Skip to content
    Moz logo Menu open Menu close
    • Products
      • Moz Pro
      • Moz Pro Home
      • Moz Local
      • Moz Local Home
      • STAT
      • Moz API
      • Moz API Home
      • Compare SEO Products
      • Moz Data
    • Free SEO Tools
      • Domain Analysis
      • Keyword Explorer
      • Link Explorer
      • Competitive Research
      • MozBar
      • More Free SEO Tools
    • Learn SEO
      • Beginner's Guide to SEO
      • SEO Learning Center
      • Moz Academy
      • SEO Q&A
      • Webinars, Whitepapers, & Guides
    • Blog
    • Why Moz
      • Agency Solutions
      • Enterprise Solutions
      • Small Business Solutions
      • Case Studies
      • The Moz Story
      • New Releases
    • Log in
    • Log out
    • Products
      • Moz Pro

        Your all-in-one suite of SEO essentials.

      • Moz Local

        Raise your local SEO visibility with complete local SEO management.

      • STAT

        SERP tracking and analytics for enterprise SEO experts.

      • Moz API

        Power your SEO with our index of over 44 trillion links.

      • Compare SEO Products

        See which Moz SEO solution best meets your business needs.

      • Moz Data

        Power your SEO strategy & AI models with custom data solutions.

      NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic
      Moz Pro

      NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic

      Learn more
    • Free SEO Tools
      • Domain Analysis

        Get top competitive SEO metrics like DA, top pages and more.

      • Keyword Explorer

        Find traffic-driving keywords with our 1.25 billion+ keyword index.

      • Link Explorer

        Explore over 40 trillion links for powerful backlink data.

      • Competitive Research

        Uncover valuable insights on your organic search competitors.

      • MozBar

        See top SEO metrics for free as you browse the web.

      • More Free SEO Tools

        Explore all the free SEO tools Moz has to offer.

      What is your Brand Authority?
      Moz

      What is your Brand Authority?

      Check yours now
    • Learn SEO
      • Beginner's Guide to SEO

        The #1 most popular introduction to SEO, trusted by millions.

      • SEO Learning Center

        Broaden your knowledge with SEO resources for all skill levels.

      • On-Demand Webinars

        Learn modern SEO best practices from industry experts.

      • How-To Guides

        Step-by-step guides to search success from the authority on SEO.

      • Moz Academy

        Upskill and get certified with on-demand courses & certifications.

      • SEO Q&A

        Insights & discussions from an SEO community of 500,000+.

      Unlock flexible pricing & new endpoints
      Moz API

      Unlock flexible pricing & new endpoints

      Find your plan
    • Blog
    • Why Moz
      • Small Business Solutions

        Uncover insights to make smarter marketing decisions in less time.

      • Agency Solutions

        Earn & keep valuable clients with unparalleled data & insights.

      • Enterprise Solutions

        Gain a competitive edge in the ever-changing world of search.

      • The Moz Story

        Moz was the first & remains the most trusted SEO company.

      • Case Studies

        Explore how Moz drives ROI with a proven track record of success.

      • New Releases

        Get the scoop on the latest and greatest from Moz.

      Surface actionable competitive intel
      New Feature

      Surface actionable competitive intel

      Learn More
    • Log in
      • Moz Pro
      • Moz Local
      • Moz Local Dashboard
      • Moz API
      • Moz API Dashboard
      • Moz Academy
    • Avatar
      • Moz Home
      • Notifications
      • Account & Billing
      • Manage Users
      • Community Profile
      • My Q&A
      • My Videos
      • Log Out

    The Moz Q&A Forum

    • Forum
    • Questions
    • Users
    • Ask the Community

    Welcome to the Q&A Forum

    Browse the forum for helpful insights and fresh discussions about all things SEO.

    1. Home
    2. SEO Tactics
    3. Link Building
    4. Why did my Domain Authority drop?

    Moz Q&A is closed.

    After more than 13 years, and tens of thousands of questions, Moz Q&A closed on 12th December 2024. Whilst we’re not completely removing the content - many posts will still be possible to view - we have locked both new posts and new replies. More details here.

    Why did my Domain Authority drop?

    Link Building
    domain authority link building
    17
    21
    1030
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as question
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with question management privileges can see it.
    • MizbaCMU
      MizbaCMU Subscriber last edited by

      I had an ok domain authority. We focused on building backlinks for our website and it shows that we received a significant number of backlinks. However, today, our DA fell significantly. I don't understand why that happened. Can someone please help me with this situation?

      Thank you.

      traveling3432 Aditi_08 albertbantofa sami22221 4 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • iu4
        iu4 last edited by

        Hi,
        A drop in Domain Authority (DA) can occur for several reasons, including:

        Backlink Loss: If you lost important backlinks or had toxic links removed, it can impact your DA.
        Increased Competition: If competitors improve their SEO efforts, your relative authority may decrease.
        Algorithm Changes: Search engines often update their algorithms, which can affect how DA is calculated.
        Content Issues: Low-quality or thin content can lead to a decrease in authority as search engines prioritize high-quality, relevant content.
        To address the drop, consider analyzing your backlink profile, enhancing content quality, and improving overall SEO strategies.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • iu4
          iu4 last edited by

          Hi,
          A drop in Domain Authority (DA) can occur for several reasons, including:

          Backlink Loss: If you lost important backlinks or had toxic links removed, it can impact your DA.
          Increased Competition: If competitors improve their SEO efforts, your relative authority may decrease.
          Algorithm Changes: Search engines often update their algorithms, which can affect how DA is calculated.
          Content Issues: Low-quality or thin content can lead to a decrease in authority as search engines prioritize high-quality, relevant content.
          To address the drop, consider analyzing your backlink profile, enhancing content quality, and improving overall SEO strategies.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • livecoder
            livecoder last edited by

            Hi anyone got the reasonable answer?
            the da of my website fell today, i kept making good content, i just made 3 backlinks recently, could that be the reason?

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • mrkhanmobiles
              mrkhanmobiles last edited by

              Domain Authority is a metric developed by Moz that predicts how well a website will rank on search engine results pages.

              Score Range: DA is scored on a scale from 1 to 100, with higher scores indicating a greater likelihood of ranking well.
              website :- Mr khan Mobiles

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • mrkhanmobiles
                mrkhanmobiles last edited by

                Domain Authority is a metric developed by Moz that predicts how well a website will rank on search engine results pages.

                Score Range: DA is scored on a scale from 1 to 100, with higher scores indicating a greater likelihood of ranking well.
                website :- Mr khan Mobiles

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • frelanhard01
                  frelanhard01 last edited by

                  Don't panic, MizbaCMU! Domain Authority can fluctuate. Did you see a change in the quality of your backlinks? Low-quality ones can hurt your score. Keep building good ones!

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • Stephon110
                    Stephon110 @Digitalwebkrida last edited by

                    @Digitalwebkrida hanks for the info! I'll focus on getting high-quality backlinks and keep producing great content. Hopefully, my DA score will bounce back soon.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • basit-ur-rehman
                      basit-ur-rehman last edited by

                      provide valuable and promised content to the user. Make a strong off page profile and optimize your website. your authority will boost up.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • sami22221
                        Sami awan @MizbaCMU last edited by

                        @MizbaCMU said in Why did my Domain Authority drop?:

                        I had an ok domain authority. We focused on building backlinks for our website and it shows that we received a significant number of backlinks. However, today, our DA fell significantly. I don't understand why that happened. Can someone please help me with this situation?

                        If your domain authority (DA) dropped after building a lot of backlinks, it could be due to a few reasons. Maybe some of the new backlinks are from low-quality or spammy sites, which can hurt your DA. Also, search engines and tools like Moz might update their algorithms or recalibrate their metrics, affecting your DA. Make sure your backlinks come from reputable sources and check if there are any recent changes in how DA is calculated. If things still seem off, reaching out to SEO experts or the tool’s support might help clear things up.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • imran1233
                          imran1233 last edited by

                          This happens for lots of reasons:

                          • Loss of Quality Backlinks

                          • Linking from Low-Quality or Spammy Sites:

                          • Content Issues

                          • Technical SEO Issues

                          • Algorithm Updates

                          • On-Page SEO Problems, etc.

                          Make sure your backlink profile is good and only getting quality backlinks, and your site structure is good, means - User friendly and responsive site design

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • Kinsmanco
                            Kinsmanco last edited by

                            Hi MizbaCMU,

                            As per my experiance there are so many issue can be create issue. Please check following issue , might be help you or get the information -

                            • A decrease in social media shares and engagement can impact your site’s visibility and authority indirectly.

                            • Ineffective internal linking strategies can prevent search engines from understanding the hierarchy and importance of your pages.

                            • Updates from search engines like Google can indirectly affect your DA by changing the landscape of SEO.

                            • Using outdated or black-hat SEO techniques can lead to penalties that affect your DA.

                            • A rapid increase in low-quality links can dilute the quality of your link profile.

                            • Accumulation of spammy or low-quality backlinks can reduce your DA.

                            • If high-authority websites remove links to your site, it can negatively impact your DA.

                            • If the websites linking to you lose their authority, it can affect your site's DA.

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • Kinsmanco
                              Kinsmanco last edited by

                              Hi MizbaCMU,

                              As per my experience i can say below mention reason can be affect the website DA. Please check and if you find the cause just let me know-

                              • A decrease in social media shares and engagement can impact your site’s visibility and authority indirectly.

                              • Ineffective internal linking strategies can prevent search engines from understanding the hierarchy and importance of your pages.

                              • Updates from search engines like Google can indirectly affect your DA by changing the landscape of SEO.

                              • Using outdated or black-hat SEO techniques can lead to penalties that affect your DA.

                              • A rapid increase in low-quality links can dilute the quality of your link profile.

                              • Accumulation of spammy or low-quality backlinks can reduce your DA.

                              • If high-authority websites remove links to your site, it can negatively impact your DA.

                              • If the websites linking to you lose their authority, it can affect your site's DA.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • sarahwalsh
                                sarahwalsh last edited by

                                Hi, so compare your backlinks you have now, with before the drop, did any get deleted? if so, try to rebuild. we run a web design company, and if we get a good link, you can see the website move up in a few days, then once it gets deleted we can drop down Google's ranks- hope this helps.

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • albertbantofa
                                  albertbantofa Banned @MizbaCMU last edited by

                                  @MizbaCMU your website domain authority may be drop due to google core update and some SEO practices can increase your website domain authority again if you want to gain your authority back you main contact me back I will help you out

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                  • michalalice
                                    michalalice last edited by

                                    Your Domain Authority (DA) may have dropped due to factors like decreased backlink quality, loss of high-quality links, increased competition, or changes in search engine algorithms. Regularly monitor your backlinks, update content, and follow SEO best practices to maintain or improve your DA.

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • Digitalwebkrida
                                      Digitalwebkrida last edited by

                                      Google algorithm update: DA scores are occasionally impacted by changes to Google's algorithm. It's probable that the upgrade has an impact on backlink value estimation.

                                      Backlinks of poor quality: Not all backlinks are made equal. If newly acquired backlinks originate from spammy or low-authority domains, Google might have given them less weight.

                                      Focus on high-quality backlinks and continue producing insightful content for your website. Your DA ought to fully recover soon.

                                      Stephon110 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • Aditi_08
                                        Aditi_08 @MizbaCMU last edited by

                                        @MizbaCMU There are a couple of reasons why this might have happened:

                                        • Low-quality backlinks: Not all backlinks are created equal. Google may have discounted recently acquired backlinks if they come from low-authority or spammy websites.

                                        • Google algorithm update: Google's algorithm updates can sometimes impact DA scores. It's possible the update affected how backlinks are valued.

                                        Focus on building high-quality backlinks and keep creating valuable content for your site. Your DA should recover in time.

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                        • traveling3432
                                          traveling3432 @traveling3432 last edited by

                                          @traveling3432 said in Why did my Domain Authority drop?:

                                          @MizbaCMU said in Why did my Domain Authority drop?:

                                          I had an ok domain authority. We focused on building backlinks for our website and it shows that we received a significant number of backlinks. However, today, our DA fell significantly. I don't understand why that happened. Can someone please help me with this situation?

                                          Thank you.

                                          Hey there,

                                          I can totally relate to your situation. It's frustrating when you've put effort into building backlinks and then see a drop in domain authority (DA) seemingly out of nowhere. There could be several reasons behind this sudden decline. Sometimes, search engine algorithms update, which might affect how backlinks are evaluated. It could also be due to changes in competitor strategies or even technical issues on your website affecting crawlability or indexability.

                                          I've been experiencing something similar with my website recently, so I understand the concern. One thing that might help is to analyze your backlink profile more closely using tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs. Look for any sudden loss of quality links or spikes in toxic backlinks, as these could impact DA negatively.

                                          Hang in there, and hopefully, we can figure this out together!

                                          I understand your concern. It can be frustrating when domain authority (DA) drops unexpectedly despite efforts in building backlinks. I've experienced a similar issue with my website. Sometimes, fluctuations in DA can be influenced by various factors such as algorithm updates, changes in competitor activity, or even technical issues on the site itself.

                                          To diagnose the issue, it might be helpful to audit your backlink profile to ensure they are from high-quality sources and relevant to your content. Additionally, reviewing recent changes in SEO practices or updates in search engine algorithms could provide insights into what might have caused the drop.

                                          Hang in there! Understanding these fluctuations can be complex, but with careful analysis and adjustments, you can work towards improving your DA over time.

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • traveling3432
                                            traveling3432 @MizbaCMU last edited by

                                            @MizbaCMU said in Why did my Domain Authority drop?:

                                            I had an ok domain authority. We focused on building backlinks for our website and it shows that we received a significant number of backlinks. However, today, our DA fell significantly. I don't understand why that happened. Can someone please help me with this situation?

                                            Thank you.

                                            Hey there,

                                            I can totally relate to your situation. It's frustrating when you've put effort into building backlinks and then see a drop in domain authority (DA) seemingly out of nowhere. There could be several reasons behind this sudden decline. Sometimes, search engine algorithms update, which might affect how backlinks are evaluated. It could also be due to changes in competitor strategies or even technical issues on your website affecting crawlability or indexability.

                                            I've been experiencing something similar with my website recently, so I understand the concern. One thing that might help is to analyze your backlink profile more closely using tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs. Look for any sudden loss of quality links or spikes in toxic backlinks, as these could impact DA negatively.

                                            Hang in there, and hopefully, we can figure this out together!

                                            traveling3432 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • carteremily219
                                              carteremily219 last edited by

                                              A drop in Domain Authority (DA) can be caused by several factors:

                                              Algorithm Updates: Moz, the creator of Domain Authority, periodically updates its algorithm, which can lead to fluctuations in DA.

                                              Loss of Backlinks: If your website loses high-quality backlinks, it can negatively impact your DA.

                                              Quality of New Links: If your recent backlinks are of lower quality compared to your previous ones, it can reduce your DA.

                                              Increased Competition: If competitors gain higher-quality backlinks, it can relatively lower your site's DA.

                                              On-Page SEO Issues: Technical issues on your site, such as broken links, slow page speed, or poor mobile optimization, can affect your DA.

                                              Content Quality: Outdated or low-quality content can lead to lower engagement and backlink acquisition, impacting DA.

                                              Spam Score Increase: An increase in your website’s spam score can negatively affect your DA.

                                              Regularly monitoring these factors and implementing SEO best practices can help maintain or improve your Domain Authority.

                                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                              • 1 / 1
                                              • First post
                                                Last post

                                              Got a burning SEO question?

                                              Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.


                                              Start my free trial


                                              Browse Questions

                                              Explore more categories

                                              • Moz Tools

                                                Chat with the community about the Moz tools.

                                              • SEO Tactics

                                                Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers

                                              • Community

                                                Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!

                                              • Digital Marketing

                                                Chat about tactics outside of SEO

                                              • Research & Trends

                                                Dive into research and trends in the search industry.

                                              • Support

                                                Connect on product support and feature requests.

                                              • See all categories

                                              Related Questions

                                              • Arek_W

                                                Unsolved Why Did My Site's DA Go Down After Adding New Links?

                                                domain authority link building website optimization

                                                Hi Moz Community, I've noticed my website's DA https://clean4u.org fell from 12 to 11 after adding a few links. I thought these were quality links, so I'm puzzled about the drop. Has anyone experienced something similar or knows why this could happen? Any advice or insight would be great! Thanks!

                                                Link Building | | Arek_W
                                                0
                                              • sarahwalsh

                                                Backlinks

                                                link building

                                                We all know that SEO companies often build backlinks from LinkedIn, Facebook, and X accounts for their clients, but where else do you build backlinks for every client to help improve your clients organic SEO?

                                                Image & Video Optimization | | sarahwalsh
                                                0
                                              • Leviiii

                                                slug Link redirect to subdomain?

                                                redirect subdomain link building

                                                Hi !
                                                Im Levi new here and new in the world of SEO, please dont judge if my questions are silly. Back on the days when the site was built we thought it is a good ideea to have subdomains that together with the domain name represent our main keywords.
                                                ex. https://stansted.tonorwich.uk, https://heathrow.tonorwich.uk, https://luton.tonorwich.uk, https://gatwick.tonorwich.uk. There is content on this subdomains, would it make any difference from SEO perspective if we create slugs that redirect to these subdomains? for example creating https://tonorwich.uk/taxi-minibus-vip-tesla-norwich-to-stansted that redirects to https://stansted.tonorwich.uk ? Or better create these slugs with slightly different content?
                                                Any ideeas would be appreciated.
                                                Thanks in advance!

                                                Link Building | | Leviiii
                                                0
                                              • LisaBabblebird

                                                Domain Authority dropped 10 points and I don't know why

                                                domain authority optimization

                                                In my latest site crawl, the domain authority dropped 10 points for no apparent reason. There have been no changes to the site. The only change I have made this month is to block referral spam to the site. My competitors' DAs have stayed the same too. website name: https://knowledgefront.co.uk/ Any ideas?

                                                Technical SEO | | LisaBabblebird
                                                0
                                              • jamesfin123

                                                Can I create forum backlinks for a "digital marketing agency" website?

                                                forum backlinks forum posting link building backlinks

                                                I am working on a "digital marketing service" website. I want to create forum backlinks. Can I create forum backlinks for this type of website? If yes, then what is the possible strategy.
                                                Looking for an expert guide.

                                                Link Building | | jamesfin123
                                                0
                                              • Mysites

                                                Moving blogs to different domain

                                                Hey guys, We currently have some blogs on one of our pages (fraserisland.com.au) and we are launching a complete rebranding of our sites. We want to move the blogs from fraserisland.com.au to the new parent page of travelfreedom.com.au (but still link it to fraserisland.com.au), however I don't know what affect this will have on the ranking of the blogs. The biggest thing I'm worried about is that the domain will be completely different, and not a sub domain, but I'm not sure what impact this will have on the effectiveness of SEO on the blog. Thanks guys

                                                Link Building | | Mysites
                                                0
                                              • increation

                                                Finding pages with a high Page Authority

                                                Hi, Whats the quickest way to find pages with a high authority using SEOMoz? Cheers Mik

                                                Link Building | | increation
                                                0
                                              • hfranz

                                                Are backlinks to a domain that redirects useless?

                                                I am working on trying to get backlinks. We are currently redirecting a few Domains to our current domain name. One of the Domains that is redirecting is the main Domain, we will be advertising in the near future. Can I send backlinks to the redirected URL or does it only carry link juice if it is to the main Domain?

                                                Link Building | | hfranz
                                                0

                                              Get started with Moz Pro!

                                              Unlock the power of advanced SEO tools and data-driven insights.

                                              Start my free trial
                                              Products
                                              • Moz Pro
                                              • Moz Local
                                              • Moz API
                                              • Moz Data
                                              • STAT
                                              • Product Updates
                                              Moz Solutions
                                              • SMB Solutions
                                              • Agency Solutions
                                              • Enterprise Solutions
                                              Free SEO Tools
                                              • Domain Authority Checker
                                              • Link Explorer
                                              • Keyword Explorer
                                              • Competitive Research
                                              • Brand Authority Checker
                                              • MozBar Extension
                                              • MozCast
                                              Resources
                                              • Blog
                                              • SEO Learning Center
                                              • Help Hub
                                              • Beginner's Guide to SEO
                                              • How-to Guides
                                              • Moz Academy
                                              • API Docs
                                              About Moz
                                              • About
                                              • Team
                                              • Careers
                                              • Contact
                                              Why Moz
                                              • Case Studies
                                              • Testimonials
                                              Get Involved
                                              • Become an Affiliate
                                              • MozCon
                                              • Webinars
                                              • Practical Marketer Series
                                              • MozPod
                                              Connect with us

                                              Contact the Help team

                                              Join our newsletter
                                              Moz logo
                                              © 2021 - 2025 SEOMoz, Inc., a Ziff Davis company. All rights reserved. Moz is a registered trademark of SEOMoz, Inc.
                                              • Accessibility
                                              • Terms of Use
                                              • Privacy

                                              Looks like your connection to Moz was lost, please wait while we try to reconnect.