What is Page Authority?

Page Authority (PA) measures the ranking strength of individual pages rather than entire domains. Developed by Moz, PA predicts how well a specific URL will perform in search results based on its backlink profile and other factors. Higher PA generally correlates with better ranking potential. The score is calculated using Moz's machine learning algorithm, analyzing link data including the number and quality of external links pointing to that specific page. PA is particularly useful when analyzing competitive SERPs, identifying link building opportunities, and understanding why certain pages outrank others. Because the scale is logarithmic, improving from PA 30 to 40 is easier than moving from 70 to 80.

Page Authority helps SEO professionals make data-driven decisions about where to focus link building efforts and how to evaluate competitive landscapes. When analyzing search results, PA explains why certain pages rank above others—typically, higher PA pages outrank lower PA pages for competitive queries. This understanding is crucial for realistic goal-setting; trying to outrank a PA 80 page with a PA 20 page requires significant link building investment. PA also helps identify your strongest content assets and determine which pages should receive internal linking priority. For content marketing, PA indicates which pieces have earned the most external recognition and might serve as templates for future content. Understanding PA helps prioritize which pages need backlink support versus which are already competitive.

Moz calculates Page Authority using a machine learning model trained against actual Google search results. The algorithm analyzes the quantity and quality of external backlinks pointing to that specific URL. Key factors include the number of linking root domains, the authority of those linking pages, and the relevance of the linking content. The score is presented on a logarithmic scale from 1 to 100, meaning each point becomes progressively harder to achieve as you climb higher. A page with PA 60 is exponentially stronger than one with PA 30. Moz regularly updates the PA algorithm to better correlate with actual rankings, so scores may change even without link profile changes. PA is relative—it's most useful when comparing pages against each other rather than as an absolute measure.

Key differences: Page Authority measures single URL strength while Domain Authority measures entire website strength. PA focuses on specific page backlinks—links pointing directly to that URL. DA aggregates domain-wide signals across all pages. Both use 1-100 logarithmic scales with the same calculation methodology. PA is useful for comparing individual content pieces in competitive analysis. New pages on high-DA sites typically start with higher PA than new pages on low-DA sites due to internal link equity.

Page Authority is influenced by: Number and quality of backlinks pointing specifically to the page—more links from high-authority sources means higher PA. Link equity passed from the linking pages' own authority. Relevance of linking pages to your content topic. Internal linking structure—pages receiving more internal links from high-PA pages score better. Age and history of the page—older pages with established backlinks tend to have higher PA. Overall domain strength provides a baseline—pages on high-DA sites have advantages.

Apply PA for: Competitive analysis of specific ranking pages to understand the authority gap you need to close. Identifying link building priorities—focus on improving PA for pages closest to ranking positions. Evaluating content performance over time by tracking PA changes. Comparing your pages to competitors to set realistic ranking goals. Assessing link opportunities—target guest posts on higher PA pages. Understanding why pages rank differently for the same keyword.

Boost PA by: Earning quality backlinks to specific pages through content marketing, outreach, and digital PR. Strategic internal linking from your highest PA pages to pages needing improvement. Creating comprehensive, link-worthy content that naturally attracts backlinks. Building topical relevance through related content that links together. Updating and refreshing older content to attract new links and maintain existing ones. Fixing broken links pointing to the page so link equity isn't lost.