Definition
Page Authority (PA) is a predictive SEO metric developed by Moz that estimates the likelihood of a specific web page ranking high in search engine results pages (SERPs). Presented as a score ranging from 1 to 100, a higher PA indicates a stronger potential for a page to rank well. The score is calculated using various factors including the quality and quantity of inbound links, content relevance, site structure, and technical SEO signals such as load speed and mobile usability. While PA is not a direct ranking factor used by Google, it’s widely used in the SEO industry as a comparative indicator of page strength and ranking potential.
Is It Still Relevant?
Yes, Page Authority remains a relevant and valuable metric in today’s SEO and digital marketing landscapes, despite the increasing complexity of Google’s ranking algorithms. While Google does not use Moz’s PA directly, the factors that contribute to a higher PA—such as backlinks, user engagement, and high-quality content—are indeed vital components of Google’s algorithm.
Recent SEO trends, such as Google’s helpful content updates, Core Web Vitals emphasis, and the growing importance of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness), align well with the principles that influence Page Authority. This makes PA a useful reference point for evaluating individual page performance and competitiveness in search results.
Real-world Context
Digital marketers and SEO professionals use Page Authority for a variety of tasks, including:
- Competitor Analysis: Comparing PA scores of your website’s pages with those of competing pages targeting the same keywords to identify link-building and content gaps.
- Content Strategy: Identifying high-PA pages on your own site to leverage for internal linking campaigns, helping to improve the PA and SEO performance of other related pages.
- Link Prospecting: When seeking guest post or backlink opportunities, marketers often assess the PA of potential linking pages to gauge the potential value of the link.
- Performance Tracking: Monitoring changes in PA over time to measure the impact of SEO efforts such as content updates, technical fixes, or new backlink acquisition.
Background
The concept of Page Authority was introduced by Moz as an alternative to Google’s now-defunct public version of PageRank. As Google became more opaque about its ranking metrics, third-party tools like Moz, Ahrefs, and SEMrush developed proprietary scoring systems to estimate the strength of web pages and domains.
Moz’s PA metric was developed using machine learning models that examine hundreds of signals correlated with higher search rankings. Initially launched alongside Domain Authority (DA), the idea was to give SEO professionals more granular insight into which individual pages (not just entire domains) were more likely to perform well in organic search.
Over time, the algorithm behind PA has been refined, most recently in Moz’s Domain Authority 2.0 update, which affected how PA is also calculated by incorporating link data quality and other nuances.
What to Focus on Today
To improve and leverage Page Authority in modern SEO campaigns, marketers should focus on the following best practices:
- Build High-Quality Backlinks: Focus on earning backlinks from reputable, high-authority sources. Avoid spammy or low-quality links as they can negatively impact trust signals.
- Improve On-Page SEO: Optimize titles, headers, meta descriptions, and internal linking. Ensure that each page targets a clear keyword intent and provides valuable content to users.
- Enhance User Experience: Fast loading times, mobile responsiveness, and intuitive navigation all contribute to better engagement—an indirect signal of authority and relevance.
- Use Internal Linking Strategically: Link to your lower PA pages from your higher PA pages to distribute authority and improve crawlability.
- Monitor with Tools: Use tools like Moz’s Link Explorer, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to track PA changes and understand link profiles. These tools also uncover opportunities for improvement and link acquisition.
Ultimately, while Page Authority isn’t a direct ranking factor used by search engines, it’s an excellent proxy for understanding and enhancing your pages’ SEO potential. By focusing on quality content, ethical link-building, and technical optimization, you can naturally improve PA and, in turn, search visibility.