Newer sites with lower Domain Authority outrank established competitors regularly. The reason is almost always the same: the newer site has built genuine topical authority. Domain Authority is a third-party metric. Topical authority is a ranking mechanism. They are not the same thing.
What is Domain Authority?
What is Domain Authority (DA)? Domain Authority is a proprietary score (0–100) created by Moz. It predicts how likely a website is to rank in search results based primarily on its backlink profile. It is not a Google metric. Google does not use Domain Authority in its ranking algorithm.
DA became widely adopted as a proxy for site strength. Agencies report it. Clients track it. Link builders use it to evaluate prospect quality. The metric has value as a rough competitive signal. Treating it as the primary SEO objective creates campaigns focused on a number Google ignores.
What is Topical Authority?
What is topical authority in SEO? Topical authority is a ranking state where search engines recognise a website as the most comprehensive, reliable source on a specific subject. Google measures it through depth and consistency of content coverage, user engagement signals, and demonstrated expertise within a defined topic area.
Topical authority is topic-specific. A site can have dominant topical authority for "solicitor SEO" and minimal authority for "e-commerce SEO" — even with the same backlink profile. Authority is contextual, not universal. Entity SEO provides the mechanism for making this topic-specific authority measurable and machine-readable.
Why Can a Low-DA Site Outrank a High-DA Site?
Google's ranking algorithm evaluates content relevance and topical expertise at the query level. A site with DA 25 publishing 40 comprehensive, well-structured articles on commercial property law will outrank a DA 60 general business site with one thin article on the same topic. Google recognises the specialist site as the more authoritative source for that specific query.
This happens consistently across competitive niches. Sites building focused topical authority through comprehensive coverage gain ranking advantages that backlink profiles alone cannot overcome.
Does Domain Authority Matter at All?
Backlinks — which DA attempts to measure — do contribute to rankings. They contribute particularly for competitive head terms where many sites have similar topical coverage. Links remain a trust signal and a discovery mechanism. The issue is not that DA is meaningless. The issue is that optimising for DA as a primary goal produces campaigns that:
Ignore content depth — link-building campaigns often prioritise link quantity over content quality. This produces thin pages designed to attract links rather than serve users.
Miss topic gaps — without a topical map, campaigns earn links to a small number of pages whilst leaving entire query clusters unaddressed.
Produce fragile rankings — rankings built primarily on backlinks are vulnerable to algorithm updates and competitor link-building. Rankings built on topical authority are substantially more durable.
Which Should You Focus On?
Build topical authority first. Most businesses — particularly those without established link profiles — achieve better results faster through an authority-led approach. My guide on how to build topical authority walks through this process step by step. A comprehensive content strategy establishing genuine expertise in your niche generates organic rankings, natural link acquisition, and compound authority growth over time.
Add targeted link building to high-value pages once topical authority is established. Link building accelerates ranking velocity for competitive head terms. The sequence matters: authority first, amplification second.
My approach with clients prioritises topical content architecture through topical map creation, semantic SEO methodology, and semantic content briefs before any link acquisition strategy. Clients see average traffic increases of 150–280% within 6–9 months consistently.
Related Articles
- How to Build Topical Authority: Step-by-Step — the practical methodology for building real authority
- What is Entity SEO? — the entity foundation that makes topical authority measurable
- How Many Keywords Should I Target? — why topical coverage matters more than keyword count
- Increase Organic Traffic — how topical authority translates to traffic growth
Contact me for a free consultation to understand your current topical authority versus your competitors'.