If you use Moz to analyze your SEO, you have almost certainly encountered Page Authority and wondered what counts as a good score. It is one of the most cited metrics in the industry, yet it is also one of the most misunderstood. Page Authority is a predictive score, not a guarantee, and interpreting it correctly can be the difference between a smart strategy and a misguided one. In this article we will explain what Page Authority actually measures, what a strong score looks like, and how to use it wisely.
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Understanding what your authority scores mean for your actual rankings is where an experienced partner adds real value. AAMAX.CO is a full-service digital marketing company delivering web development, digital marketing, and SEO services worldwide. Their analysts look beyond vanity metrics to build strategies that improve the signals authority scores are built on, such as quality backlinks and strong content. Instead of obsessing over a single number, they help you focus on the work that genuinely moves your rankings.
What Page Authority Actually Measures
Page Authority, often abbreviated as PA, is a metric developed by Moz that predicts how likely a specific page is to rank in search results. It is scored on a logarithmic scale from one to one hundred, where higher numbers indicate greater ranking potential. Crucially, it is Moz's own prediction based on their data and machine learning model, not a metric that Google uses. It aggregates many factors, with the quality and quantity of links pointing to the page being among the most influential. Because it is predictive, PA is best understood as an estimate of competitive strength rather than a direct measurement of ranking position.
Moz also offers Domain Authority, which predicts the ranking strength of an entire domain, whereas Page Authority focuses on an individual URL. The two work together, and a strong domain often lifts the authority of its individual pages.
Why the Logarithmic Scale Changes Everything
The single most important thing to understand about Page Authority is that the scale is logarithmic. This means climbing from a score of twenty to thirty is far easier than climbing from seventy to eighty. As your score rises, each additional point requires disproportionately more effort and stronger signals. This is why chasing a specific high number can be misleading; a jump of a few points at the top end represents enormous work, while the same jump at the low end is comparatively minor. Interpreting your progress requires respecting this curve.
So What Counts as a Good Score
Because Page Authority is relative and predictive, there is no universal threshold that qualifies as good. A score is only meaningful when compared to the pages you are actually competing against for a specific keyword. If the pages ranking on the first page for your target term have Page Authority scores in the forties, then achieving a similar or slightly higher score gives you a realistic shot at competing. If they sit in the seventies, you have far more work ahead. In broad terms, a score above the average of your competitors for a given query is good, while an absolute number in isolation tells you very little.
As a loose orientation, scores in the low ranges are typical for new or lightly linked pages, mid-range scores indicate a page that has earned meaningful authority, and high scores are usually reserved for established, heavily referenced pages. But always anchor your judgment to the competitive landscape rather than these generalizations.
Use Page Authority for Comparison, Not Obsession
The healthiest way to use Page Authority is as a comparative benchmarking tool. Before targeting a keyword, check the Page Authority of the current top results to gauge how difficult it will be to compete. Track your own page's score over time to confirm that your link-building and content efforts are trending in the right direction. Compare your key pages against direct competitors to identify where you are strong and where you lag. What you should avoid is treating the number as a goal in itself, because improving the underlying signals is what actually matters.
How to Improve Your Page Authority
Since Page Authority is heavily influenced by links, the most effective way to raise it is to earn high-quality backlinks from relevant, authoritative sites. Create genuinely valuable content that others want to reference, pursue digital public relations, and build internal links from your strong pages to the ones you want to boost. Improving the overall authority of your domain lifts your individual pages as well. Fixing broken links, removing toxic backlinks, and ensuring your site is technically sound all contribute. Importantly, these are the same activities that improve your real rankings in Google, which is exactly the point.
Remember It Is a Third-Party Estimate
Finally, keep perspective. Page Authority is a useful third-party estimate, but Google does not see or use it. Two pages with identical scores can rank very differently depending on content relevance, search intent match, user experience, and dozens of factors the metric cannot capture. Use Page Authority as one lens among many, alongside your actual traffic, conversions, and rankings. The score is a compass, not a destination, and treating it as the whole picture leads to misguided decisions.
Final Thoughts
A good Page Authority score in Moz is not a fixed number but a score that meets or exceeds the pages you are competing against for your target keywords. Understand the logarithmic scale, use the metric for comparison rather than obsession, and focus your energy on the quality content and authoritative links that improve both your score and your real rankings. If you want a partner who can turn these insights into a concrete plan that grows your organic visibility, AAMAX.CO can help you build authority that translates into results.
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