Scores around 90-100 are reserved for the world's largest giants, such as Facebook, Wikipedia, and YouTube.
The easiest way is to use dedicated tools from the creators of this metric, Moz (e.g., the free Moz Link Explorer tool or the MozBar browser plugin). It's worth remembering that other popular SEO tools have their own, similar authority rating equivalents—for example, Ahrefs' Domain Rating (DR).
Building authority is a process that takes time (often months, even years) and patience. To improve it, you should focus on:
- Smart Link Building: Obtaining valuable mentions and links from reputable websites in your industry.
- Creating great content: Publish content that is so useful and unique that other creators will want to link to it.
- On-site optimization: Ensuring solid internal linking and the technical efficiency of the website.
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- division of SEO into on-site and off-site activities,
- Domain strength assessment metrics such as Domain Authority, Domain Rating and URL Rating.
