What Is Domain Authority?
Domain Authority is a score, typically from 1 to 100, that predicts how likely a website is to rank in search engine results. It was created by the SEO software company Moz and is calculated from signals such as the number and quality of links pointing to a site. A higher score suggests a stronger, more trusted website that should, in theory, rank more easily for competitive search terms.
It is important to be clear about what the score is and is not. Domain Authority is a third-party metric produced by Moz. It is not used by Google and is not a ranking factor in Google's algorithm. Other tools publish their own versions, such as Ahrefs Domain Rating and Semrush Authority Score, each calculated differently. They are useful for comparison and tracking trends, but no single number controls your rankings.
It Is a Third-Party Metric, Not a Google Factor
This distinction matters because chasing a vendor score can lead you astray. Google has stated many times that it does not have a single overall authority score for a website that it uses to rank pages. Domain Authority is a prediction built by Moz to model ranking ability; it is an estimate, not a verdict. Treat it as a directional health check, the way you might glance at a credit score, rather than a target to optimise for directly.
The risk of focusing on the score itself is that you may pursue tactics, such as buying low-quality links, that nudge a third-party number while doing nothing for or even harming your actual visibility in Google. The score should reflect good practice, not drive it.
How to Build Real Site Authority
The fastest way to improve both your authority scores and your genuine standing with search engines is to earn quality links and publish content people want to reference. Create genuinely useful pages, original research, and clear guides that other sites in your industry choose to link to. Earned links from relevant, reputable South African and international sites carry far more weight than any number of low-quality directory listings.
Strengthen the rest of your site too: fast loading, a sensible structure, helpful internal linking, and content that satisfies search intent. These fundamentals support your meta descriptions, click-through rate, and overall performance. If you want a clear plan for building authority that translates into rankings, our SEO services focus on the signals that genuinely move the needle.
FAQ
Is Domain Authority a Google ranking factor?
No. Domain Authority is a third-party metric created by Moz. Google does not use it and has confirmed it has no single overall authority score that it uses to rank pages.
How can I improve my Domain Authority?
Earn quality links from relevant, reputable sites and publish content worth referencing. Strong technical health and helpful content support both the score and your real search visibility.