Website Authority: What It Means and How to Build It

Website authority is the trust and credibility your site has earned in the eyes of search engines and users. It is the reason why some sites consistently rank above others, even with similar content.

Quick answer

Website authority is not a single metric. It is the combined result of backlink quality, content expertise, topical depth, brand reputation, and technical trust signals. Google evaluates authority through its E-E-A-T framework (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) and hundreds of ranking signals — not through third-party scores like DA or DR. Build authority by earning quality backlinks, publishing expert content, and establishing topical depth in your niche.

If you are looking to check your site's authority score in a specific tool, see our domain authority checking guide. If you want the technical comparison between DA, DR, and Authority Score, see our DA vs DR comparison.

What is website authority?#

Website authority describes how much trust and credibility search engines assign to your domain. It is a concept, not a single score.

Authority comes from multiple signals:

Backlinks: When other websites link to yours, it is a vote of confidence. Links from authoritative, relevant sites carry more weight.
Content quality: Sites that consistently publish accurate, helpful content build trust over time.
Topical depth: Sites that cover a topic comprehensively are seen as authorities in that niche.
Brand reputation: Sites that people search for by name, mention in forums, and recommend to others signal authority.
Technical trust: HTTPS, fast loading, proper structure, and clean code all contribute to trust signals.

Sources:

Google Search Central: creating helpful, reliable, people-first content

How Google evaluates website authority#

Google does not have a single "authority score." Instead, it uses hundreds of ranking systems that collectively assess quality and trust.

Key systems related to authority:

PageRank: Google's original link analysis algorithm. Still active but refined. Evaluates the quality and quantity of links pointing to a page.
Helpful Content System: Rewards sites that create content primarily for people, not search engines. Penalizes sites with large amounts of thin or unhelpful content.
Site Reputation Abuse Policy: Targets sites that host low-quality third-party content to exploit domain authority.
Link Spam Systems: Detect and neutralize manipulative link building practices.

What Google has said explicitly:

Google does not use Domain Authority, Domain Rating, or any third-party score
There is no single "authority" score in Google's algorithm
Authority is evaluated at both the page level and site level, depending on the query

Sources:

E-E-A-T: Google's authority framework#

E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It is the framework Google's human quality raters use to evaluate content quality. While it is not a direct algorithm, it reflects what Google's systems are trying to detect.

E-E-A-T is not a ranking factor you can toggle on. It is the outcome of consistently publishing expert content, earning trust, and building real-world reputation in your niche.

Experience#

Does the content creator have first-hand experience with the topic?

A product review from someone who actually used the product
Travel advice from someone who visited the destination
Startup advice from someone who actually built a startup

Expertise#

Does the creator have knowledge or skills in the topic area?

Technical guides written by practitioners, not content mills
Medical content written or reviewed by medical professionals
Financial advice from qualified financial experts

Authoritativeness#

Is the creator or site recognized as a go-to source for this topic?

Other authoritative sites link to and cite your content
Your brand is mentioned in industry discussions
You are referenced as a source in news articles or research

Trustworthiness#

Can users trust the content and the site?

Clear authorship and editorial policies
Accurate, well-sourced information
Secure site (HTTPS), transparent contact information
No deceptive practices or misleading content

Source: Google Search Central: E-E-A-T and content quality

Topical authority vs domain authority#

These are different concepts, and understanding the distinction changes how you approach SEO.

Domain authority (metric-based)#

Measured by Moz DA, Ahrefs DR, or Semrush AS
Primarily driven by backlink profile strength
Applies across all topics your site covers
A DA 60 news site has high domain authority but may not be an authority on SaaS tools

Topical authority (content-based)#

Not measured by any single score
Built by covering a topic comprehensively with interlinked content
Applies to specific topics your site covers deeply
A DA 25 SaaS blog with 30 articles about project management can outrank a DA 60 generalist site for project management keywords

Source: SearchAtlas: topical authority vs domain authority study

Which to focus on?#

For most startups and growing sites: topical authority first, then domain authority.

Choose a niche and build 15-25 interlinked articles covering it comprehensively
Earn backlinks to your best content within that niche
Expand to adjacent topics only after you rank well for your core niche

For more on building content clusters, see our SEO website optimization guide.

How to build website authority#

Publish expert content consistently

Authority builds through consistent demonstration of expertise. Publish content that is:

Written by people with real experience in the topic
Supported by data, sources, and evidence
More comprehensive than what currently ranks
Updated when information changes

Earn quality backlinks

Each backlink from a relevant, authoritative site is a trust signal. Focus on:

Editorial mentions in industry publications
Guest posts on sites your audience reads
Creating resources others want to reference (data, tools, guides)
Directory listings in quality, relevant directories

For the full playbook, see our free backlinks guide and startup directories guide.

Build topical depth

Do not publish one article about a topic and move on. Cover it from every angle:

What it is (definition/explainer)
How to do it (tutorial/guide)
Best tools for it (comparison/review)
Common mistakes (troubleshooting)
Case studies (real examples)

Internal link every article in the cluster to each other and to a central pillar page.

Establish brand signals

Google notices brand authority signals:

People searching for your brand name
Mentions across forums, social media, and news
Reviews and testimonials on third-party sites
Active social media presence with real engagement

Maintain technical trust

HTTPS everywhere (no mixed content)
Fast page loads (under 2.5 seconds for LCP)
Clean URL structure with proper canonicals
No broken links or redirect chains
Accurate, up-to-date sitemap

How to measure website authority#

Since authority is not a single metric, use a combination:

What to measure	Tool	Frequency
Domain Authority / Domain Rating	Moz, Ahrefs, or Semrush	Monthly
Referring domains	Ahrefs or Semrush	Monthly
Organic traffic	Google Search Console	Weekly
Branded search volume	Google Search Console	Monthly
Keyword rankings	Ahrefs, Semrush, or GSC	Weekly
Backlink quality	Ahrefs or Semrush (referring domains list)	Quarterly

For step-by-step instructions on checking scores, see our domain authority checking guide.

FAQs#

What is a good website authority score?#

There is no universal "good" score. Benchmark against the sites ranking for your target keywords. A DA/DR of 20 is strong if competitors average 15. It is weak if competitors average 50.

Is website authority the same as domain authority?#

Not exactly. Domain authority (DA) is a specific metric from Moz. Website authority is a broader concept that includes backlinks, content quality, topical depth, brand reputation, and technical trust. DA approximates part of this picture, but not all of it.

How long does it take to build website authority?#

Expect 6-12 months to build meaningful authority from scratch with consistent effort. The first 3 months establish your foundation (content + initial links). Months 3-12 compound those efforts into ranking improvements. True authority in a niche takes 1-2 years.

Can a new website have authority?#

New websites start with no authority and build it over time. The fastest path for a new site: publish expert content in a focused niche, earn directory listings and early backlinks, and be consistent for 6+ months.

Does switching domains lose authority?#

Yes — if not handled properly. A 301 redirect from old to new domain transfers most link equity, but some loss is expected. Google needs time to process the change. If you must migrate, follow Google's site move guidelines carefully.

Is authority more important than content quality?#

They work together. The best strategy is quality content that earns authority naturally. A site with high authority but thin content will eventually lose rankings. A site with great content but zero backlinks will struggle to rank for competitive keywords.