To ensure a fair ranking in the search results, there are various metrics that a search engine uses. One of these factors is domain authority.
What is domain authority?
The term “domain authority” has become established in the SEO industry. This also refers to the authority of a domain – however, this is not a fixed term that has been defined by Google, for example. A website is classified as an authority if it is considered a reference on a topic. In addition, terms such as “link authority” have become established, which in a sense describes link power. MOZ provides these metrics as part of the Open Site Explorer.
OnPage factors for more authority
The authority of a website can be significantly influenced by the following factors, which are decisive:
- Alt texts
- Page structure and internal links
- Headings(H tags) with important keywords
- Keywords in title and URL
- Quantity of URLs and headings
OffPage factors for influencing authority
There are also a number of off-page factors that influence the authority of a website:
- Social Signals
- Well-known authors on the website
- Outgoing links to valuable websites
- Mentions in Q&A portals, forums and social media
- Links from high-quality and “well-known” websites
- Links have developed organically over time
- Many domain links from the same subject area
An authority can therefore not be a new website, but only a website that has grown naturally over time, has various topic-relevant content links and has been able to make a name for itself in the industry.