What is PA?
Page Authority (PA) is a Moz metric that predicts how well a specific page will rank in search results on a scale of 1-100. PA considers link equity, relevance signals, and other ranking factors to estimate a page’s competitive strength. While not a Google ranking factor, this metric helps SEO professionals evaluate page-level authority and prioritize optimization efforts.
Ecommerce SEO Glossary > SEO Tools > PA
What You Need to Know about PA
Logarithmic Scoring Scale
PA uses a logarithmic scale where moving from 20 to 30 is easier than 70 to 80. Higher scores require exponentially more optimization effort and authority-building work.
Link Profile Influences PA
This metric heavily weighs the quantity and quality of backlinks pointing to a specific page. Pages with strong link profiles from authoritative domains typically score higher.
Relative Metric for Competition Analysis
PA works best when comparing pages within the same niche or SERP. Use this metric to identify which competitor pages have stronger authority signals for target keywords.
Regular Score Fluctuations
PA scores update regularly as Moz’s index crawls new links and content. Expect fluctuations that reflect changes in your link profile and competitors’ authority shifts.
Not a Direct Ranking Factor
Search engines don’t use PA in their algorithms. This tool provides directional insight into page strength but shouldn’t be the sole metric driving optimization decisions.
Complements Domain Authority Analysis
PA measures individual page strength while Domain Authority assesses the entire site. Strong DA doesn’t guarantee high PA—internal linking and page-specific backlinks matter significantly.
Frequently Asked Questions about PA
1. What’s a good Page Authority score?
PA scores are relative to your competition. A score of 40 might be strong in one niche but weak in another—compare your PA against pages ranking for your target keywords.
2. How can I improve my page’s PA?
Build high-quality backlinks to the specific page, strengthen internal linking from authoritative site pages, and improve content relevance. Focus on earning links from domains with strong authority themselves.
3. How often does Page Authority update?
Moz updates PA as their index crawls and processes new data, typically seeing changes monthly or when significant link profile shifts occur. Scores reflect the current state of Moz’s index.
4. Should I focus on PA or Domain Authority?
Focus on both metrics together. Domain Authority indicates overall site strength, while PA shows individual page competitiveness—you need strong DA and targeted PA improvements for specific rankings.
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