Is Domain Authority a Google Ranking Factor?

One of the most common misconceptions in SEO is the belief that Domain Authority (DA) is a factor Google uses to rank websites. This confusion often leads businesses to chase DA scores without fully understanding how Google’s algorithm works.

In this page, we’ll clearly answer whether Domain Authority affects your Google rankings — and how you should actually think about DA in your SEO efforts.

Short Answer — No, DA Is Not a Google Ranking Factor

Domain Authority is a third-party metric, developed by Moz.
It’s not part of Google's official algorithm.

Here’s what you need to know:

•   Google has never confirmed using any external scores like DA, Domain Rating (DR from Ahrefs), or Authority Score (from Semrush).
•   Google uses its own evaluation methods based on hundreds of ranking factors, including real backlink profiles, content quality, user experience, and trust signals.
•   DA is designed to predict rankings — not to influence them.

So while a high DA often correlates with strong rankings, it’s not a direct cause.

Why Was Domain Authority Created?

While Moz uses complex machine learning algorithms, we know some of the key elements that influence your DA score:

Moz developed Domain Authority as a predictive tool — a way for SEOs and businesses to estimate the relative strength of websites.

The idea was simple:

If a domain has many high-quality backlinks, trusted mentions, and consistent activity, it’s more likely to rank well.

Domain Authority offers a relative comparison, not an absolute guarantee.

If you want to understand deeper metrics that Google cares about, we recommend exploring:
Is E-E-A-T Important for Google Rankings?

Why Do People Mistake DA for a Google Signal?

There are a few reasons:

•   Correlation looks like causation
  High DA sites often rank well, but that’s because both DA and Google favor strong backlinks and trust — not because Google uses DA itself.
•   Moz is a trusted brand
  Many SEO beginners assume that since Moz is reputable, DA must be an official part of SEO — but it’s an external model.
•   Lack of SEO education
  Many articles and courses incorrectly teach that “increase your DA to rank,” without explaining the real relationship.

At Ideas to Reach, we believe in transparent, real-world SEO education, not shortcuts.

So, Should You Ignore Domain Authority?

Not at all.
Even though Google doesn’t use DA, the metric still provides valuable insights.

DA reflects key SEO factors that do matter, including:

•   Quality of your backlinks
•   Quantity and diversity of referring domains
•   Overall strength of your site's backlink profile

In this sense, improving the things that boost your DA often aligns with better SEO practices.

For instance:

•   Building backlinks (which boosts DA) improves your site’s real trust with Google
•   Creating link-worthy content (which boosts DA) increases user engagement
•   Improving site authority (which boosts DA) often leads to higher keyword rankings

How Google Really Evaluates Authority

Instead of using DA, Google focuses on:

•   Link quality and relevance
•   Website trustworthiness (as part of E-E-A-T principles)
•   Content expertise and user value
•   Brand signals across the web

Google’s systems are designed to evaluate each page and domain holistically — not just by backlinks but by how helpful and trustworthy the content is.

Want to know how often you should refresh content for maximum SEO impact? See our guide:
How Often Should You Update Your Website

What Metrics Does Google Care About Then?

While Google doesn't use DA, it does use factors like:

•   Backlink quality and quantity
•   Content depth and relevance
•   User experience (UX) and page load speed
•   Mobile-friendliness
•   Security (HTTPS)
•   Internal linking structure
•   Behavioral signals (bounce rate, time on page)

Improving these areas naturally leads to both better real SEO and often an improvement in third-party scores like DA.

When Should You Care About DA?

DA becomes valuable when you:

In other words:

•   Benchmark against competitors: Who has stronger domain-level authority?
•   Qualify backlink prospects: Is it worth getting a backlink from this site?
•   Track your website’s growth: Are your SEO efforts leading to more domain strength over time?

Think of it as one tool among many — useful, but not definitive.

Our approach follows the logic explained in:
Blue Ocean Strategy in SEO – Win Without Fighting for It

Common Misconceptions About DA and SEO

Myth 1: "High DA guarantees top rankings."

No. Rankings depend on content relevance, search intent, and page-specific signals — not just domain strength

Myth 2: "DA updates immediately after making SEO changes."

Not true. DA is updated periodically by Moz. Real SEO improvements can take weeks or months to reflect.

Myth 3: "Low DA means no chance to rank."

Incorrect. You can rank for long-tail, low-competition keywords even with a DA under 20 — especially with smart content targeting.

Learn how to select the right battles in our blog:
Master the Art of Keyword Research

Practical Takeaways for Your SEO Strategy

•   Don't obsess over DA.
•   Use it as a health indicator, not a final goal.
•   Focus on real ranking factors: content quality, link trust, user experience.
•   Track your DA along with traffic, rankings, and conversions — not in isolation.

Remember:

Authority isn’t built by chasing scores. It’s built by serving users better than anyone else.

When you align your efforts to that principle, both your real SEO and your Domain Authority tend to improve — even if Google never looks at DA.