Page Authority (PA)
What it is, how to measure it and how to improve it
Page Authority (PA) estimates the ability of a specific URL to rank in search results. Moz developed this metric and expresses it as a score from 1 to 100.
The higher the value, the greater that page’s competitive potential tends to be. However, PA does not guarantee a ranking, and it is not part of Google’s systems.
Understanding this nuance will help you use Page Authority as a useful reference. It will also stop you from turning an external number into the main goal of your SEO strategy.
Short answer: Page Authority is a predictive score from Moz. It assesses the strength of a URL, mainly based on its link profile.
It is useful for comparing similar pages, spotting opportunities and tracking their progress. It is not an official Google ranking factor.
What is Page Authority?
Page Authority, also known as PA, is an SEO metric applied to an individual URL. It tries to predict its relative ability to compete on results pages.
The scale runs from 1 to 100 and is logarithmic. That is why going from 20 to 30 tends to be easier than going from 70 to 80.
Moz calculates the score using its own model and data from its link index. Its main signals include the number, quality and distribution of the links pointing to a page.
The exact formula may change over time. As a result, a URL’s PA can change even if you haven’t modified its content.
It can also vary because Moz finds new links, loses others or updates its model. That is why it is better to watch trends and comparisons rather than focus on a single reading.
What is Page Authority used for in SEO?
PA offers a quick reference for deciding where to focus your resources. For example, you can compare several pages that target the same search intent.
It also helps you find content strong enough to pass relevance on through internal links. That way, an established guide can support another strategic URL that still receives few links.
Page Authority is useful in a competitive audit. If the top-ranking results have a much higher PA, you will probably need excellent content, relevant links and time.
The metric also helps you evaluate potential editorial collaborations. A mention from a relevant, well-linked URL can be worth more than numerous links from isolated pages.
In all of these uses, compare pages from the same sector and with the same purpose. The PA of a national news article tells you little about how to judge a specialized product page.
How is Page Authority (PA) calculated?
The Page Authority calculation combines multiple link-related signals. The model looks for patterns between those signals and the pages that manage to rank.
There is no public formula that you can reproduce in a spreadsheet. Moz also readjusts the system when it improves its data or its predictive power.
The score usually reflects aspects such as the domains linking to the URL, the strength of the source pages and the structure of the backlink profile. Internal links also influence how authority flows within the site.
Content, speed and user experience don’t raise PA in a straightforward, additive way. However, they help you rank and make a page more linkable.
This detail explains an apparent contradiction. A newly published piece of content can be excellent and still show a low PA, because it has not yet accumulated enough external signals.
Page Authority, Domain Authority and PageRank: differences
These concepts are all related to links and authority, but they are not the same thing. Confusing them can lead you to misjudge a URL.
| Metric or concept | What it analyzes | Who develops it | Recommended use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Page Authority (PA) | The relative potential of a URL | Moz | Comparing specific pages |
| Domain Authority (DA) | The relative potential of an entire domain | Moz | Comparing similar sites |
| PageRank | The importance of pages based on their link network | Understanding the logic of how value is passed on |
Domain Authority offers an overall view. Page Authority goes down to the level of each URL.
That is why a powerful domain can have pages with a low PA. It can also happen that an old, heavily linked URL stands out within a modest site.
PageRank belongs to Google’s history and technology, while PA and DA are Moz metrics. Google does not check your Page Authority score to order its results.
What is a good Page Authority score?
There is no universal number that makes a PA good or bad. The value only makes sense when you compare it with pages competing for similar searches.
A PA of 25 might be enough in a local niche. That same score would carry less weight against established guides with much higher values.
So start by analyzing the URLs in the top results. Work out their usual range and see whether your page is getting close to that group.
You should also look at how the score changes over time. Going from 12 to 22 can show significant progress, even if the page doesn’t yet lead the search.
Avoid making 100 a goal. That range is reserved for pages with extraordinary link profiles, and the scale makes each further step up harder.
You can check PA with Link Explorer, MozBar or other tools that integrate Moz data. Enter the full URL, because each address can have a different score.
Before comparing, check that all the URLs use the same protocol and canonical version. Mixing HTTP, HTTPS, parameters or duplicate pages distorts the analysis.
Then record the date, the PA, the linking domains and the main backlinks. Repeat the measurement monthly or quarterly, depending on the pace of the project.
Don’t mix PA with similar metrics from other platforms. Each provider uses its own index, scale and model. A Moz score is not equivalent to Ahrefs’ DR or Semrush’s Authority Score.
Cross-check the figure against rankings, impressions, clicks and conversions. If Page Authority goes up but the business doesn’t improve, review the search intent and the quality of the traffic.
How to improve Page Authority step by step
Increasing PA requires signals that make a URL stronger. The process usually combines content, internal links, backlinks and technical maintenance.
- Choose a priority URL. Define which query it should answer and avoid splitting the same intent across several pages.
- Improve the answer. Add explanations, examples, original data and a structure that is easy to scan.
- Strengthen internal linking. Link to the URL from related content that already receives traffic and backlinks.
- Earn relevant editorial links. Create resources that other websites will want to cite for their usefulness, approach or data.
- Recover lost links. Fix errors, update redirects and ask for changes when a mention points to a broken URL.
- Consolidate overlapping content. If two pages compete for the same thing, merge them where it makes sense and apply the right redirect.
- Measure over time. Review PA, organic visibility, links and conversions without reacting to every small fluctuation.
Quality matters more than indiscriminate volume. A contextual link from a well-regarded page in your topic area usually adds more than dozens of unrelated links.
The page must also deserve the recommendation. Tools, studies, templates, comparisons and clear guides tend to attract mentions more naturally.
Internal linking guides users and crawlers to your priority content. It also distributes signals among the pages of your own site.
Start by identifying the URLs with the most external backlinks. From those, add contextual links to related pages that you want to boost.
Use descriptive, natural link text. Phrases like “guide to Page Authority” give more context than “click here”.
Make sure each link helps the reader expand on an idea or complete a task. A block full of irrelevant links offers a poor experience and dilutes the context.
Also, avoid orphan pages. If an important URL receives no internal links, search engines and users will have a harder time finding it.
Quality backlinks and Page Authority
Backlinks remain the signal most closely associated with Page Authority. Even so, adding links indiscriminately can create noise and risk, with little impact.
A good backlink appears naturally within related content, provides a useful reference and comes from a real page. It is also valuable when it can send interested visitors.
Digital PR, original studies and expert collaborations can generate those links. Likewise, updating outdated resources increases their chances of receiving new mentions.
Be wary of mass link packages, artificial networks and pages created solely to link out. Even if a tool shows a temporary rise, this tactic does not build a lasting advantage.
Page Authority grows more solidly when the URL becomes a reference on its topic. That reputation needs demonstrable usefulness and constant promotion.
Content, technical SEO and user experience
A high PA doesn’t make up for a poor answer. To compete, the URL must also satisfy the search intent, load well and work on mobile devices.
Review the title, the introduction and the headings. They should anticipate a specific answer and use related terms without forcing repetition.
Keep data up to date and remove sections that have lost their usefulness. Also fix broken links, canonicalization errors and unnecessary redirects.
A good experience makes reading easier and encourages mentions. It also helps turn the traffic you earn into sign-ups, inquiries or sales.
That is why you should evaluate PA alongside business signals. The metric gives direction; the result depends on what the page achieves for your audience.
How email marketing can support Page Authority
Email marketing doesn’t increase PA automatically. A click from a newsletter is also not the same as a public, crawlable backlink.
However, email helps distribute a page among people who already know your brand. That visibility can lead to reads, mentions and later editorial links.
Imagine you publish a study with your own data. You can send it to customers, journalists, collaborators and interested professionals. If any of them cites it from their website, the URL gains a relevant backlink.
You can also revive valuable content that got buried in the archive. A segmented campaign brings attention back to those pages and shows which topics generate the most interest.
With Mailrelay you can create campaigns, segment contacts and analyze clicks. We offer up to 80,000 emails per month and 20,000 contacts on the free account.
The platform includes essential automations, A/B tests and real-time statistics. You also get expert support even on the free plan.
If you’re just getting started, check out our email marketing guide. To turn an SEO piece into a more shareable resource, you can also take a look at these content marketing examples.
The combination is especially useful: SEO attracts existing demand and email reactivates an audience of your own. That way, each piece of content has more opportunities to be discovered and cited.
Common mistakes when working on Page Authority
The most common mistake is treating PA as a business goal. A page can raise its score and still not generate leads or sales.
Another mistake is comparing different sectors. Benchmarks should share the same topic, intent and a similar level of competition.
You should also avoid these practices:
- Buying links in bulk without checking their source or relevance.
- Creating several URLs for the same intent and making them compete with each other.
- Always linking with the same exact phrase in an artificial way.
- Measuring every day and making decisions based on minimal changes.
- Forgetting conversions, qualified traffic and business goals.
Finally, don’t dismiss a new page because of its low authority. First it needs time, distribution and clear reasons to receive links.
How to audit PA without losing sight of the business
Prepare an inventory of your strategic URLs. Add their main intent, PA, linking domains, organic clicks, average position and conversions.
Then classify the pages by opportunity. A URL close to the first page, with good content and few links, can offer a quick win.
By contrast, a page with a high PA and low conversions needs a different kind of work. Review the approach, the offer, the call to action and the post-click experience.
Also look at your distribution metrics. If you send the content through Mailrelay, see which segments click and which links attract the most interest.
That data doesn’t replace SEO analytics. However, they show which content interests a known audience and can guide future updates.
To stay focused, you can define a main business metric. Our guide to the North Star Metric explains how to choose an indicator that connects activity and growth.
Frequently asked questions about Page Authority (PA)
The following answers clear up the questions that usually come up when measuring the authority of a URL.
Is Page Authority a Google ranking factor?
No. Page Authority is a metric developed by Moz. Google uses its own systems and does not order results by checking PA.
What is the difference between PA and DA?
PA estimates the potential of a specific URL. DA estimates the relative potential of an entire domain. Both metrics belong to Moz and use a scale of 1 to 100.
Does a high PA guarantee showing up on Google?
No. Ranking also depends on relevance, search intent, content, competition and technical aspects. PA only offers a comparative prediction.
How long does it take for Page Authority to go up?
There is no fixed timeframe. It depends on when links appear, when Moz detects them and when it updates its index. Changes can take weeks or months.
Can Page Authority go down?
Yes. It can decrease because of lost links, index changes, model readjustments or the growth of other pages. A drop doesn’t necessarily mean a penalty.
Do internal links improve PA?
They can help distribute authority and get priority pages discovered. Their impact depends on the strength, relevance and context of the URLs those links come from.
How many backlinks do I need to increase PA?
There is no universal number. The source, relevance and diversity of the links matter more than reaching an arbitrary figure.
Does email marketing increase Page Authority?
Not directly. Email distributes the content and can make it easier for journalists, customers or collaborators to discover it. If they then cite it on their websites, backlinks will appear that can influence it.
Does every page on a website have a different PA?
Yes. Each URL receives different external and internal links. That is why a home page, a guide and a product page can show very different values.
Should I chase a PA of 100?
No. Compare your URL with direct competitors and aim to improve its real results. Qualified traffic and conversions are worth more than an isolated number.
Conclusion: use Page Authority as a compass
Page Authority (PA) helps you compare URLs, prioritize actions and track the relative strength of a piece of content. It becomes more useful when you combine it with visibility and business data.
Work on content that deserves links, a coherent internal architecture and sustained promotion. Then measure progress over comparable periods.
Email can extend that reach and keep your best content alive. With Mailrelay’s email marketing platform you can do it simply, measurably and cost-effectively.
That way, Page Authority stops being a decorative number. It becomes one more signal within a strategy aimed at gaining visibility, audience and results.