Want to boost your website's search rankings? Domain Authority (DA) is key. Here's what you need to know:
- DA is a 1-100 score predicting how well a site might rank in search results
- Higher DA = better chance of ranking well
- Google doesn't use DA directly, but it reflects factors search engines care about
- DA helps you:
- Compare your site to competitors
- Guide your link building strategy
- Track SEO progress
- Find valuable link opportunities
To improve your DA in 2024:
- Get quality backlinks from respected sites
- Create link-worthy content (like comprehensive guides or original research)
- Use tools like Moz, Ahrefs, or Semrush to track progress
- Focus on user experience and smart internal linking
Remember: DA isn't everything. Keep creating great content and building real relationships in your niche.
Quick Comparison of DA Checking Tools:
| Tool | Key Feature | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Moz | Original DA metric | Free for basic use, $99/mo for pro |
| Ahrefs | Deep backlink analysis | $99/mo |
| Semrush | Full SEO toolkit | $119.95/mo |
Related video from YouTube
How to Check Link Quality Using Domain Authority
Not all links are created equal. Domain Authority (DA) helps you figure out which backlinks are worth chasing. Let's see how you can use DA to level up your link building game.
What DA Scores Mean
DA scores go from 1 to 100. Higher scores? Better chance of ranking well in search results. Here's a quick breakdown:
- 1-20: New or small sites, not much content or backlinks
- 20-30: Established sites, still growing online
- 30-50: Strong sites with good content and backlinks
- 50-60: Very authoritative sites, often industry leaders
- 60+: Top-notch sites with killer content and backlinks
But remember: context matters. A DA of 40 might be awesome in a niche industry, but just okay in a more competitive field.
"The biggest Domain Authority factor is the quantity and quality of inbound links to your website." - WebFX
This quote nails it: focus on getting high-quality backlinks from reputable sources to boost your DA.
Best Tools to Check Domain Authority
Want to check Domain Authority? Here are the top tools:
| Tool | Key Features | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Moz | - Full DA report - Top pages by Page Authority - Top linking domains |
Free for some queries Paid plans from $99/month |
| Ahrefs | - Domain Rating (DR) score - Backlink profile analysis - Competitor comparison |
Free basic version Paid plans from $99/month |
| Semrush | - Authority Score - Backlink analytics - Competitor research |
Free tool with account Paid plans from $119.95/month |
Moz gives you the original DA metric and a detailed report on your site's authority. Their free version lets you check 10 domains per month - great for small businesses or individual site owners.
Ahrefs uses its own Domain Rating metric but is known for its solid backlink analysis. It's perfect if you want to dig deep into your link profile and find new link-building opportunities.
Semrush stands out with its full SEO toolkit. Its Authority Score isn't exactly the same as Moz's DA, but it gives you valuable insights into your site's overall SEO health and how you stack up against competitors.
When using these tools, don't just look at the DA score. Consider the bigger picture:
- Quality and relevance of linking domains
- Diversity of your backlink profile
- How your DA changes over time
Getting Links from High-DA Websites
Want to boost your site's authority and search rankings? Get links from high Domain Authority (DA) websites. Here's how:
Create Link-Worthy Content
The key? Make content that high-DA sites want to link to:
1. Original Research
Do your own studies. Backlinko's analysis of 11.8 million Google search results? It got shared over 14,000 times and tons of quality backlinks.
2. "Skyscraper" Content
Find popular content in your niche. Make it better. Brian Dean's "SEO Tools: The Complete List" got over 10,200 backlinks, including from big names like Entrepreneur.com and HubSpot.
People share infographics 3x more than text-heavy content. Make complex data easy to understand visually.
4. In-Depth Guides
Write comprehensive guides on industry topics. They become go-to resources that naturally attract links over time.
Remember: Quality beats quantity. WebFX says, "The biggest Domain Authority factor is the quantity and quality of inbound links to your website." Make content so good, high-DA sites can't resist linking to it.
Build Relationships for Links
Getting high-quality backlinks is all about connections. Try these:
It takes work, but it works. About 50% of bloggers reach out to 10+ contacts monthly for guest blogging chances.
2. Broken Link Building
Find broken links on high-authority sites in your niche. Offer your content as a replacement. Works great for .edu resource pages.
3. HARO (Help a Reporter Out)
Sign up as a source on HARO or Featured.com. Give expert insights to journalists. Get backlinks from high-DA news sites and industry publications.
4. Strategic Partnerships
Team up with complementary businesses. You might get natural link exchanges, co-created content, and more link-building opportunities.
5. Link Reclamation
Use tools like Ahrefs to find unlinked mentions of your brand. Ask those sites to add a link to you.
"Effective link outreach requires empathy and common sense. Webmasters are people too and you need to understand their challenges, motivations, likes, and dislikes to properly connect with them." - SearchWorks Team
When asking for links, make it personal. Skip the generic templates. Show you've done your homework and know what you're offering.
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How to Track Your Link Building Results
Tracking link building results is key to understanding your efforts' impact and fine-tuning your strategy. Let's look at some effective ways to monitor your progress and Domain Authority (DA) improvements.
Setting Link Building Goals
Before you start tracking, you need clear goals. Here's how to set DA targets you can actually achieve:
1. Establish a baseline
First, check your current Domain Authority. Use Moz's free Domain Authority Checker to get your score. Let's say your site's DA is 30. You might aim for 35 in six months.
2. Set realistic targets
Here's the thing: DA uses a logarithmic scale. That means jumping from 70 to 80 is WAY harder than going from 20 to 30. Be smart about your goals based on where you're starting and what resources you have.
3. Track key metrics
Keep an eye on these:
- Number of referring domains
- Domain Authority of linking sites
- Organic traffic
- SERP rankings
4. Use the right tools
You'll need good SEO tools to track your progress. Here's a quick comparison:
| Tool | What it does | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Moz Pro | DA tracking, link analysis, rank tracking | Starts at $99/month |
| Ahrefs | Deep backlink analysis, content explorer | Starts at $99/month |
| SEMrush | Competitor analysis, position tracking, backlink audit | Starts at $119.95/month |
5. Set a review schedule
Don't check your DA every day. It'll drive you crazy. Instead, look at your progress monthly or quarterly. Use this time to tweak your strategy if needed.
"When you know your Domain Authority score, you can use it to earn more from your SEO strategy." - WebFX Team
This quote nails it. Knowing your DA helps you squeeze more value out of your SEO efforts.
Link building isn't a sprint, it's a marathon. Tricia (Harte) Miller, Director of Digital PR at DTC, puts it well:
"Good content campaigns should align with the overall business goals of your brand anyway– they shouldn't feel like an island unto their own with no connection to the rest of the broader business and SEO strategy."
In other words, your link building should fit into your bigger marketing and business plans. It's not just about getting links - it's about growing your business.
Common Problems with Domain Authority
Domain Authority (DA) is a key tool for link building, but it's not without its challenges. Let's look at some common issues and how to handle them.
Getting the Right Mix of Links
Balancing link quality and quantity is tough. You need a diverse, natural-looking link profile - not just high-DA backlinks.
Here's the surprise: you actually want some lower-quality links. An SEO expert says:
"You mess with this at your peril!!!! Beware. 'Bad' links are not necessarily bad in the grand scheme of universe. Every credible and authoritative site should have some."
They suggest 10% low-quality, 80% medium, and 10% high-quality links. This mix looks natural and helps avoid search engine red flags.
Many site owners make the mistake of obsessing over DA scores and trying to cut all low-DA links. Don't fall into this trap. Even top sites have some not-so-great backlinks. It's normal.
Another common error? Over-optimizing anchor text. Google doesn't like this. Their Webmaster Guidelines warn:
"Any links intended to manipulate PageRank or a site's ranking in Google search results may be considered part of a link scheme and a violation of Google's Webmaster Guidelines."
The fix? Mix up your anchor texts. Use branded terms, naked URLs, and natural variations of your target phrases.
Now, let's talk about link building tactics to avoid:
- Buying or selling links
- Excessive link exchanges
- Automated link building
These can hurt your DA and even lead to penalties.
Instead, focus on creating link-worthy content. As Timothy Carter from SEO.co puts it:
"Link building is crucial for increasing your SEO rankings, but if you do it poorly, you can actually hurt your rankings and not help."
Remember, DA isn't everything. Some SEO pros even call it a vanity metric. One r/bigseo user suggests:
"forget about DA, its a vanity metric. Worry about keywords indexed, # of 1-3 position keywords, # of 4-10 keywords, google analytics sessions, google search console clicks, impressions, ctr, and average position."
The takeaway? DA is just one tool in your SEO toolkit. Don't obsess over it.
Lastly, don't panic over DA fluctuations. They're normal. If you see a sudden drop, it could be due to algorithm updates or link profile changes. Keep producing quality content and building real relationships in your niche.
Next Steps for Link Building in 2024
Link building isn't going anywhere in 2024. But it's changing. Here's how to stay ahead:
Make Content That People Actually Want to Link To
It's simple: create stuff others can't help but share. Take Brian Dean's SEO tools list. It got over 1,080 backlinks and 20,777 social shares. Why? Because it was comprehensive and useful.
Get Your PR Hat On
Digital PR is the new link building hotness. Got a newsworthy story about your brand? Get it in front of journalists. You could land backlinks from big-name news sites.
Be a Source for Journalists
HARO (Help a Reporter Out) and Featured.com connect you with journalists who need expert quotes. Check these platforms daily and respond fast. It's an easy way to get links from respected publications.
Build Skyscrapers (Content-wise)
Find popular content in your niche. Then make something WAY better. If there's a "10 Tips" article, create "50 Tips" backed by real research. Go big or go home.
Make Friends, Get Links
Don't just chase links. Build relationships. Comment on industry blogs. Share their stuff. Look for ways to work together. As one expert puts it: "The links you get from relationships are mostly indirect. But they DO happen."
Find Your Unlinked Mentions
People might be talking about you without linking. Use brand monitoring tools to find these mentions. Then, ask nicely for a link. Also, keep an eye on lost backlinks and try to get them back.
Mix Up Your Link Types
Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Aim for:
- 10% high-quality links
- 80% medium-quality links
- 10% lower-quality links
This looks more natural to search engines.
Keep Up with the Algorithm
Search engines are always changing. Stay in the loop by following official blogs and joining SEO communities. What works today might not work tomorrow.
FAQs
How to increase domain authority in 2024?
Want to boost your domain authority in 2024? Here's what you need to do:
Get quality backlinks. Not just any links - we're talking about the cream of the crop from respected sites in your field. When Moz tweaked their Domain Authority algorithm back in 2019, they made it clear: relevant, high-quality links trump quantity every time.
Create content that people can't help but link to. Take a page from Brian Dean's book. His "SEO Tools: The Complete List" raked in over 1,080 backlinks and 20,777 social shares. Why? Because it's a goldmine of information that people find useful.
Keep an eye on your backlinks. Use tools like Ahrefs or Semrush to spot and get rid of any toxic links that could drag you down.
Make your website a breeze to use. Google's Core Web Vitals, which came into play in 2020, have a direct impact on your rankings. And guess what? Better rankings mean higher domain authority.
Link your pages together smartly. Hubspot's pillar page strategy is a great example of how internal linking can boost your site's overall authority.
Just remember: Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is domain authority. It takes time and consistent effort, so stick with it!
How to get backlinks from high authority sites?
Want to land those coveted backlinks from high-authority sites? Here's how:
Be a go-to source for journalists and bloggers. Platforms like HARO (Help a Reporter Out) or Featured.com can help. Tim Soulo from Ahrefs scored backlinks from big names like Entrepreneur and Business Insider this way.
Create "Skyscraper" content. This means making content that's head and shoulders above what's already out there. Brian Dean's original Skyscraper Technique post? It snagged over 8,000 backlinks by doing just that.
Find and replace broken links. Look for dead links on high-authority sites and offer your content as a replacement. Moz has had great success with this tactic.
Stick to content formats that work. Infographics, original research, and in-depth guides are link magnets. Just look at Backlinko's analysis of 11.8 million Google search results - it got shared over 14,000 times and earned tons of high-quality backlinks.
Write ultimate guides. These comprehensive resources can attract links like bees to honey. Case in point: Moz's Beginner's Guide to SEO has thousands of sites linking to it.
