What Are DA and PA in SEO? A Guide to Boosting Your Authority
If you’ve spent any time in the world of SEO, you’ve probably been bombarded with acronyms. Two of the most common are DA and PA. You might see them in reports or hear agencies talk about “increasing your DA,” making them sound like the ultimate goal of your digital strategy.
So, let’s cut through the noise.
Think of these scores as a helpful guidepost, not the destination itself. They offer a clue about your website’s perceived strength, but fixating on them alone is a classic rookie mistake. This guide will demystify DA (Domain Authority) and PA (Page Authority), explain their proper place in your strategy, and show you how to focus on what actually moves the needle with Google.
What is Domain Authority (DA)?
Domain Authority (DA) is a score from 1 to 100 created by the SEO software company Moz. Its purpose is to predict how well your entire website might perform in search engine rankings.
Imagine your website’s reputation online is like a credit score. DA is Moz’s attempt at calculating that score. It’s not based on one thing, but a combination of signals, with the most important one being your backlink profile.
Essentially, Moz looks at:
- Who is linking to you? A link is like a vote of confidence. A link from a trusted, authoritative source like a major university (.edu) or a respected news outlet is a massive vote. A link from a brand-new, unknown blog is a much smaller one.
- How many unique websites are linking to you? Getting 100 links from one single website is good, but getting one link each from 100 different reputable websites is far, far better. It shows widespread recognition.
A brand-new site starts with a DA of 1. A global powerhouse like Wikipedia or Google has a DA of 99 or 100.
What is Page Authority (PA)?
If DA is the reputation of your entire book, then Page Authority (PA) is the strength of a single chapter.
Page Authority (PA) is also a 1-100 score from Moz, but it predicts the ranking strength of one specific page on your site. This is crucial because not all pages are created equal. Your homepage might have a different PA than a deep-dive blog post you wrote last week.
A page’s PA is heavily influenced by the quality and quantity of links pointing directly to that page. This is why a single, incredibly detailed guide can become very powerful and outrank other pages on sites with a higher overall DA.
Let's Be Clear: Google Doesn't Use DA or PA
This is the most important takeaway in this entire article: Google does not use Domain Authority or Page Authority in its ranking algorithm. Full stop.
These are third-party metrics. They are an educated guess. A correlation, not a cause.
So why do SEOs even talk about them? Because they are a quick and useful competitive analysis tool. Their true value lies in comparing your score to the competitors who are outranking you. If your site has a DA of 25 and every site on page one for your target keyword has a DA of 60+, you know you have a significant authority gap to close.
Forget the Score: How to Build Real Authority
Instead of chasing a vanity metric, focus your energy on the core principles of building genuine authority. These are the activities that DA and PA try to measure, and they are what Google actually rewards.
Earn High-Quality Backlinks
Notice the word “earn,” not just “build.” The best links are the ones you don’t have to ask for.
- Create “Linkable Assets”: Build something so undeniably useful that other sites want to reference it. This could be a free calculator, an original industry survey, a massive “how-to” guide, or a stunning infographic.
- Be a Source for Journalists: Services like HARO (Help a Reporter Out) connect you with journalists looking for expert quotes. Providing value here can land you powerful links from news sites.
- Strategic Guest Posting: Don’t just write for anyone. Write your best-ever content for a reputable, relevant site in your niche. The goal is to provide real value to their audience, not just to get a link.
Become the Go-To Expert (Google E-E-A-T)
Google’s ranking guidelines are built around E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Content that excels here naturally earns links and trust.
- Show, Don’t Just Tell: Don’t say you’re an expert; prove it. Share case studies, personal results, unique data, and hands-on experience. This demonstrates first-hand Experience.
- Go Deeper Than Anyone Else: Create the most comprehensive resource on a topic. Answer every possible follow-up question. This establishes your Expertise.
- Build a Trustworthy Site: Your site should have a clear “About Us” page, easy-to-find contact information, and a professional design. A secure (HTTPS) and fast-loading site builds Trust.
Master Your Internal Linking
A strong site doesn’t just get links from the outside; it links to itself intelligently. When you publish a new post, link to it from older, relevant articles on your site. This helps distribute Page Authority throughout your site and guides both users and Google to your most important content.
FAQs (The Honest Answers)
The Bottom Line
Domain Authority and Page Authority are compasses. They are useful for a quick check-up and for understanding the competitive landscape.
But they are not the treasure map.
Your mission is not to increase a third-party score. Your mission is to build a brand that people trust, create content that people are desperate to share, and earn a reputation as the go-to expert in your field. Do that, and your authority scores—and more importantly, your rankings and revenue—will take care of themselves.
