An Open Appeal to r/bigseo Moderators: Revising the Discussion on Domain Authority
Dear r/bigseo Moderators and Community,
I hope this message finds you all well. Today, I want to address an ongoing discussion regarding the automatic responses related to Domain Authority (DA) that are used in our subreddit, particularly in light of recent findings that suggest Google has a metric referred to as “siteAuthority.” According to leaked documents from Google’s Content Warehouse, this metric appears in their GoogleApi.ContentWarehouse.V1.Model.CompressedQualitySignals module.
The current automated response concerning DA reads as follows:
“DA is a useless third party metric. Google does not use DA in any way. It isn’t a good KPI.”
While I respect the intention behind this message, I believe it may be misleading for new members of our community. It suggests a binary stance that Google completely disregards DA, which does not accurately reflect the nuanced relationship that exists between their ranking algorithms and various metrics, including DA.
Although it’s true that DA was developed by Moz and may be calculated differently from Google’s internal metrics, declaring it utterly useless overlooks its practical applications. For example, many SEO professionals utilize DA when selecting websites for outreach, effectively organizing a list of potential targets. If DA had no value whatsoever, one might question why we wouldn’t prefer reaching out to a website with a DA of 0 over a DA of 60.
Given these points, it seems that the current auto-response may be more confusing than clarifying, especially for newcomers trying to navigate the complexities of SEO. Considering this, I propose that we revise our automated comment to reflect a more balanced perspective on Domain Authority.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this matter! Would a slight adjustment help in fostering a more informative environment for both newcomers and seasoned experts alike?
Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to a constructive discussion.
One response to “Open letter to the r/bigseo mods requesting DA automod language change”
Thank you for bringing this important discussion to light! I completely agree that the conversation around Domain Authority (DA) requires a more nuanced approach. While it’s crucial to remind the community that DA is not a direct ranking factor used by Google, dismissing it as “useless” can inadvertently alienate members, especially those who are just starting in SEO.
As you pointed out, DA serves practical purposes in the SEO realm, particularly in outreach and link-building strategies. Newcomers often use metrics to gauge the potential authority of a site, and DA, despite being a third-party metric, provides a benchmark that many established professionals rely on.
In revising the auto-response, perhaps we could frame it to emphasize that while DA should not be the sole basis for decision-making, it remains a useful indicator within a broader digital marketing strategy. This way, we can empower community members to make informed choices while acknowledging the limitations of third-party metrics.
Additionally, including resources or suggestions on how to evaluate sites beyond just DA could foster a more comprehensive understanding. For instance, encouraging users to consider traffic metrics, relevance, and domain age might lead to more successful outreach efforts.
Ultimately, promoting a balanced viewpoint would cultivate a more supportive and educational environment, which is what r/bigseo aims to achieve. Looking forward to seeing how this evolves!