Domain Authority vs. Page Authority: Which Metric Matters More?

Navigating the world of search engine optimization (SEO) often feels like learning a new language. You encounter a long list of acronyms and metrics, each promising to be the key to unlocking higher search engine rankings. Among the most discussed are Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA). Both are scores developed by Moz, a leading SEO software company, and they often cause confusion for website owners and marketers.

Many people wonder which metric they should focus on. Is it better to have a high Domain Authority or a high Page Authority? The answer isn’t as simple as picking one over the other. Understanding the difference between them, how they work, and their respective roles is crucial for developing a successful digital strategy. This blog will break down Domain Authority vs. Page Authority, explore which one carries more weight, and explain how they influence your website’s performance.

Key Takeaways

• Domain Authority (DA) reflects your website’s overall strength, helping you understand how competitive your domain is compared to others in your industry.
• Page Authority (PA measures the ranking potential of a single page, meaning one well-optimized, well-linked page can outperform competitors—even if your DA is lower.
• The strongest SEO strategy balances both metrics, building domain-wide trust over time while targeting high-priority pages with focused link-building and internal linking efforts.

What is Domain Authority (DA)?

Domain Authority is a search engine ranking score that predicts how likely a website is to rank on search engine result pages (SERPs). The score ranges from one to 100, with higher scores corresponding to a greater ability to rank. It’s important to remember that DA is a predictive metric, not a ranking factor used by Google. Google has its own complex algorithms and doesn’t use Moz’s DA score in its calculations.

However, DA provides a valuable comparative tool. It aggregates multiple factors, including the number of total linking root domains and the total number of incoming links, into a single score. This score allows you to gauge your website’s overall “strength” in comparison to your competitors. A brand-new website will start with a DA of one. Websites with enormous backlink profiles, like Wikipedia or Google, have a DA of nearly 100.

Think of Domain Authority as your website’s overall reputation. A strong reputation, built over time with quality content and authoritative backlinks, makes it more likely that search engines will trust your site as a whole.

What is Page Authority (PA)?

While Domain Authority measures the predictive ranking strength of an entire domain, Page Authority measures the strength of an individual page. Just like DA, PA is a score developed by Moz on a 100-point logarithmic scale. It predicts how well a specific page will rank on SERPs.

Each page on your website, from your homepage to a specific blog post or product page, has its own unique Page Authority score. This score is calculated based on factors similar to DA, but it’s specific to that single URL. The quality and quantity of links pointing to that particular page heavily influence its PA.

For instance, your homepage might have a high PA because many other sites link directly to it. A new blog post, on the other hand, will start with a PA of one and will only increase as it earns its own backlinks. Page Authority helps you understand the ranking potential of individual pieces of content.

Key Differences: DA vs. PA at a Glance

To make it simple, let’s highlight the core distinctions between these two metrics.

• Scope: Domain Authority applies to your entire website (the root domain and all its subdomains). Page Authority applies only to a single, specific page.
• Purpose: DA gives you a holistic view of your site’s overall authority and competitive standing. PA helps you analyze the ranking potential of individual content pieces.
• Influence: A high DA suggests that pages on your site have a good foundation to rank well. A high PA indicates that a specific page has a strong chance of ranking for its target keywords, regardless of the site’s overall DA.

Essentially, your website’s DA provides a rising tide that can lift all boats (pages). However, each boat (page) still needs its own engine (backlinks) to truly excel and win the race on the SERPs.

Which Metric Should You Focus On?

Now for the big question: Should you pour your resources into increasing your Domain Authority or your Page Authority? The most effective strategy involves working on both, but with a clear understanding of their relationship.

Improving your Domain Authority is a long-term goal. It’s a byproduct of consistent, high-quality SEO efforts across your entire site. You don’t directly “build” DA; you build a great website with valuable content that naturally attracts links from other reputable sites. Over time, these efforts will be reflected in a higher DA score.

In the short to medium term, focusing on Page Authority can deliver more tangible results. By creating exceptional content on a specific topic and actively building links to that page, you can significantly increase its PA. A page with a high PA can rank well even if the website’s overall DA is still developing.

Consider this scenario: You run a moderately authoritative website (e.g., DA 30) and publish a comprehensive guide on a niche topic. You promote it heavily and earn several high-quality backlinks directly to that guide. The PA of that page could climb to 40 or 50, allowing it to outrank pages from competitor sites with a higher DA (e.g., DA 50) but a lower PA for their specific page on that topic.

Therefore, a balanced approach is best:

• Build your foundation (DA): Consistently create valuable content and pursue site-wide link-building opportunities to improve your domain’s overall reputation.
• Target your efforts (PA): For your most important pages, your “money pages” or cornerstone content, implement a dedicated link-building campaign to boost their individual Page Authority and ranking potential.

How DA and PA Impact Link Building

Link building is the cornerstone of improving both DA and PA. However, your strategy might shift depending on which metric you’re prioritizing.

When you’re trying to improve Domain Authority, the focus is on acquiring links from a diverse set of high-quality, relevant domains that haven’t linked to you before. The goal is to build a broad and authoritative backlink profile for your entire site.

At the same time, recognizing high-quality backlinks helps actually strengthen authority rather than wasting effort on low-value sources that don’t move rankings in a meaningful way.

When your goal is to increase the Page Authority of a specific article or landing pages, your link-building becomes much more targeted. You need to secure links that point directly to that URL. This involves outreach where you promote that specific piece of content, suggesting it as a valuable resource for other websites to cite.

Another factor that plays a major role here is understanding the difference between do-follow and no-follow backlinks, since only certain types of links pass authority signals that contribute to stronger ranking potential.

Internal linking also plays a vital role in building page-level strength; linking from other strong pages on your own site can pass authority and give your priority page a boost.

Ultimately, a strong link to any page on your site contributes to your overall Domain Authority. But for a specific page to rank for competitive terms, it needs its own set of powerful, direct links.

Final Thoughts

Domain Authority and Page Authority work together to highlight your website’s overall ranking potential. DA reflects the long-term strength of your domain, while PA shows how well individual pages can perform based on their own backlinks and authority signals. When you focus on both building site-wide credibility while strengthening key pages, you create a balanced SEO strategy that supports sustainable growth in search results.

If you’re ready to improve both metrics, The Ocean Marketing can help with proven SEO and link-building strategies designed to build authority where it matters most. For a clear starting point, you can also request a free SEO audit to uncover quick wins, ranking opportunities, and areas holding your website back. If you’d like expert guidance tailored to your goals, contact us today, and let’s build a stronger SEO strategy for long-term growth.