DA Benchmarks for Beginners, Intermediates, and Pros

Domain Authority (DA) remains one of the most discussed metrics in modern SEO. Whether you’re just starting out, have moderate experience, or are a seasoned pro, understanding DA benchmarks is essential for setting realistic SEO goals. But what’s considered “good” for a beginner? How high should an intermediate website aim? And what defines the elite DA levels for pros?

In this article, we break down Domain Authority benchmarks based on your experience level and website maturity, offering actionable tips to help you move up the ranks from DA 0 to DA 80 and beyond.

What Is Domain Authority (DA)?

Developed by Moz, Domain Authority is a predictive metric that scores your website on a scale of 1 to 100. It estimates your site’s ability to rank in search engine results compared to other websites.

DA is calculated based on factors like:

• Linking root domains

• Total number of backlinks

• Content quality and relevance

• Site structure and usability

• Spam score

While DA is not a direct Google ranking factor, it correlates strongly with SERP performance. A higher DA often translates to better visibility, more organic traffic, and improved trust signals across the web.

Why DA Benchmarks Matter in SEO

DA benchmarks help website owners:

• Set realistic growth goals

• Measure SEO performance

• Compare against competitors

• Track improvement over time

• Attract better backlinks and partnerships

Depending on your current level beginner, intermediate, or pro your DA expectations and SEO strategies should vary significantly.

DA Benchmarks for Beginners (DA 0–30)

💡 Who This Applies To:

• Brand-new websites

• Small blogs

• Local businesses

• Solo entrepreneurs starting from scratch

🎯 DA Goals for Beginners:

• Short-Term Goal: DA 10+

• Mid-Term Goal: DA 20–30 within 6–12 months

✅ Beginner-Friendly Strategies:

Optimize Your Site Structure

• Use clean, fast-loading themes
• Fix broken links and redirects
• Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console

Publish Foundational Content

• Focus on informative blog posts, FAQs, and service pages
• Target low-competition, long-tail keywords

Build Local & Niche Backlinks

• List your business on Google My Business and niche directories
• Join industry forums and participate in conversations
• Reach out for guest posting opportunities

Use DA Checker Tools

• Tools like Moz Link Explorer, Ahrefs, and SEMrush can help you monitor early growth

🧩 Typical Challenges:

• Gaining backlinks as a new or unknown entity

• Slow initial traction

• High bounce rate due to unoptimized content or UI

DA Benchmarks for Intermediates (DA 31–60)

💡 Who This Applies To:

• Sites with moderate content and traffic

• Blogs with 1–2 years of activity

• Agencies and e-commerce stores scaling content

🎯 DA Goals for Intermediates:

• Short-Term Goal: DA 40–50

• Long-Term Goal: DA 60+

🚀 Intermediate-Level Strategies:

         Develop Linkable Assets

• Create original research, infographics, and in-depth guides
• Use content marketing to attract natural editorial backlinks

  Leverage Guest Posting at Scale

• Target blogs with DA 50+ for outbound guest posts
• Use email outreach templates and automation tools

  Fix DA Weaknesses

• Run technical SEO audits
• Disavow toxic links
• Ensure mobile-first indexing and Core Web Vitals are optimized

  Interlink Strategically

• Use smart internal linking to spread authority to key pages
• Build topic clusters for content authority

1. Monitor Link Profile Quality

   • Evaluate your anchor text ratio, backlink diversity, and link velocity

📈 DA Growth Timeline:

• With consistent effort, moving from DA 30 to DA 60 may take 6–18 months depending on your niche and competition.

DA Benchmarks for Pros (DA 61–80+)

💡 Who This Applies To:

• Established brands and thought leaders

• High-traffic content publishers

• SEO-focused e-commerce giants

• SaaS platforms with inbound strategies

🎯 DA Goals for Pros:

• Maintain DA 70–80+

• Solidify authority through backlinks and brand mentions

• Edge out competitors for top-tier keyword clusters

🏆 Pro-Level Strategies:

Earn Authority Backlinks

• Collaborate with journalists via HARO or Help a B2B Writer
• Get featured on Forbes, Entrepreneur, TechCrunch, and other elite publications

  Leverage PR & Brand Mentions

• Invest in digital PR campaigns
• Turn unlinked brand mentions into backlinks using outreach tools

        Build Exclusive Tools & Content

• Offer calculators, templates, checklists, or tools that others reference and link to

  Conduct & Publish Research Studies

• Become a data source for other writers and publications

       Reclaim Broken or Lost Links

• Use tools like Ahrefs Site Explorer or Screaming Frog to identify lost link equity and reclaim it

  Expand International SEO

• Tap into multilingual markets to expand global reach and link opportunities

🧠 DA Maintenance Tips:

• Keep your backlink profile clean and diversified

• Regularly update old content to stay competitive

• Monitor competitors to identify new backlink opportunities

The Truth About DA Benchmarks: Relative, Not Absolute

A critical point about Domain Authority: it’s relative to your industry and competitors. A DA of 50 in the health niche may not be enough, but the same score could dominate in a local real estate market.

Always compare your DA to those in your direct search ecosystem, not global giants like Amazon or Wikipedia.

✅ Use DA as:

• A performance benchmark

• A competitive analysis tool

• A signal of backlink health and trust

How Long Does It Take to Increase DA?

Your DA doesn’t rise overnight. It depends on:

• Your current DA score

• Quality and frequency of backlinks earned

• Your niche competitiveness

• Frequency of Moz index updates

Here’s a rough guide:

DA growth slows as your score increases, making it harder to scale from 60 to 80 than from 20 to 40.

Best Tools for Tracking DA Progress

Here are essential tools to track and improve DA at any level:

• Moz Link Explorer – Original DA scoring platform

• Ahrefs – Comprehensive backlink and domain rating analysis

• SEMrush – Technical and content audits for DA growth

• Ubersuggest – Affordable backlink monitoring for beginners

• Screaming Frog – Crawl data to optimize internal links and site health

Final Thoughts: Setting Smart DA Goals

No matter where you are beginner, intermediate, or pro DA benchmarks give you a realistic roadmap for SEO growth. But don’t treat DA as a vanity metric. Instead, use it to measure:

• Your authority in your niche

• Your SEO strategy’s effectiveness

• Your readiness for competitive search rankings

The journey from DA 0 to DA 80+ is built on quality content, consistent backlink building, and user-focused SEO. Set achievable targets, track your progress, and keep refining your strategies.

🧩 Quick Recap: DA Benchmarks by Level