CSSLY - Why is Domain Authority important for SEO?
Why Domain Authority still matters, even when Google says it doesn't. Deciphering the metric that defines the digital hierarchy. CSSLY - Domain Authority important for SEO
Julian Devlin
Senior SEO Strategist • 8 min read
Ever stopped to wonder just how popular your website is in the grand scheme of the internet, particularly in the eyes of those all-knowing search engines?
Domain Authority (DA), for those unfamiliar, is essentially a search engine ranking score crafted by the clever folks over at Moz. Think of it as a grade, ranging from 1 to 100, that predicts how likely your site is to strut its stuff on search engine results pages. The higher the score, the better your chances of ranking, or so the theory goes.
A Walk Down Memory Lane
Our journey begins in 1996, with the birth of Google's PageRank. This was the original "secret sauce," the algorithm that made Google stand out. The core idea was brilliantly simple: links were like "votes" for a page's importance.
In 2016, Google decided to pull the plug on the public Toolbar PageRank, leaving SEOs to wander in the dark. Enter Moz and their Domain Authority in 2006—stepping up to offer a way for we mere mortals to estimate a site's strength.
DA Decoded: What Makes the Score Go Up?
It's paramount to understand that DA is not a direct Google ranking factor. Google isn't peering at Moz's scores when deciding where to place your website. Rather, it's an estimate based on what correlates with high rankings.
Logarithmic Scale
It's significantly harder to climb from 70 to 80 than it is to go from 10 to 20.
Backlink Quality
A single link from a reputable site beats a dozen links from spammy directories.
Current Vibe Check: 2024-2025
Despite Google's repeated disavowals, the consensus among SEOs is that Domain Authority remains relevant. The reason is simple: correlation. Sites with high Domain Authority often do rank better because the factors that build DA—good links, good content—are also what Google loves.
The AI Era: 2026 and Beyond
As we move deeper into the age of AI, the SEO landscape is shifting. Google's AI Overviews and zero-click searches are changing how users find information. In this new world, E-E-A-T is becoming the new Domain Authority.
Information Gain SEO—creating content that offers new, unique value—will be paramount. Experience and Trustworthiness are taking center stage. Expect AI to get smarter at evaluating the context and quality of links.
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