Page Authority (PA) is a score that predicts how well a specific page will rank in search engine results. Think of it as an individual report card for each page on your site, rather than a single grade for the entire website. Developed by the team at Moz, this metric helps you zero in on a page's individual strength and ranking potential.
Deconstructing Page Authority and Its Impact
So, what’s Page Authority beyond just a number? Let’s use a practical analogy.
Imagine your website is a well-known university. That university's overall reputation is its Domain Authority (DA). But Page Authority (PA) is the specific credibility of a single research paper published by one of its professors. Even if it comes from a prestigious university, a brand-new paper starts with little recognition. It has to earn its own authority through citations and references from other experts.
That’s exactly how PA works for your webpages. A new blog post on a local Kansas City marketing agency's site, for example, starts with a low score and has to build its own reputation over time. The score is heavily influenced by the quantity and quality of backlinks pointing directly to that specific page.
The Core Components of Page Authority
To really get a handle on PA, you need to look at the signals that build it. It’s not just one thing, but a mix of trust signals that search engines pay close attention to.
- Backlink Quality: A single link from a highly respected site like a major news outlet is far more valuable than dozens of links from unknown or spammy sites. It’s about who is vouching for you.
- Backlink Quantity: The total number of different websites linking to your page also matters, as it signals that your content is widely recognized as valuable.
- Content Relevance: At the end of the day, the page must provide useful, relevant information that deserves to be cited as a resource by others.
Here’s a quick look at how Moz, the creator of the metric, visualizes these authority scores.
The image makes it clear that Page Authority is just one piece of a much larger puzzle, working alongside Domain Authority to paint a picture of a page's ranking potential.
To understand what goes into a PA score, it's helpful to break down the main ingredients.
Key Components of Page Authority
This table breaks down the core elements that influence a page's Authority score.
| Component | What It Means | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Backlink Profile | The number and quality of links pointing to the specific page. | This is the biggest factor. Links from authoritative sites act as powerful votes of confidence. |
| MozRank | A metric measuring the popularity of a page based on its inbound links. | It quantifies the raw popularity of a page, with a focus on link quantity. |
| MozTrust | A metric measuring the trustworthiness of a page based on how closely it's linked to trusted "seed" sites. | It assesses the quality and credibility of the linking sites, not just the number of links. |
| Content Quality | The relevance, depth, and originality of the information on the page. | High-quality content is what earns high-quality links in the first place. |
| On-Page SEO | Elements like keyword usage, internal linking, and technical optimization. | A well-optimized page is easier for search engines to understand, which supports its authority. |
Each of these components plays a role in the final score, but it all comes back to a page's ability to earn trust and citations from around the web.
Page Authority (PA) is a proprietary metric developed by Moz, designed to predict how well a specific webpage will rank in search engine results pages (SERPs). The score ranges from 1 to 100, using a logarithmic scale, meaning it becomes progressively harder to move from, say, 30 to 40 than from 10 to 20.
Ultimately, focusing on PA allows you to apply your SEO efforts with surgical precision. By building authority to your most important pages—like your core service pages or high-converting blog posts—you can directly impact their visibility and performance. These page-level improvements are fundamental, and you can explore our complete guide if you're looking for more ways on how to improve website SEO as a whole.
Understanding How Page Authority Is Calculated
So, what’s the secret sauce behind that Page Authority score? While Moz keeps its full algorithm under lock and key, the whole thing really boils down to one central theme: backlinks. But it's a whole lot more sophisticated than just counting up how many links you have.
The calculation uses machine learning to figure out what a "good" link profile looks like. It essentially holds up your page's link network and compares it to the pages that are already ranking at the top of Google. In simple terms, it's asking, "Does this page's list of references look as impressive as the references for pages Google already trusts?"
The Core of the Calculation: Backlinks
The single most important factor driving your Page Authority is your backlink profile. This isn't just about the number of sites linking to you, but far more importantly, who is linking to you. The quality and authority of those linking sites are everything. If you want to get into the nitty-gritty of what makes a strong collection of links, you can explore our detailed guide on what is backlink profile.
Think of authority—or "link equity"—like a current of water.
- A High-Quality Link: A single backlink from a major authority site like Forbes or a top Kansas City news publication is like a powerful river. It sends a massive flow of trust and credibility straight to your page.
- Low-Quality Links: On the other hand, a hundred links from obscure, low-authority blogs are like a bunch of muddy little trickles. They contribute almost nothing and can even be a problem if they come from spammy places.
This is exactly why SEO pros focus on earning one amazing backlink rather than chasing dozens of weak ones. The impact is just on a completely different level.
Beyond Just Backlinks
While backlinks are definitely the main event, other signals get mixed into the calculation, too. These factors are all part of the massive Mozscape index that powers the PA score.
Page Authority is calculated using a complex machine learning algorithm that considers over 40 different factors. The primary drivers are link counts and the trustworthiness of those links, as measured by metrics like MozRank and MozTrust.
What this means is that the algorithm looks beyond the raw number of links. It actually assesses the trust that gets passed from one site to another across the web.
If your page gets a link from a site that is itself trusted by highly authoritative sources (like university or government websites), that trust flows downhill to you. That inherited credibility gives your Page Authority score a nice boost. Ultimately, the calculation is a holistic look at your page’s reputation as seen through its connections across the entire internet.
Page Authority vs Domain Authority Explained
It's one of the most common points of confusion in SEO: what's the real difference between Page Authority (PA) and Domain Authority (DA)? They sound alike and use the same 1-100 scale, but they measure two completely different things. Getting this distinction right is crucial for focusing your SEO efforts where they'll actually make an impact.
Let's go back to our university analogy for a second. Domain Authority is the overall prestige of the entire institution—think of Harvard's powerful brand recognition. It represents the strength and reputation of your whole website (like yourwebsite.com).
Page Authority, on the other hand, is the specific acclaim of a single piece of work, like a groundbreaking research paper published by one professor. It measures the strength of an individual page (like yourwebsite.com/your-amazing-blog-post). A brand-new article on a high-DA site like a major news outlet still starts with a low PA of 1 and has to earn its own credibility through direct backlinks.
A Clear Side-by-Side Comparison
While a higher DA gives new pages a better starting point, each page ultimately has to stand on its own two feet. A high-DA site can absolutely have low-PA pages, and a lower-DA site can have a few high-PA pages that rank incredibly well for their specific topics.
This is a fundamental concept that can make or break your content strategy. We've created a simple table to break down the core differences at a glance.
Page Authority (PA) vs Domain Authority (DA)
| Attribute | Page Authority (PA) | Domain Authority (DA) |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Measures the predictive ranking strength of a single, individual page. | Measures the predictive ranking strength of an entire website or subdomain. |
| Focus | Tactical. Used for improving the rank of one specific URL. | Strategic. Used for assessing overall site health and competitive standing. |
| Example | yourwebsite.com/blog/specific-post |
yourwebsite.com |
| Analogy | The reputation of a single, best-selling book. | The reputation of the entire publishing house. |
Seeing them side-by-side makes it clear: DA is for big-picture strategy, while PA is for targeted, page-level tactics. You need to pay attention to both for a complete SEO picture.
The key takeaway is this: DA predicts the ranking potential of your entire website, while PA predicts the ranking potential of a single, specific URL. You need to pay attention to both for a complete SEO picture.
This infographic helps visualize the core differences in scope, scale, and focus between the two metrics.
The visualization makes it clear that while both metrics use the same scale, their application is entirely different. DA gives you a strategic, high-level view of your site's overall health, while PA provides tactical, page-specific insights you can act on immediately.
When to Focus on Each Metric
Knowing when to use each metric helps you build a smarter strategy. It's not that one is more important than the other; they simply have different jobs.
- Focus on Domain Authority (DA) when you're assessing your overall competitive standing. It helps you understand how your website stacks up against competitors like
seo-kansas-city.comorhelium-seo.comin a broad sense. Think of it as a strategic metric for long-term brand building. - Focus on Page Authority (PA) when you want to rank for a specific keyword with a particular page. If you're trying to get your service page on the first page of Google, you need to analyze and improve that page's individual PA. It's a tactical metric for targeted ranking campaigns.
Why Page Authority Matters for Your Business
It's time to connect the dots between a simple score and real-world business results. While it's true that Page Authority isn't a direct Google ranking factor, it’s an incredibly powerful predictor of a page's potential to rank.
Think of it as a strategic compass for your SEO efforts. It guides you toward smarter decisions that actually drive growth.
Understanding Page Authority lets you move beyond guesswork and into a data-driven strategy. It turns an abstract goal like "rank higher" into something you can actually measure. By analyzing the PA of the pages that already own the top spots for your target keywords, you get a crystal-clear benchmark for success.
Using PA for Competitive Analysis
Imagine a local marketing agency in Kansas City wants to rank for "local SEO services." A quick analysis shows that top competitors, like helium-seo.com or kcwebdesigner.com, have pages with a PA score of 35 for that specific service.
This immediately tells the agency two critical things:
- The level of authority required to realistically compete for that keyword.
- The gap they need to close to overtake the current leaders.
This process essentially lets you reverse-engineer success. You can see the authority threshold needed to even enter the conversation, then build a targeted link-building and content strategy to get there.
By benchmarking your page's authority against top-ranking competitors, you can accurately estimate the effort and resources needed to claim a top position in search results. It turns SEO into a predictable science rather than a game of chance.
Prioritizing Your SEO Budget and Efforts
Not all pages on your website are created equal. Some—like your core product pages, high-converting blog posts, or main service pages—are far more valuable to your bottom line.
Page Authority gives you a clear framework for prioritizing where to invest your precious time and budget.
Instead of spreading your link-building efforts thinly across your entire site, you can focus your resources on raising the PA of the pages that drive the most conversions. This strategic allocation ensures your SEO investment delivers the highest possible return.
For businesses just starting out, a helpful resource is our small business SEO guide, which details how to focus efforts for maximum impact.
By concentrating on your most valuable URLs, you build powerful assets that consistently attract qualified traffic and leads. You’ll be turning a simple metric into a significant competitive advantage for your business.
Actionable Strategies to Increase Page Authority
Knowing the theory behind Page Authority is one thing. Actually making that number climb is where the real work begins. Boosting your PA score isn't about finding some secret hack; it's about a focused, sustainable approach that builds genuine trust with both users and search engines.
This is a long game. The goal is to implement high-impact tactics that methodically build your page's reputation over time. By zeroing in on quality and relevance, you'll kick off a positive feedback loop that strengthens your authority and, in turn, your ranking potential.
Create Genuinely Link-Worthy Assets
The absolute foundation of any authority-building effort is content that people want to link to. You can't just demand authority; you have to earn it by creating the best, most useful resource on a given topic. This means moving beyond standard blog posts and developing true assets.
Some of the most powerful "link-worthy" assets include:
- Original Research and Case Studies: When you publish unique data, survey results, or deep-dive case studies, you become an original source. Others in your industry will cite your work, and those are some of the best links you can get.
- Comprehensive "Ultimate" Guides: Aim to create the definitive, one-stop resource that covers a topic so completely that it becomes the go-to reference for that subject.
- Free Tools and Calculators: A simple, genuinely useful tool—like a mortgage calculator for a real estate site or a calorie counter for a fitness blog—can attract a massive number of natural backlinks over time.
For example, a local business in Kansas City could publish a definitive guide to the "Best Hiking Trails within 30 Miles of KC." This kind of hyper-local, high-value content is a magnet for links from local news outlets, community blogs, and travel sites, directly boosting its Page Authority.
Execute Targeted and Relevant Outreach
Once you've built a valuable asset, you need to get it in front of the right people. Targeted outreach is the art of strategically letting websites know your content exists when they have a good reason to link to it. This is a critical step in earning the kind of high-quality backlinks that fuel Page Authority.
This isn't about spamming hundreds of websites with a generic email. It's about careful research: identifying relevant sites, understanding their audience, and framing your content as a valuable addition to their own.
Actionable Tip: Let's say a Kansas City web design agency (kcwebdesigner.com) creates an amazing guide to "The ROI of Professional Web Design for Small Businesses." They could identify local business journals and startup incubators that have published articles on business growth. A personalized email saying, "I saw your article on startup challenges and thought your readers might find our new data-driven guide on web design ROI valuable as a supplemental resource," is far more effective than a generic plea for a link.
The most successful outreach feels less like a request and more like a helpful suggestion. You're not just asking for a link; you're offering a resource that genuinely improves their content and provides value to their readers.
Optimize Your Internal Linking Structure
While external links are the main engine driving Page Authority, your internal linking strategy is a powerful co-pilot. Internal links do two crucial things: they help search engines understand your site's structure, and they distribute authority—often called "link equity"—from your strongest pages to others.
A page with a high PA, like your homepage or a blockbuster guide, can pass some of its strength to other important pages on your site just by linking to them.
- First, use an SEO tool to identify which of your pages have the highest PA.
- From these high-authority pages, add relevant, contextual internal links pointing to the pages you want to boost.
Think of this as an irrigation system for authority. You're strategically channeling strength to the pages that need it most, helping to lift their individual performance and your site's overall visibility.
Essential Tools to Check and Monitor Page Authority
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. When it comes to SEO, understanding the Page Authority for your own site—and your competitors'—is the first real step toward climbing the ranks. Thankfully, a few powerful tools make this whole process pretty straightforward.
The original and most direct tool comes straight from the source: Moz. While their Link Explorer gives you a deep dive into the data, the free MozBar browser extension is what you'll want for quick, on-the-fly checks. Once you install it, it overlays PA and DA scores right onto the search results and any webpage you visit. It's incredibly handy.
Key Authority Checking Tools
While Moz created Page Authority, other major SEO platforms have developed their own versions of this page-level strength metric. The names are different, but the core idea of measuring a page's link equity is exactly the same.
- Moz Page Authority (PA): The original industry benchmark for predicting how well a specific page will rank.
- Ahrefs URL Rating (UR): Measures the strength of a page's backlink profile on a 100-point logarithmic scale.
- Semrush Authority Score: A compound metric that grades a domain or page's overall quality and SEO performance.
The MozBar gives you an instant snapshot of a page's authority right in your browser, which is perfect for a quick competitive analysis.
This little overlay instantly shows a page’s PA and DA, giving you immediate insights into the authority landscape you're competing in. Keeping an eye on these scores helps you track your own progress and see where you stand.
Of course, scores are just the beginning. You'll need a clear strategy for digging into your link profile, which is why we created a detailed guide on how to check backlinks in Google.
Got Questions About Page Authority? Let's Clear Things Up
After digging into the what, why, and how of Page Authority, a few practical questions almost always come up. It's time to cut through the noise with some direct, no-fluff answers to help you navigate the realities of using PA in your SEO work.
How Long Does It Take to Improve Page Authority?
Improving your Page Authority is a marathon, not a sprint. The score is heavily influenced by earning high-quality backlinks, and that just doesn't happen overnight. You might see a few small jumps and dips within weeks of a new link getting indexed.
But for a real, lasting increase in your PA score, you should expect to invest several months in consistent, high-quality content creation and targeted outreach. Patience and steady effort are the name of the game here.
What Is a Good Page Authority Score?
This is easily the most common question I hear, and the answer is always the same: it’s relative. There is no magic number that counts as a "good" PA score across the board. Its value is determined entirely by the competition for your specific keywords.
A 'good' Page Authority score is one that is competitive with the pages currently ranking on the first page of Google for your target keyword. Your goal is to match or exceed their PA, not chase an arbitrary number.
For a local Kansas City business targeting a niche keyword, a PA of 30 could be enough to dominate the search results. But for a national brand going after a broad, competitive term, a PA of 50 might just be the price of entry. The only smart move is to analyze the top-ranking pages and set their authority as your benchmark.
Does Google Use Page Authority to Rank Pages?
Nope. Google does not use Moz's Page Authority score directly in its ranking algorithm. PA is a third-party metric created by Moz to model and predict ranking potential. It’s a simulation, not a direct signal Google actually uses.
However, there's a very strong correlation between a high PA score and high rankings. That’s because the work you do to increase it—earning authoritative backlinks and creating exceptional content—are the exact same things Google's algorithm is designed to reward.
At Website Services-Kansas City, we specialize in building the kind of authoritative, high-quality content and backlink profiles that drive real results. If you're ready to turn these insights into a tangible ranking advantage, explore our SEO and web development solutions at https://websiteservices.io.