MozTrust is a global link trust score that measures the credibility of a website based on its proximity to highly trusted sources. Unlike metrics that focus only on the number of links, MozTrust focuses on the quality and reliability of the domains providing those links. Higher scores indicate that a site is closely connected to authoritative "seed sites," which improves its reputation and likelihood of ranking well in search engines.
What is MozRank?
MozTrust is one of the core metrics in the Moz SEO toolset used by professionals to evaluate website authority. It is specifically designed to distinguish between raw link popularity and verified trust. [MozTrust is measured on a logarithmic scale from 0 to 10] (Moz).
Because the scale is logarithmic, the difficulty of increasing your score grows significantly as you move up. [Moving from a score of 8 to 9 is significantly harder than moving from 3 to 4] (Moz). [An average score for a normal web page is approximately 3.0] (Moz).
Why MozTrust matters
This metric helps SEO practitioners understand how search engines might perceive the legitimacy of a site.
- Risk reduction: High scores suggest your site is linked to credible sources, reducing the perceived risk of being associated with "spammy" neighborhoods.
- Ranking potential: Sites with higher trust scores generally have a better chance of ranking well because search engines value credible endorsements.
- Partner vetting: Marketers use the score to evaluate potential link partners to ensure they are building relationships with reputable websites.
- Content strategy: Analyzing trust scores across different pages helps identify which types of content attract the most authoritative backlinks.
How MozTrust works
The metric calculates "link distance" between a target website and a trusted "seed site." Seed sites are specific, known sources of high trust on the internet, such as the homepages of major university websites or government web pages.
The calculation follows a "six degrees of separation" logic. If a seed site links directly to you, your MozTrust score will be very high. If that seed site links to a site that then links to you, your trust score is slightly lower because you are one step further from the source. The more steps (or distance) between you and a trusted seed, the lower your score becomes.
Types of MozTrust
Moz provides trust scores at two different levels to give practitioners a granular view of their link profile.
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Web-Page MozTrust | Measures the trust of an individual page based on links from other specific pages. |
| Domain Level MozTrust | Calculates the trust score for an entire domain by analyzing links between domains. |
Best practices
- Target high-trust sources: Aim for backlinks from institutional sites like universities (.edu), government agencies (.gov), and established research labs.
- Vet link partners: Check the MozTrust score of a potential partner's website before building a relationship to confirm they are reputable.
- Monitor competitors: Compare your scores against direct competitors to determine if your current trust level is sufficient for your industry.
- Focus on quality content: Create content that naturally attracts links from authoritative sites to reduce the "distance" from seed sources.
Common mistakes
Mistake: Focusing solely on the number of backlinks. Fix: Prioritize links from high-trust domains over a high volume of links from low-quality or unknown sites.
Mistake: Comparing scores across different industries. Fix: Evaluate your score relative to your specific competitors, as "good" scores vary depending on your niche and audience size.
Mistake: Assuming a low score means you have no trust. Fix: Check if your site is relatively new or has a small audience, as both factors can naturally limit your score regardless of quality.
MozTrust vs MozRank
While both metrics use a 0 to 10 scale, they measure different aspects of a link profile.
| Feature | MozRank | MozTrust |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Link popularity and volume. | Link trust and credibility. |
| Primary Input | Number and quality of links. | Proximity to trusted seed sites. |
| Goal | Measures "link juice" or equity. | Measures reputation and reliability. |
| Key Metric | Raw popularity. | Global link trust. |
FAQ
Where can I find my MozTrust score? You can access these metrics through Moz’s Open Site Explorer. By entering a URL and selecting "Compare Link Metrics," you can analyze the trust and rank of up to five different links at once.
How do I improve a low MozTrust score? Improvement requires obtaining links from sites that already have high MozTrust. Target endorsements from government institutions, universities, or other authoritative sites that are closely linked to these primary trust sources.
What is a "good" MozTrust score? A good score is relative to your competitors. If your score is higher than those you are competing with in search results, it is considered a strong score. For context, an average web page generally scores around 3.0.
Does a 0 trust score mean I am banned? Not necessarily. New websites or sites with a very specialized, small audience may start with a score of 0. It often reflects a lack of distance-based connection to seed sites rather than an active penalty.
Can I track MozTrust over time? Yes, tools like Databox allow you to connect Moz data to track MozTrust on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. This helps you monitor how your link-building activities affect your site's credibility over time.
