How to increase domain authority: 8 steps that actually work
Updated
The short answer
To increase domain authority, earn links from more unique, relevant and trusted websites. The most reliable way is to publish things other sites want to cite, such as original data, free tools and expert guides, then get them in front of people who write about your topic. Reclaim lost links, avoid paid link schemes and expect real change over months, not weeks.
Key facts
- New linking domains move DA far more than extra links from sites already linking to you.
- Links from strong, relevant sites count most.
- Original data and free tools earn links without constant outreach.
- Bought links and link networks can cost you rankings and often vanish later.
- Expect three to six months before a clear change shows up.
Start with a baseline
Before changing anything, write down where you are. Run your site through the domain authority checker and note DA, referring domains, Trust Flow and Spam Score. Then look up three competitors that rank where you want to rank.
This matters more than people think. If your competitors sit at DA 32 and you're at 24, you need maybe 30 to 60 more good linking domains, not a total rebuild. If they're at 70, you're looking at a multi year plan and should target easier keywords in the meantime.
The 8 steps
Work through these roughly in order. The first four create reasons for people to link to you; the rest make sure those links count.
1. Find out what already earns links in your niche
Look at the most linked pages on your competitors' sites. You'll usually see a pattern: a statistics page, a free calculator, an annual survey or a definitive guide. That's your proof of what your niche cites. Build a better version rather than guessing.
2. Publish one genuinely linkable asset
Pick one format and do it properly. Original data is the strongest because writers need numbers to quote. A small survey of 200 people in your industry, a free tool that solves one annoying task, or a page that collects every statistic on a topic with sources can all earn links for years.
One great asset beats twenty average blog posts. Open the backlink report of almost any site in your niche and you'll see the same thing: a handful of pages earn most of the links, and the rest of the archive earns almost none.
3. Put it in front of people who write about the topic
Links don't arrive by themselves. Make a list of journalists, bloggers and newsletter writers who covered your topic in the last six months. Send a short, personal note explaining what's new in your asset and why their readers would care. Ten thoughtful emails beat a thousand templates.
4. Answer journalist requests
Reporters regularly ask for expert quotes on platforms built for that purpose. Answer quickly with something specific and quotable. Even a few placements a quarter on news sites can lift DA noticeably, because those sites carry a lot of authority.
5. Reclaim mentions and lost links
Search for your brand name and see who mentions you without linking. A friendly note asking for a link converts surprisingly often. Also check for links pointing to pages you deleted or moved; redirecting those URLs to the right page recovers authority you already earned.
6. Link your own pages properly
Internal links don't raise DA directly, but they spread the strength of your best linked pages to the rest of the site. Link from your most cited pages to the pages you want to rank, using descriptive anchor text.
7. Fix technical leaks
Serve every page over HTTPS, keep one canonical version of each URL, avoid long redirect chains and fix broken pages that have inbound links. Our report runs these technical checks automatically, so you can see problems on the same screen as your score.
8. Earn links steadily, not in bursts
A natural profile grows a little every month. A sudden spike of hundreds of links from unrelated sites looks unnatural to search engines and to Moz's model alike. Set a pace you can keep, such as a few quality links a month, and stick to it for a year.
What actually moves the score
Not every link is equal. This is roughly how we'd rank the impact of different link types on domain authority:
| Link type | Impact on DA | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial link from a strong, relevant site | High | New linking domain with real authority |
| Mention on a major news site | High | Very strong domains carry a lot of weight |
| Guest post on a relevant, real site | Medium | Useful if the site has genuine traffic and links |
| Extra links from a site already linking to you | Low | The domain is already counted |
| Directory and profile links | Low | Weak, and often ignored |
| Paid links on link farms or networks | Negative risk | Can trigger penalties and tend to disappear |
Before you accept or pay for any placement, check the site's DA, Trust Flow and Spam Score. The bulk checker lets you vet a whole list of prospects at once.
Tactics to avoid
Some shortcuts raise DA briefly and then hurt you. Google's spam policies specifically call out buying or selling links for ranking, excessive link exchanges and large scale article marketing with keyword rich links. Moz's model also learns to discount many of these patterns.
- Private blog networks and expired domain networks built only for links.
- Packages promising a DA jump by a set date.
- Sitewide footer links from unrelated sites.
- Comment and forum spam with keyword anchors.
- Link exchanges at scale with sites outside your topic.
If a seller quotes only DA, ask for Trust Flow, Spam Score and traffic too. Our spam score guide explains which numbers expose a pumped site.
How long it takes
Moz has to discover a new link, then recalculate its model, and the scale is logarithmic. In practice that means three to six months before you see a clear change, and longer at higher scores. Going from 10 to 25 is very achievable in a year. Going from 45 to 55 can take several years of strong work.
Don't panic if your score dips while you're building links. Other sites grow too, and Moz recalculates regularly. A dip of a couple of points is normal; we explain the causes in why domain authority drops.
Measure progress the right way
Check your DA once a month, not every day. Track referring domains alongside it, because that's the input you control. If referring domains are growing and DA isn't yet, you're on track; the score lags behind the links.
Most of all, track rankings and organic traffic for the pages you care about. DA is a helpful scoreboard, but the goal is visitors and customers. If you'd like a refresher on what the number does and doesn't measure, read what is domain authority.
Common questions
How long does it take to increase domain authority?
Usually three to six months before a clear change, because Moz needs to discover new links and recalculate scores. Higher scores take longer to move because the scale is logarithmic.
Can I increase domain authority fast?
Not safely. Fast jumps usually come from link schemes that can lead to penalties and often disappear when Moz recalculates. Steady, earned links are the only reliable way.
Does content increase domain authority?
Only indirectly. DA is calculated from links, so content raises it when other sites link to that content. Useful, citable content is the best way to earn those links.
Do social media links increase domain authority?
Not much. Most social links are nofollow and count little. Social sharing helps when it leads writers to discover and link to your content.
Does increasing domain authority improve rankings?
Usually, because the links that raise DA are the same signals search engines reward. A higher DA from spammy links won't help, and can hurt.