Domain Authority: How to Improve It Fast

Domain Authority (DA) is one of the most talked-about SEO metrics. But what is it really, and how can you improve it? Let's break it down.

What is Domain Authority?

Domain Authority is a score (1-100) developed by Moz that predicts how likely a website is to rank in search results. It's based on:

• Link profile: Number and quality of backlinks


• Linking root domains: How many unique sites link to you


• Total links: Overall link quantity

Important: DA is not a Google ranking factor. It's a third-party metric that correlates with ranking potential.

DA vs DR (Domain Rating)

• DA (Moz): 1-100 scale, considers link quality


• DR (Ahrefs): 1-100 scale, focuses on backlink profile strength

Both are useful, but they're estimates, not official metrics.

What's a Good Domain Authority?

| DA Score | Interpretation |
|----------|---------------|
| 1-20 | New or small sites |
| 21-40 | Growing sites with some authority |
| 41-60 | Established sites |
| 61-80 | Very authoritative |
| 81-100 | Top-tier (Google, Facebook, etc.) |

For startups: Getting to DA 20-30 in year one is realistic and valuable.

How to Improve Domain Authority

1. Build Quality Backlinks

This is the #1 factor. Focus on:

High-DA directories:

• Cut & Ship - AI & SaaS directory


• Product Hunt (DA 92)


• Indie Hackers (DA 75)


• Crunchbase (DA 91)

Guest posting:

• Write for industry blogs


• Target sites with DA 40+


• Include natural links to your site

HARO (Help A Reporter Out):

• Respond to journalist queries


• Can land links from Forbes, Inc, etc.

2. Create Link-Worthy Content

Content that naturally attracts links:

• Original research and data


• Comprehensive guides


• Free tools and calculators


• Infographics

3. Internal Linking

Distribute authority throughout your site:

• Link from high-DA pages to important pages


• Create content hubs


• Use descriptive anchor text

4. Remove Toxic Backlinks

Bad links can hurt your profile:

• Use Google Disavow tool


• Remove spammy links


• Monitor your backlink profile monthly

5. Technical SEO Foundation

A healthy site ranks better:

• Fast loading speed


• Mobile responsive


• SSL certificate


• Clean URL structure

How Long to Improve DA?

Be patient. DA improvements take time:

| Action | Timeline |
|--------|----------|
| Directory submissions | 2-4 weeks to reflect |
| Guest posts | 1-3 months |
| Content marketing | 3-6 months |
| Significant improvement | 6-12 months |

Quick Wins for New Sites

Starting from DA 1? Do these today:

Submit to Cut & Ship - Get your first quality backlink

Create social profiles - GitHub, LinkedIn, Twitter (low DA but signals)

Google Business Profile - If applicable

Crunchbase profile - For startups

Common DA Myths

"I need DA 50+ to rank"

False. Low-DA sites can rank for long-tail keywords.

"Buying backlinks is faster"

True, but Google penalizes this. Not worth the risk.

"DA is the only metric that matters"

False. Traffic, conversions, and revenue matter more.

"DA changes quickly"

False. It's a slow-moving metric by design.

Monitoring Your DA

Check monthly, not daily:

• Moz Link Explorer (free tier available)


• Ahrefs (for DR)


• SEMrush

Action Plan

Week 1:

• Submit to 5 directories including Cut & Ship


• Set up all social profiles


• Run a backlink audit

Month 1:

• Start guest posting outreach


• Create one link-worthy piece of content


• Begin HARO responses

Month 3:

• Evaluate progress


• Double down on what's working


• Expect DA to start moving

The Bottom Line

DA is a useful proxy for SEO progress, but don't obsess over it. Focus on:

Building genuine relationships for backlinks

Creating valuable content

Improving user experience

The DA will follow.

Read also: Free Backlinks Guide and SaaS SEO: 0 to 10K Visitors.