While we could start this blog with a long introduction on the importance of search engine optimization (very important) and the different factors that can affect your position on search engine results pages (a lot), we know you're really here for one thing: Figuring out what exactly domain authority is. So let's get straight to it!
What is Domain Authority?
Domain authority is a proprietary search engine ranking score from 1-100 developed by Moz that predicts how likely a website is to rank in search engine result pages (SERPs). You can access it through Moz's Link Explorer tool, within the site's popular Chrome extension, or within dozens of other SEO and marketing platforms available online.
The higher your website's score, the more likely you are to rank within the first page. This score can be used to evaluate how effective your digital presence is, and can be a perfect jumping off point when crafting your broader digital marketing strategy.
My score is really low! Help!
First off, don't panic. It's important to remember that Google doesn't factor in Domain Authority when computing its ranking scores, and this isn't a metric that will impair (or improve) your page results.
Domain Authority is best used as a comparative metric. While tracking your own score can help you visualize improvements or declines in your website's SEO effectiveness, you'll also want to compare it to your competitors' scores. If you see a competitor with a significantly higher ranking than your site, it's a good signal to explore their website further to see if there are any keywords, content topics or other SEO approaches that you could steal for your own site.
Don't worry about trying to hit that elusive perfect score—we recommend that our clients instead focus on having a higher score than their competitors.
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How do I improve my score?
As an SEO-related metric, improving your Domain Authority score starts with improving your website's SEO. While this is always a good practice for your digital marketing strategy, putting a focus on SEO improvements can pay off big here if Domain Authority becomes a key metric you want to track.
When it comes to improving SEO, specific tactics we implement here at Informatics include:
- Updating your keyword research
- Reviewing meta titles and meta descriptions on your pages for length and keywords
- Removing or revising duplicate meta data on your site
- Adding alt tags to all images
- Fixing broken links
Alongside these updates, you'll also want to put a special focus on the quality and quantity of external links pointing to your website (known as backlinks). While many metrics are included in Moz's calculation of your Domain Authority score, and it can be hard to influence it directly, prioritizing backlinks is a great start.
But the higher ups want it changed today.
Unfortunately there's no magic shortcut to improve your Domain Authority score quickly. As with many SEO-related items, you're in it for the long haul, and need to dedicate yourself to continual reviews and updates.
Fortunately for you, that's what our team is here for. Whether you're wondering about your Domain Authority score or you need help improving your website's SEO, we've got you covered. Give us a call and let our experts get you back on track!
