If you’ve been digging into SEO for your small business, you’ve probably come across the term Domain Authority and thought, “Sounds technical. Do I need to care?” Spoiler alert: yes, but not in the overwhelming way the SEO world sometimes makes it seem.
Let’s break down “what is domain authority?”, how it works, and why it’s useful in SEO competitor analysis. Whether you’re just getting started or reviewing an SEO competitor analysis report, understanding domain authority helps you see the bigger picture.
What is Domain Authority?
Let’s keep it simple. Domain Authority (DA) is a score developed by Moz that predicts how likely your website is to rank in search engines compared to others. The score runs from 1 to 100. The higher, the better.
It’s not a number that Google uses directly, but it’s based on real SEO factors like backlinks, site quality, and how trustworthy your site appears. Think of it as a quick way to gauge how “strong” your website is in Google’s eyes.
Want to check domain authority? Tools like Moz, Ahrefs, Ubersuggest and SEMrush will do it for free (or as part of their plans). Just pop your domain in and you’ll get a score. More importantly, you can do the same for your competitors.
How Important Is Domain Authority?
DA isn’t everything, but it’s a solid indicator of how competitive your website is. If your DA is 12 and your top competitors are sitting at 40+, it’ll be a tougher battle to get noticed unless you’ve got a smart SEO strategy in place.
Here’s where competitor analysis for SEO comes in. By comparing domain authority between your site and your rivals, you can quickly see who’s got the edge. But don’t stop there — DA is just one piece of the puzzle.
In a proper SEO competitor analysis report, DA should be reviewed alongside keywords, backlink quality, site structure, and content. It’s a great starting point, but not the final word.
What Domain Authority Is Good?
There’s no magic number that works for every business and a “good” domain authority depends on your industry and competition. That said:
- 1–20: You’re likely just getting started or have minimal SEO in place. Don’t panic. Everyone starts here.
- 21–40: This is where most small business websites sit. You’re making progress.
- 41–60: Strong. You’ll be competing well in your niche.
- 61+: These are the big players. Think national brands or well-established sites.
So rather than asking, “Is my DA good?” ask: “Is my DA improving?” and “How does it compare to similar businesses?” That’s what really matters.
Why It Matters in Competitor Analysis
In short, domain authority helps you know where you stand. If you’re trying to outrank a competitor who’s miles ahead in DA, you’ll need to work harder on content, backlinks, and technical SEO.
That’s why I include domain authority checks in every SEO competitor analysis report I do. It’s a snapshot of authority, but also a guide for where you can improve and what targets to aim for.
For example, if your competitors have high DAs because of loads of high-quality backlinks, that’s your signal to start building your own. If their content gets linked to from trusted sources, what can you create that’s just as valuable?
So, what is domain authority? It’s a helpful SEO score that shows how likely your site is to rank. How important is domain authority? Pretty important when benchmarking your site and checking in on the competition. And what domain authority is good? That depends on who you’re up against but improvement over time is always a win.
Need help figuring out where your site stands or want a clear-eyed view of your competitors? I offer affordable SEO competitor reports that show you the real.
Let’s take a look under the hood and see how you can get ahead.
