A composite metric from tools like Semrush estimating a domain's overall quality based on backlinks, traffic, and other signals.
Authority Score is a proprietary metric developed by Semrush that evaluates a domain's overall quality and trustworthiness on a scale of 0 to 100. The score combines multiple ranking factors including the quality and quantity of backlinks, organic search traffic, domain age, and other trust signals to provide a single number representing a website's authority in search engines.
Unlike Google's internal PageRank algorithm, Authority Score is designed to be transparent and actionable for SEO practitioners. It serves as a benchmark for competitive analysis, helping you understand where your domain stands relative to competitors and identify opportunities for improvement. The metric updates monthly, making it useful for tracking long-term SEO progress and the impact of link building campaigns.
Why It Matters for AI SEO
Authority Score has become increasingly important as AI-powered search systems like Google's RankBrain and newer language models place greater emphasis on domain credibility when determining search rankings. These AI systems use domain authority as a trust signal when evaluating content quality, making high Authority Scores more valuable than ever for organic visibility. AI content tools often struggle with the nuanced understanding of domain credibility that search engines require. While these tools can generate topically relevant content, they cannot directly influence the underlying trust signals that Authority Score measures. This creates a strategic advantage for domains with strong Authority Scores, as their AI-generated content is more likely to rank well due to the domain's established credibility foundation.
How It Works
Authority Score calculation involves analyzing over 40 different factors, with backlink quality being the most heavily weighted component. Semrush examines the authority of referring domains, the relevance of linking pages, and the natural distribution of anchor text. The algorithm also considers organic traffic patterns, domain age, and technical SEO health indicators. To improve your Authority Score, focus on acquiring high-quality backlinks from authoritative domains in your industry. Tools like Ahrefs and Majestic provide complementary metrics (Domain Rating and Trust Flow respectively) that help you identify valuable link prospects. Monitor your score monthly through Semrush's Domain Overview tool, and track competitors' scores to benchmark your progress and identify gaps in your link building strategy.
Common Mistakes
Many practitioners mistakenly treat Authority Score as a direct ranking factor when it's actually a correlation metric. Google doesn't use Semrush's Authority Score in its algorithm, so obsessing over small score fluctuations while neglecting actual ranking factors like content quality and user experience leads to misguided SEO strategies. Focus on the underlying factors that build real authority rather than gaming the metric itself.