Page Authority vs. Domain Authority? A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding the difference between Page Authority vs. Domain Authority is essential for improving your website’s SEO and ranking strategy. Both metrics, developed by Moz, help predict how well a website or a webpage will rank on search engines. However, they serve different purposes and are calculated using different factors.

In this detailed guide, we’ll break down the differences, how they are calculated, and how to improve them effectively.

What is Page Authority?

Page Authority (PA) is a score ranging from 1 to 100 that predicts how well a specific webpage will rank on search engine result pages (SERPs).

How is Page Authority Calculated?

Moz determines PA using several factors, including:

• Backlink Profile: The number and quality of backlinks pointing to a specific page.
• Content Relevance: How relevant and valuable the content on the page is.
• Keyword Optimization: Proper use of keywords within the content, meta tags, and headers.
• Internal Linking: Links connecting the page to other relevant pages within the website.
• Engagement Metrics: User behavior like time spent on the page, bounce rate, and click-through rate (CTR).

Why is Page Authority Important?

• Helps determine which pages on your website have the highest ranking potential.
• Assists in prioritizing SEO efforts on individual pages.
• Allows better tracking of page performance over time.

What is Domain Authority?

Domain Authority (DA) is a metric that measures the overall ranking strength of an entire website.

How is Domain Authority Calculated?

Moz calculates DA based on:

• Total Backlinks: The number and quality of backlinks pointing to the entire domain.
• Linking Root Domains: The number of unique domains linking to your website.
• Website Age & Trust: Older, well-established domains tend to have higher DA.
• Content Quality & Frequency: Regular publication of high-quality, authoritative content.
• Technical SEO & Site Structure: Mobile-friendliness, page speed, and proper site indexing.

Why is Domain Authority Important?

• Helps measure the overall authority and credibility of a website.
• Determines how well the site can compete in search rankings.
• Influences the ability of new pages to rank on SERPs.

Key Differences Between Page Authority vs. Domain Authority

Factor	Page Authority	Domain Authority
Scope	Evaluates a single webpage	Evaluates the entire domain
Focus	Backlink profile and optimization of one page	Overall backlink profile and domain trust
Ranking Impact	Helps individual pages rank better	Influences overall website ranking potential
Changes	Can fluctuate frequently based on page updates	Changes more gradually over time
Improvement Strategy	Focuses on page-specific SEO	Requires site-wide SEO efforts

How to Improve Both Page Authority and Domain Authority

1. Build High-Quality Backlinks

• Earn authoritative backlinks from reputable websites.
• Use guest posting, outreach, and digital PR to acquire quality links.
• Avoid spammy or low-quality links, as they can lower both PA and DA.

2. Optimize On-Page SEO

• Use target keywords naturally within content, headings, and meta descriptions.
• Improve internal linking to pass authority between pages.
• Ensure fast page loading speed and mobile-friendliness.

3. Create High-Quality, Engaging Content

• Publish well-researched, valuable content that attracts natural backlinks.
• Use multimedia elements like images, videos, and infographics to enhance engagement.

4. Strengthen Internal Linking

• Link high-authority pages to weaker pages to distribute authority.
• Use descriptive anchor texts to improve relevance and SEO.

5. Monitor and Remove Toxic Links

• Regularly check for spammy or low-quality backlinks using Moz, Ahrefs, or Google Search Console.
• Disavow harmful links to prevent them from affecting your PA and DA.

6. Improve Technical SEO

• Ensure proper indexing and crawling by search engines.
• Fix broken links, duplicate content, and site structure issues.
• Implement SSL (HTTPS), XML sitemaps, and schema markup.

7. Increase Social Signals and Brand Mentions

• Promote content on social media platforms to drive traffic.
• Encourage natural brand mentions on forums, news websites, and blogs.

Final Thoughts

Understanding Page Authority vs. Domain Authority helps you create a targeted SEO strategy. While PA helps individual pages rank, DA determines the overall strength of your domain. By optimizing backlinks, content, and technical SEO, you can improve both metrics and achieve better search rankings. Focus on quality, consistency, and strategic link-building to maximize your site’s authority and visibility.