Definition
Page Authority (PA) is a metric developed by Moz that predicts how well a specific page will rank in search engine results. Scored on a logarithmic scale from 1 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater ranking potential, Page Authority evaluates numerous factors to estimate a page’s competitive strength in search rankings. It’s important to note that Page Authority is not a Google metric but rather a third-party scoring system created to help SEO professionals gauge relative page strength.
Page Authority uses machine learning algorithms to identify the characteristics of high-ranking pages and combines dozens of factors including link counts, link quality, domain strength, content quality signals, and other elements that correlate with ranking performance. As a predictive metric, it helps SEO practitioners compare pages against competitors and track improvements over time.
Key characteristics of Page Authority include:
- Logarithmic scale from 1 to 100 (making gains at higher levels more difficult to achieve)
- Calculated using machine learning models based on correlations with ranking data
- Relative rather than absolute scoring (useful for comparative analysis)
- Regular recalibration as search algorithms evolve
- Focus on page-specific factors rather than domain-wide metrics
- Emphasis on link-related signals similar to Google’s PageRank concept
- Independent of specific keywords (measuring general ranking potential)
- Accessible through Moz tools and browser extensions
History of Page Authority
Page Authority has evolved alongside changes in search algorithms and SEO analysis:
2010: Moz (then SEOmoz) introduces Page Authority as part of their link analysis metrics, creating one of the first accessible proxies for Google’s internal PageRank scores.
2011-2013: The initial version of Page Authority primarily emphasizes link quantity and domain authority inheritance, reflecting the link-heavy focus of search algorithms at that time.
2013-2015: Page Authority calculations begin incorporating more sophisticated link quality factors as Google’s algorithms become more discerning about manipulation.
2016-2018: Moz updates the Page Authority algorithm to include content quality signals and user experience metrics as these factors gain importance in search rankings.
2019: Major recalibration of Page Authority occurs, incorporating machine learning models to better predict ranking potential across diverse search scenarios.
2020-2022: Further refinements adapt Page Authority to account for E-A-T signals (Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) and other quality indicators in Google’s evolving algorithms.
2023-2025: Recent updates to Page Authority incorporate more behavioral and engagement metrics, reflecting the increasing importance of user interaction signals in search rankings.
Types of Page Authority Applications
Page Authority is utilized in various SEO contexts:
Competitive Analysis: Comparing the strength of similar pages across competitor sites to identify ranking challenges and opportunities.
Link Acquisition Targeting: Evaluating potential linking domains and pages to prioritize outreach efforts toward higher-authority sources.
Content Performance Assessment: Analyzing which types of content achieve higher authority scores to inform content strategy.
Internal Linking Strategy: Identifying high-authority pages that can pass value to other important pages through strategic internal linking.
Technical SEO Prioritization: Determining which pages deserve more technical optimization attention based on their authority and potential.
Historical Trending Analysis: Tracking Page Authority changes over time to measure the impact of SEO improvements.
Algorithm Update Impact Assessment: Evaluating how major search engine updates affect authority distribution across a site.
Penalty Recovery Monitoring: Observing Page Authority recovery patterns after addressing search engine penalties or algorithm impacts.
New Page Potential Estimation: Predicting how well new content might perform based on planned promotion and linking strategies.
SEO Success Measurement: Using Page Authority as one of several KPIs to demonstrate SEO progress to clients or stakeholders.
Importance in Modern SEO
Page Authority maintains significant relevance in contemporary SEO practice for several compelling reasons:
Despite the proliferation of ranking factors, link-based metrics continue to strongly correlate with search performance. Page Authority’s emphasis on evaluating link patterns and quality provides valuable insight into this critical aspect of search algorithms, helping professionals assess the competitive link landscape for specific pages.
As a comparative metric, Page Authority offers a standardized way to evaluate relative page strength across competitors. This comparative function is particularly valuable in SEO, where direct access to search engine algorithms is impossible and practitioners must rely on correlation-based indicators to guide strategy.
For content strategists and creators, Page Authority helps identify which content formats, topics, and approaches tend to earn more recognition and authority within specific industries. By analyzing patterns in high-authority pages, content teams can develop more effective creation and promotion strategies aligned with demonstrably successful examples.
In link building campaigns, Page Authority provides a quality threshold for targeting outreach efforts, helping SEO professionals focus on acquiring links from pages most likely to pass meaningful value. This efficiency metric helps allocate limited link building resources toward connections with the greatest potential impact.
For technical SEO specialists, Page Authority helps prioritize optimization efforts by identifying which pages have the greatest potential to rank well with additional technical improvements. This prioritization becomes increasingly important as websites scale in size and complexity.
While Page Authority is not a direct ranking factor used by search engines, its strong correlation with actual ranking performance makes it a valuable proxy metric for tracking SEO progress. As search algorithms become more complex and opaque, third-party metrics like Page Authority provide tangible benchmarks for measuring improvements over time.
As modern SEO evolves toward a more holistic approach balancing technical optimization, content quality, user experience, and authority signals, Page Authority serves as one component in a comprehensive measurement framework, helping professionals maintain perspective on the continued importance of link equity within the broader SEO ecosystem.Retry