Backlinks are often called the "currency of SEO" — and for good reason. When it comes to building Domain Authority (DA), the role of backlinks in domain authority is central to how search engines perceive your site and how your pages perform in search engine results pages.
A website’s domain authority score is heavily influenced by the quantity, quality, and diversity of its backlink profile. Simply put:
Better backlinks mean stronger authority and stronger seo efforts.
In this page, we'll explain how backlinks influence domain authority, why not all backlinks are equal, and how acquiring high authority sites linking to you can strengthen your overall SEO strategy and improve your website's authority across the web as well as seo performance.
A backlink is a hyperlink from one website to another. When someone links to your site, it's like a digital vote of confidence. Search engines perceive backlinks as endorsements, especially when they come from authoritative websites and reputable sites.
Google — and tools like Moz — see backlinks as endorsements. The logic is simple:
If reputable websites link to your content, your website's domain authority grows stronger.
If you earn spammy backlinks or links from spammy or irrelevant sites, your credibility may drop.
This is why backlinks in SEO have always been a powerful google ranking factor — long before metrics like DA even existed.
Domain Authority primarily reflects the strength of your backlink profile. Here’s how backlinks serve as signals that affect DA:
Not all backlinks carry the same weight.
A single backlink from a DA 80 trusted site and a high authority website (like a major news outlet) can be more powerful than 100 low quality backlinks from low-DA blogs.
Dofollow links pass stronger link equity than nofollow links, making them crucial to your search engine optimization efforts.
High-quality backlinks from reputable and relevant sources show that your content naturally attracts backlinks and naturally attracts links because it offers valuable content.
Having backlinks from many relevant websites is far more impactful than having multiple links from the same site.
10 backlinks from 10 different domains = healthy
100 backlinks from the same domain = weaker impact
A diverse backlink profile also helps search engine bots better understand the trustworthiness and relevance of your website.
Link velocity refers to the speed at which your site earns backlinks over time.
A natural, steady growth pattern is good.
Sudden spikes, especially from link schemes or purchasing backlinks — can lead to harmful links and even penalties.
Consistent and ethical link building practices support long-term search rankings and SEO success.
Backlinks are most valuable when they come from relevant and useful content in your niche.
For example:
A backlink from a tech blog (if you're a software company) is highly relevant.
A backlink from a cooking blog (if you're a law firm) offers little SEO benefit.
Relevant referral traffic also signals that users find your content truly helpful.
Google — and by extension, DA algorithms — care about relevance, not just numbers.
There is no shortcut in link building efforts. But here are proven methods to acquire high quality backlinks:
Publish relevant backlinks magnets:
Publish in-depth guides, original research, or industry reports.
Create useful tools (like calculators or checklists) others want to reference.
Infographics still work if they offer real value.
The more creating valuable content you offer, the more reputable sites will build backlinks to you naturally.
For inspiration on creating standout content, read: What Is a Purple Cow in Marketing & SEO?
Guest blogging backlinks from reputable industry blogs help you earn backlinks pointing to your site naturally — as long as you avoid spammy tactics and write valuable content.
Always prioritize relevance and real audience value over link quantity.
Networking with journalists, bloggers, and niche influencers often leads to natural and editorial backlinks over time.
You can offer expert commentary, collaborate on content, or co-host webinars.
Proactively reach out to publications, submit your expertise to HARO (Help a Reporter Out), and pitch newsworthy ideas.
Strong digital PR help you acquire quality backlinks from major news websites — giving your DA a significant boost.
Not all backlinks are helpful. Toxic backlinks from spammy sites can drag your Domain Authority down.
Using SEO tools like Moz, Ahrefs, or Semrush helps you monitor all your links and identify:
Regularly monitor your backlink profile with tools like Moz, Ahrefs, or Ubersuggest for any toxic or harmful links.
Disavow harmful and low quality backlinks using Google Search Console when necessary.
Focus on earning natural, organic links rather than buying cheap backlinks.
Learn how internal links also support your backlink strategy:
There's no magic number because it depends on your competition.
If competitors have:
50 backlinks from diverse sources, you may need around the same.
If they have 500 links from reputable sites, you’ll need a more aggressive link building strategy.
Quality always beats quantity. Start by matching the backlink profile of competitors close to your current DA, and build from there.
Our advice on picking smarter battles: Blue Ocean Strategy in SEO – Win Without Fighting for It
Directly, no. Domain Authority primarily measures external links.
But internally linking your pages smartly:
Passes "link juice" between your pages
Boosts Page Authority (PA)
Helps search engines crawl and index your content better
In the long term, good internal linking helps distribute your earned external authority more efficiently across your site.
Without backlinks, your website is like an island no one knows exists. With the right backlinks:
Your domain becomes stronger
Your rankings improve naturally
Your visibility across the web grows exponentially
Focus on earning trust from reputable sources, maintaining a clean backlink profile, and creating content worth linking to.
Because when others recommend your site freely — Search engines listen.
Previous page: How to Use Domain Authority for SEO Benchmarking
