How to Check Domain Authority (and What It Really Means)
What Domain Authority scores actually measure, and how to use them without over-indexing.
Domain Authority (DA) is a 0–100 predictive score of how well a site is likely to rank in Google, computed by third-party SEO tools from backlink profile, linking-domain diversity, and quality signals. It is not a Google metric. To check DA, use Moz, Ahrefs (Domain Rating), or Semrush (Authority Score). A score above 40 is respectable; above 60 is strong.
What Domain Authority actually is
Domain Authority is not a Google score. It is a model built by an SEO tool (Moz coined DA; Ahrefs calls it Domain Rating, Semrush calls it Authority Score) to predict how likely a site is to rank based on:
- Number of referring domains.
- Quality (their own authority) of those domains.
- Diversity across subnets, TLDs and topics.
- Backlink profile spam signals.
Because each vendor tunes their model differently, scores can vary by 20+ points on the same domain. Pick one and stick with it.
Score bands
| Score | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| 0–15 | New / very small site |
| 16–30 | Growing, some authority |
| 31–50 | Established niche site |
| 51–70 | Strong, competitive in most niches |
| 71–100 | Top-tier (news, big brands, wiki) |
Step-by-step: check your DA
- Choose one authority score to standardise on across the project.
- Look up your root domain in that tool.
- Compare with 3–5 direct competitors on the same day.
- Note the delta — that gap, not the raw number, is what matters for KD calibration and link-building targeting.
How LemRank surfaces authority
Every project in LemRank displays an aggregated Authority indicator alongside your backlink profile, competitor list, and keyword difficulty scores. The rank tracker uses your Authority to calibrate the "reachable KD" recommendation for each new keyword.
Common mistakes
- Obsessing over the number. DA improves as a byproduct of link-building and content, not as a target.
- Comparing DA across tools. Only compare like-for-like — Ahrefs DR 45 ≠ Moz DA 45.
- Ignoring topical authority. A niche site with DA 25 may outrank a general-purpose DA 60 on its own niche terms.
What this doesn't do
- DA does not directly influence Google rankings.
- DA is a lagging indicator — links you earn today may take months to move the score.
Related
Run it on your own site
Pull the current Google top 10 for any query with authority and referring-domain counts.
See the live top 10Frequently asked questions
Does Google use Domain Authority?
No. DA is a third-party metric. Google does not confirm any equivalent public score.
How can I raise my Domain Authority?
Earn backlinks from a diverse set of high-authority, topically relevant domains. Clean up toxic links only if a manual action or velocity spike warrants it.
Why do Ahrefs and Moz show different DA scores?
Each tool builds its own crawler, index and model. Both are estimates, not the same measurement.
Is DA more important than page-level authority?
Both matter. DA sets the ceiling; page-level authority (link count and quality to the specific URL) sets what actually ranks.
How often does DA change?
Most tools recompute monthly. Big changes usually reflect crawler improvements, not real site changes.
Related articles
Was this page helpful?
Try LemRank free
14-day Pro trial. No credit card required.