As part of our Moz integration, Qwoted displays Domain Authority (DA) to help you better evaluate media opportunities and understand the relative strength of a publication’s website.
What is Domain Authority?
Domain Authority (DA) is a score developed by Moz that predicts how likely a website is to rank in search engines like Google.
It is measured on a scale from 1 to 100, with higher scores indicating a stronger ability to rank in search results.
DA is not used directly by Google, but it is widely used across the PR and SEO industries as a benchmark for site credibility and visibility.
How is DA calculated?
Moz calculates Domain Authority using a combination of factors, including:
Number of linking domains (how many websites link back to the publication)
Quality of backlinks (links from high-authority sites carry more weight)
Overall site structure and credibility
Spam signals and trust indicators
The score is logarithmic, meaning:
It’s much easier to grow from 20 → 30
Much harder to grow from 70 → 80
What is considered a “good” Domain Authority?
Here’s a general guideline to help interpret DA scores:
DA Score Range | How to Think About It |
1–20 | New or low-authority sites |
21–40 | Growing sites, niche blogs, smaller publications |
41–60 | Established publications with moderate authority |
61–80 | Highly authoritative media outlets |
81–100 | Top-tier, global publications |
Examples:
Smaller niche blogs: DA 20–40
Regional publications: DA 40–60
Major outlets (e.g., national media): DA 70+
How should you use DA in Qwoted?
When you see a DA score next to a publication, use it as a first-pass signal to quickly gauge the relative strength of that media opportunity. Here's a sample framework for evaluating DA in context:
Orient yourself — Use the score ranges above to get a baseline sense of where the publication stands. Is it an emerging niche outlet or an established authority?
Compare, don't rank in isolation — If you're looking at multiple opportunities in the same query, DA helps you quickly stack-rank them by site strength. A score only becomes meaningful when compared to others in the same set.
Weigh it against your goals — Are you building brand awareness, driving SEO value, or establishing credibility in a specific space? A higher DA may matter more for link-building goals, while a lower-DA niche publication may outperform for audience relevance.
Use it as a filter, not a gate — DA can help you prioritize where to spend your time, but it shouldn't automatically disqualify an opportunity. Think of it as one input in a broader decision.
We recommend using DA alongside:
Relevance to your expertise or client
Audience alignment (who reads the publication)
Journalist fit based on past coverage
Likelihood of response or relationship-building
A highly relevant opportunity with a DA of 40 may be more valuable than a DA 80 publication that is not aligned with your expertise.
Important notes
DA is comparative, not absolute
It’s best used to compare opportunities against each other rather than as a standalone measure.Higher DA does not guarantee placement or visibility
Editorial decisions and story fit always come first.Earned media impact goes beyond DA
Mentions and quotes can contribute to brand authority, credibility, and even influence how content is surfaced in AI-driven search experiences.
In summary
Domain Authority is a quick way to understand the relative strength of a publication’s website, but the best results on Qwoted come from relevance, credibility, and strong responses, not just targeting the highest score.