BuzzSumo Domain Authority: The Complete Guide to Checking and Improving Your DA Score

Understanding your website’s authority is crucial for SEO success. While Moz’s Domain Authority (DA) is the industry standard metric, pairing it with BuzzSumo’s powerful content analysis tools creates a winning combination for digital marketers.

Whether you’re tracking competitors or planning your content strategy, knowing how to leverage both platforms can dramatically improve your search rankings and online visibility.

What Is Domain Authority?

Domain Authority is a search engine ranking score developed by Moz that predicts how likely a website is to rank in search engine results pages (SERPs). Scores range from 1 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater ability to rank.

DA is calculated using multiple factors, including:

• Link profile quality and quantity
• Root domains linking to the site
• MozRank and MozTrust scores
• Overall SEO performance

What Is BuzzSumo?

BuzzSumo is a comprehensive content research and social media analytics tool. It helps marketers identify trending content, analyze competitors, and discover influential sharers in their niche.

While BuzzSumo doesn’t calculate Domain Authority directly, it provides critical insights that impact your DA score, particularly regarding backlink acquisition and content performance.

How BuzzSumo Complements Domain Authority Analysis

Identifying High-Authority Content Opportunities

BuzzSumo’s content analysis reveals what topics resonate with your audience. By creating similar high-quality content, you increase chances of earning backlinks from authoritative sites—the primary driver of Domain Authority.

Finding Link Prospects

Use BuzzSumo to discover who’s sharing content in your industry. These are potential link partners who already show interest in your niche, making them more likely to link to your valuable resources.

Analyzing Competitor Strategies

Enter competitor domains into BuzzSumo to see their most shared content. This intelligence helps you understand what works in your industry and how to create content that outperforms theirs.

How to Check Domain Authority

While BuzzSumo provides content insights, you’ll need to use Moz’s tools or third-party alternatives to check your actual DA score:

1. Moz Link Explorer: The official tool for checking Domain Authority
2. MozBar Chrome Extension: Check DA while browsing any website
3. Third-Party Checkers: Various online tools that pull Moz data

Note: BuzzSumo doesn’t display DA scores directly, but the platform’s engagement metrics strongly correlate with link-building success, which ultimately improves your DA.

Using BuzzSumo to Improve Your Domain Authority

1. Create Link-Worthy Content

Analyze top-performing content in your niche using BuzzSumo. Identify patterns in headlines, content formats, and topics that generate the most shares and backlinks.

2. Discover Guest Posting Opportunities

Use BuzzSumo’s influencer identification feature to find bloggers and publishers in your industry. Reach out with high-value guest post pitches that include links back to your site.

3. Monitor Brand Mentions

Set up BuzzSumo alerts for your brand name. When someone mentions you without linking, reach out politely and ask for a backlink—a quick win for your DA.

4. Analyze Competitor Backlinks

Study which content earns competitors the most links. Use BuzzSumo’s "Most Linked" filter to see content that attracts backlinks rather than just social shares.

5. Leverage Trending Topics

Create content around trending topics in your industry. Timely content has higher viral potential, increasing exposure and natural backlink acquisition.

Domain Authority Benchmarks by Industry

Understanding what constitutes a "good" DA score depends on your industry and competition:

• New websites: DA 10-20
• Small businesses: DA 20-40
• Established brands: DA 40-60
• Major publications: DA 60-80
• Global leaders (Google, Facebook): DA 80-100

Common Misconceptions About Domain Authority

Many marketers misunderstand DA’s role in SEO. Remember:

• DA is not a Google ranking factor—it’s a third-party metric
• Higher DA doesn’t guarantee higher rankings
• DA updates are not real-time; Moz recalculates periodically
• Focus on relative DA compared to your direct competitors

FAQ: BuzzSumo and Domain Authority

Can BuzzSumo check my Domain Authority score?

No, BuzzSumo doesn’t provide DA scores. Use Moz’s Link Explorer or MozBar extension to check your Domain Authority. BuzzSumo complements DA tracking by helping you build the links that improve your score.

How often should I check my Domain Authority?

Check your DA monthly or quarterly. Since Moz updates DA scores periodically rather than in real-time, checking too frequently won’t show meaningful changes. Focus on consistent link-building efforts instead.

Does social media sharing in BuzzSumo directly improve Domain Authority?

Not directly. However, content that performs well on social media gains visibility, which can lead to more backlinks from authoritative websites—the primary factor in DA calculations.

What’s a good Domain Authority score for a new website?

For new websites, a DA between 10-20 is typical. Focus on creating valuable content and earning quality backlinks rather than obsessing over the number. Consistent effort over 6-12 months will show significant improvement.

How long does it take to increase Domain Authority?

Improving DA is a long-term process. With consistent high-quality content creation and link building, you might see noticeable improvements in 3-6 months. However, reaching DA 40+ typically takes 1-2 years of dedicated effort.

Conclusion

While BuzzSumo doesn’t calculate Domain Authority, it’s an invaluable tool for the activities that drive DA improvement. By identifying content opportunities, finding link prospects, and analyzing competitors, BuzzSumo empowers you to build the high-quality backlink profile that boosts your DA score.

Remember: Domain Authority is a marathon, not a sprint. Combine BuzzSumo’s content intelligence with solid SEO practices, and you’ll see your website’s authority grow steadily over time.

Internal linking ideas: Consider linking to related articles about "How to Build High-Quality Backlinks" or "Content Marketing Strategy for SEO." For external authority, refer to Moz’s official Domain Authority documentation.