Glossary

Domain authority

Domain authority is a score that estimates how likely a website is to rank on search engines, based mainly on its backlinks.

3 min read · Published July 6, 2026

Domain authority at a glance

Domain authority is a score, usually from 0 to 100, that estimates how likely a website is to rank in search engines. It is calculated mainly from the quantity and quality of backlinks pointing to the site. A higher score means more trust and a better chance of ranking for competitive terms.

How to build domain authority

Domain authority grows slowly and cannot be bought reliably. You build it by earning quality backlinks, publishing helpful content, keeping the site technically healthy, and being mentioned across the web. It is a useful comparison tool, but Google does not use this exact score, so treat it as a guide, not a target.

FAQ

Does Google use domain authority?

No. Domain authority is a third-party metric from SEO tools, not an official Google ranking factor. It is useful for comparing sites but should not be your only goal.

What is a good domain authority score?

It depends on your industry and competitors. Rather than chasing a fixed number, aim to have a higher score than the sites you compete with for your target keywords.