What is Page Authority?
Page Authority (PA) is a metric developed by Moz that predicts how well a specific page will rank in search engine results. The score ranges from 1 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater ranking potential. Unlike Domain Authority which measures the entire website, Page Authority focuses on individual page strength.
How is Page Authority Calculated?
Moz calculates Page Authority using a machine learning model that considers multiple factors including link counts, linking root domains, and other data points from their web index. The algorithm uses a logarithmic scale, meaning it's easier to improve a score from 20 to 30 than from 70 to 80.
Page Authority vs Domain Authority
- Page Authority measures the ranking strength of a single page
- Domain Authority measures the overall strength of an entire domain
- A page can have high PA even on a site with lower DA if it has strong backlinks
- New pages typically start with PA of 1 regardless of DA
- Both metrics use the same 1-100 logarithmic scale
How to Check Page Authority
Use MozBar Browser Extension
Install the free MozBar extension for Chrome or Firefox to see PA scores directly in search results and on any webpage.
Moz Link Explorer
Enter any URL in Moz's Link Explorer tool to see detailed PA data along with backlink information.
Third-Party SEO Tools
Many SEO tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Mangools show Moz's PA alongside their own metrics.
How to Improve Page Authority
Build Quality Backlinks
Aquire backlinks from high-authority, relevant websites. Focus on editorial links from trusted sources rather than spammy directories.
Improve Internal Linking
Link to your important pages from other pages on your site. This passes authority and helps search engines understand page importance.
Create Link-Worthy Content
Publish original research, comprehensive guides, or useful tools that naturally attract backlinks from other websites.
Remove Toxic Backlinks
Use Google's Disavow Tool to remove harmful backlinks that could be dragging down your page's authority.
What is a Good Page Authority Score?
Page Authority is relative to your competition. A PA of 30 might be excellent in a low-competition niche but weak in competitive markets. Compare your PA to ranking competitors rather than aiming for an absolute number. Generally, pages ranking on the first page of Google for competitive terms have PA scores of 40 or higher.