Page Authority is a third-party metric, developed by Moz, that scores a single web page on a 1-to-100 scale to predict how well it might rank in search results. It looks mainly at the quantity and quality of links pointing to that specific page. Google does not produce or use Page Authority; it’s an independent estimate, not a ranking factor.
For a local business, Page Authority is a quick way to compare pages on your own site or size up a competitor’s landing page before you decide where to invest link building effort. It’s useful for prioritization, not for proving cause and effect with rankings. A related metric, Domain Authority, scores the whole domain instead of one page.
Key takeaway
Page Authority estimates one page’s link-based ranking potential on a 1-100 scale. It’s a comparison tool from Moz, not a Google metric, and it ignores content quality and search intent.
How is Page Authority calculated?
Page Authority is calculated from a machine-learning model trained on Moz’s own link index, weighing the number of linking root domains, the authority of those linking pages, and how those links are distributed across a page.
The score updates whenever Moz recrawls the web and refreshes its link graph, so it can shift even if you’ve made no changes to the page. Because it’s logarithmic, moving from 20 to 30 is much easier than moving from 70 to 80.
Why does Page Authority matter, and what doesn’t it do?
Page Authority matters as a directional signal for link building priorities, but it doesn’t measure content relevance, on-page optimization, or actual search rankings.
Two pages with identical Page Authority scores can rank completely differently for the same query, because Google also weighs search intent, content depth, and page experience. Treat the score as one input among several, not a scoreboard.
Page Authority vs Domain Authority
Page Authority scores a single URL’s link profile, while Domain Authority scores the entire website’s link profile and general strength.
| Metric | Scope | Best use |
| Page Authority | One URL | Comparing individual pages or landing pages |
| Domain Authority | Whole site | Comparing overall competitor strength |
| PageRank | One URL (Google’s internal use) | Not publicly visible or reported |
How do you check Page Authority?
You check Page Authority using Moz’s free Link Explorer or the MozBar browser extension, entering the specific URL rather than the domain.
Ahrefs and Semrush offer comparable proprietary scores called URL Rating and Page Score, which won’t match Moz’s number exactly since each uses a different link index and model. Pick one tool and track trends over time instead of comparing raw numbers across tools.
Costly mistake Chasing a higher Page Authority number by buying links or joining link schemes. This risks a manual action under Google’s spam policies and rarely improves rankings, since the score doesn’t account for link relevance or quality signals Google actually uses.
How do you improve Page Authority?
- Earn links from relevant, established sites. Reach out with content worth linking to, like original data or a useful local resource, and confirm new links appear in Moz Link Explorer within a few weeks.
- Strengthen internal links to the page. Add contextual links from your highest-authority pages to the target page, then recheck its score after the next crawl.
- Remove or disavow toxic links. Audit incoming links for spam patterns and use Google Search Console’s disavow tool sparingly for clearly harmful links.
- Consolidate duplicate or thin pages. Merge similar pages with 301 redirects so their link equity combines into one stronger page.
For a full link acquisition plan, see the guide on building high-quality backlinks, or work with our off-page SEO service if you need hands-on outreach.
Not sure which pages on your site need stronger links first?
Related terms
Domain Authority scores an entire website rather than one page.
Link juice is the ranking value passed between pages through links.
Backlink is a link from another site pointing to yours.
PageRank is Google’s own internal link-scoring system.
FAQ
Is Page Authority a Google ranking factor?
No. Page Authority is a third-party metric built by Moz for comparison purposes. Google doesn’t publish, use, or recognize this score in its ranking systems.
What’s a good Page Authority score?
It depends on your niche and competitors. Compare your page’s score against the pages currently ranking for your target keyword rather than aiming for a fixed number.
Can Page Authority go down?
Yes. It can drop if linking pages get removed, if those linking domains lose their own authority, or if Moz’s model and index get updated.
Does content quality affect Page Authority?
Not directly. The score is based on link signals only. Strong content can indirectly raise it over time by earning more links, but the metric itself doesn’t read or score the content.
Want stronger pages, not just a higher score?
We build link acquisition and internal linking plans focused on the pages that drive leads, not vanity metrics.
- Backlink audit and disavow review
- Targeted outreach for relevant links
- Internal linking structure fixes
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