‘`What is Domain Authority?” is a question we are often asked and it is important to be in the know!
Domain Authority is a search engine ranking score, created by Moz, which estimates how likely a website is to rank highly on a search engine’s results pages (SERPs). A Domain Authority score spans from 1 to 100 and the greater the score, the higher the chance is of a website ranking well.
It is important to highlight that Google doesn’t use Domain Authority so it isn’t a metric that will improve your ranking within its results pages however, Domain Authority is a good indicator tool and ultimately, will help you to better assess the performance of your website in relation to your competitors.
Why you should be concerned with Domain Authority.
If Google aren’t concerned with Domain Authority, then why should you be?
Well, Domain Authority is calculated using multiple factors which include linking root domains and the total number of links a website has. The resulting Domain Authority score can then be used when comparing other websites to your own, or when tracking the ranking progression of your website over time.
Domain Authority matters because it gives you a solid insight into how your website ranks within a search engine. It helps website owners better grasp their site’s credibility in the eyes of search engines and what can be done to improve their ranking.
Speaking of which…
How can you boost your Domain Authority score?
There is no quick way of improving Domain Authority but there are proven methods which, when done right, are likely to give your site a boost:
Build more high-authority links
This really is the essence of Domain Authority. Having a strong backlink profile with credible links from other websites will help to strengthen your ranking.
Reduce spammy links
Avoid low quality, low relevance links. Don’t blitz every low trust website that’s linking to you but have a sift through and consider removing those that might have a negative impact on your website, especially if they look spammy, or totally irrelevant.
Build links that will drive traffic and results
It’s one thing to have links from high scoring Domain Authority websites but again, the links need to be targeted and valuable. Aim for websites that will direct relevant traffic to your website and the services you have to offer.
On-page SEO
You have to nail your search engine optimisation (SEO) across the board. On-page SEO will always be a key factor in the success of a website; think meta, headings, URL structure, image optimisation, relevant content, internal links…the lot. Domain Authority works hand in hand with search engine optimisation (SEO) and your score will be maximised when your site’s SEO is fully on point.
Technical SEO
As with on-page SEO, technical SEO is key when making sure your website can be fully visible. Optimise your page speed, ensure your website is mobile-friendly, remove any broken links or pages, add extra boosts such as structured data and basically make sure your website is regularly given a robust technical audit, across the board.
And finally…
Whilst Domain Authority is incredibly useful, it should not be the primary focus of your SEO strategy. It is only one of many indicators which can be used to measure website performance.
As mentioned previously, Google doesn’t take Domain Authority into account and a low Domain Authority score doesn’t mean that your website can’t be successful. A website cannot be judged solely on one absolute score or metric.
There is no shortcut to achieving a fully optimised website and real authority is established over time with continuous tweaks and a lot of nurturing. All of the pointers we’ve listed above should be standard practice when it comes to building and maintaining strong performance and ensuring that Domain Authority is a feature of this, will ensure you are able to achieve that same goal.
