Based on our study of 2,000 keywords, Domain Authority and domain age are not decisive factors in Google rankings. In most cases, lower-DA and younger sites outranked stronger, older competitors. What matters most is page-level relevance, freshness, and quality, not the overall size or history of the domain.

For years, SEO professionals have debated whether Domain Authority (DA) and domain age are key factors in determining search rankings.

The logic is simple: the older and more authoritative a domain is, the more trust it earns, and the higher it should rank. After all, isn’t that how Google decides who deserves the top spot?

The team at Adilo, a video hosting and marketing platform, decided to test this assumption with real data. We conducted a study analyzing 2,000 keywords to compare the Domain Authority and domain age of the top three ranking websites.

The results? Not what most SEOs expect.

What Are Domain Authority and Domain Age?

Before diving into the study, let’s unpack these two commonly discussed metrics.

Domain Authority (DA)

• Created by SEO software companies like Moz, Ahrefs, and SEMrush.
• Scored on a scale of 0–100.
• Calculated using factors such as backlinks, linking domains, and overall domain strength
• Important caveat: Google does not use DA in its algorithm.

DA is only a predictive metric that attempts to estimate how likely a domain is to rank.

Domain Age

• Refers to how long a domain has been registered and active.
• An older domain is often perceived as more trustworthy because it has history, backlinks, and (theoretically) credibility.
• In SEO forums, many argue that “Google favors older domains.”

Both sound like ranking advantages. But how much do they really matter?

How We Conducted the Study

Here’s how we designed the analysis:

Keywords Sampled: We pulled 2,000 keywords across different industries, niches, and search intents (informational, transactional, navigational, and commercial). This gave us a wide enough spread to ensure the findings weren’t biased toward one sector.

Positions Analyzed: For each keyword, we recorded the top three Google results. These positions matter most because they get the lion’s share of clicks (the #1 spot alone often gets 27–35% of clicks).

Metrics Collected:

• Keyword difficulty.
• The domains rank in positions 1, 2, and 3.
• Their Domain Authority (DA).
• Their Domain Age (years since registration).
  

The Core Question: Does the #1 ranking website usually have the highest DA or the oldest domain compared to the #2 and #3 results?

Key Findings: Domain Authority vs Google Rankings

Our study uncovered three major findings that challenge long-held SEO assumptions. Let’s break them down.

The Domain Authority Myth

Domain Authority (DA) is one of the most referenced SEO metrics. Many assume a DA 90 site will automatically outrank a DA 70 site. But the data tells a different story.

• In only 34% of cases, the sites ranking in the #1 positiob had the highest DA among the top 3.

• In 66% of cases, a lower-DA site ranked above sites with higher DA.

But the websites that ranked in the first position in our study have higher average and median domain authority than those in the second and third positions.

By the numbers (averages):

• #1 result DA: 77.4
• #2 result DA: 74.9
• #3 result DA: 74.0

By the numbers (medians):

• #1 result DA: 86
• #2 result DA: 83
• #3 result DA: 83

What this means: Even though the median DA of #1 results was slightly higher, the averages show that weaker domains frequently capture the top spot. This mix suggests DA gives an edge, but it’s far from decisive.

In other words:

• There are a few very low DA websites pulling the average down.
• But most of the ranking pages actually have higher DAs than that average suggests.

This implies:

• Most top-ranking pages come from strong domains, but
• There are a few outliers,  lower-DA  domains, that still managed to rank, likely due to:
  
  • Exceptional content quality or topical relevance
  • Strong on-page optimization
  • High engagement or freshness signals
  • Better alignment with search intent

Recap: Why lower-DA sites also win:

• Page-level backlinks: The ranking page itself may have stronger or more relevant links.
• Topical focus: A tightly aligned piece of content beats generic coverage from a stronger site.
• Depth of content: A comprehensive guide on a smaller site often wins over thin content on a bigger one.
• Freshness: Google favors recently updated, active pages, even if the domain overall is weaker.

Key takeaway: DA is a signal, not a guarantee. Google is clearly rewarding page-level quality and relevance over raw domain authority.

The Domain Age Myth

Conventional SEO wisdom suggests that older domains have an inherent ranking advantage. But our study didn’t support that.

• In only 33% of cases, the #1 site was the oldest in the top 3.

• In 67% of cases, a younger site ranked above an older one.

By the numbers (averages):

• #1 result average domain age: 21.9 years
• #2 result average domain age: 20.8 years
• #3 result average domain age: 21.3 years

By the numbers (medians):

• #1 result median domain age: 24 years
• #2 result median domain age: 22 years
• #3 result median domain age: 22 years

Insight: Older domains don’t have a built-in ranking lock. In fact, across averages and medians, the spread between the top 3 is marginal. Google seems indifferent to domain age as long as other ranking factors are strong.

Why younger sites win:

• More active content refresh: Newer players update aggressively to compete.
• Modern site performance: Younger sites often have better speed, UX, and mobile readiness.
• Focused niches: Newer domains are often hyper-relevant to a specific keyword cluster.
• Google’s algorithm evolution: Age alone isn’t enough if the site hasn’t kept up.

Key takeaway: Age doesn’t equal authority. Google cares more about activity, freshness, and alignment with ranking signals than about how long a site has been around.

3. Outliers That Break the Rules

The most striking finding was the frequency of “rule-breaking” cases where weaker sites ranked first against far stronger competition.

• In over 30% of keywords, a site with at least a 10+ point lower DA still ranked #1.
• In extreme cases, DA 40–50 domains outranked DA 80–90+ competitors.

Insight: These outliers show that Google doesn’t blindly follow DA or age. Instead, it chooses the best result for the searcher.

What drives outliers:

• Perfect intent matching: Smaller sites win when they answer the query more precisely.
• Page-level authority: A few strong backlinks to one page can outweigh a domain’s overall authority gap.
• User engagement: Higher click-through, longer dwell time, and lower bounce tell Google the result is valuable.
• SERP variety: Google often surfaces smaller players to avoid monopolies and give users alternatives.

Key takeaway: These “upsets” aren’t flukes; they’re proof that high-quality, intent-matched content can outperform giants. For smaller sites, this is encouraging: the playing field is fairer than many think.

A Quick Question

If lower-DA and younger sites outrank stronger, older competitors in most cases, why is the average Domain Authority higher for sites in the first position compared to second and third?

It’s simple.

Averages can be misleading because they’re heavily influenced by outliers. While many smaller sites win the #1 spot, very high-DA sites (90+) also rank first often enough to pull the average upward. 

In other words, the “giants” don’t win most of the time, but when they do, their authority is so high that it skews the numbers. That’s why the average DA for position #1 looks higher, even though the majority of wins go to lower-DA competitors.

Google’s Search Ranking Priorities

If DA and age aren’t the main drivers, what is Google actually rewarding?

Search Intent Alignment

• Pages that precisely match what users are looking for tend to rank highest.
• Example: A new site with a perfectly crafted “how-to guide” can outrank Wikipedia for long-tail queries.

Page-Level Authority

• Google doesn’t just look at the domain; it evaluates individual pages.
• A single page with strong backlinks can outperform a high-DA competitor.
  

Content Depth & Freshness

• Google prioritizes useful, updated, and complete content.
• Newer, more detailed content often edges out older, less relevant pages.
  

Technical SEO & UX

• Page speed, mobile optimization, and clear structure all contribute to better rankings.
• A technically optimized site can outperform a sluggish, high-DA site.
  

SERP Features & Relevance Signals

• Featured snippets, “People Also Ask” boxes, and local packs often disrupt the traditional DA/age dominance.
• Google cares about what’s most useful to searchers, not who’s oldest or biggest.

What This Means in Plain English

If you’ve been stressing about your site’s Domain Authority (DA) or how old your domain is, this study should come as a relief. 

Here’s why:

• High DA isn’t a magic bullet. Just because your competitor has a DA of 90 doesn’t mean they’ll automatically outrank you. Our data shows lower-DA sites take the top spot most of the time.
• Being older doesn’t guarantee wins. A 25-year-old site doesn’t always beat a 5-year-old one. In fact, younger and more active sites often push ahead by keeping their content fresh and tightly focused.
• Page quality matters more than “domain strength.” Google is ranking the page that best answers the searcher’s question, not the site with the biggest numbers behind it.
• Relevance beats raw power. If your content is the most useful, the most up-to-date, and speaks directly to the search intent, you can outrank much bigger players.
• There’s room for the underdogs. Even sites with DA in the 40s or 50s broke into the #1 spot over DA 80+ giants. That means smaller or newer brands can realistically compete if they focus on doing content better.

The bottom line:

Don’t obsess over raising your DA or buying an old domain. 

Instead, put your energy into creating the best page possible for the keyword you’re targeting. Cover the topic deeply, keep it fresh, and match what searchers are actually looking for.

Google isn’t rewarding the biggest sites; it’s rewarding the best answers.

However, having a higher DA and older site plus doing all these (covering topic deeply, keeping it fresh, and matching searchers intent) will give you a massive push. 

Actionable Takeaways for SEOs and Site Owners

Don’t Obsess Over Domain Authority

• Use DA as a benchmark, but not the ultimate goal.
• A DA boost alone won’t move you to #1.
  

Target Page-Level Backlinks

• Focus on building links directly to your money pages.
• Don’t rely solely on your homepage’s authority.
  

Optimize for Search Intent

• Study what users expect for a keyword (how-to guides, product pages, comparisons).
• Create content that matches that expectation exactly.
  

Update Content Regularly

• Freshness matters; review and update key pages at least every 6–12 months.
  

Level the Playing Field as a Small Site

• Pick long-tail, intent-rich keywords where you can outmatch larger players with more precise, detailed answers.
  

Big Brands: Don’t Get Lazy

• Even with high DA, you can be outranked.
• Keep content fresh, relevant, and competitive.

Final Thoughts

Our study of 2,000 keywords confirms what many SEOs have long suspected but few have proven:

Domain Authority and domain age don’t guarantee higher rankings on Google.

Yes, authority and longevity help, but they are far from the decisive factors. Google ultimately rewards the page that best satisfies user intent.

So instead of chasing DA or worrying about how old your domain is, focus on building pages that are:

• Relevant,
• Fresh,
• Technically sound, and
• Backed by quality, contextually relevant links.

That’s how you win in 2025 and beyond.