Moz API: The Ultimate Guide to SEO Data, DA/PA, and Backlink Insights

How It Works

At its core, the API functions through a series of specialized endpoints, each designed to deliver specific types of SEO data through simple HTTP requests. Users can retrieve information in JSON format, making it compatible with virtually any programming language or development environment.

Common Use Cases

• Building custom SEO dashboards
• Automating client reporting
• Developing SEO tools and applications
• Conducting large-scale SEO audits
• Integrating Moz metrics into existing marketing platforms

URL Metrics API

The URL Metrics API stands as the cornerstone of Moz’s data offerings, providing instant access to the metrics that have made Moz a household name in the SEO industry.

Key Metrics:

• Domain Authority (DA): Moz’s proprietary 1-100 logarithmic scale that predicts a website’s ranking potential
• Page Authority (PA): Focused on individual pages, helping you understand which specific pages have the highest ranking potential
• Spam Score: Evaluates the likelihood of a domain being penalized by search engines
• Linking Root Domains: Number of unique root domains linking to the target URL or domain

Benefits:

• Instantly evaluate the strength of potential link prospects
• Conduct competitive analysis by comparing DA/PA metrics
• Identify toxic backlinks that may be harming your SEO performance
• Track authority growth over time to measure SEO campaign effectiveness

Links API

The Links API provides unparalleled access to Moz’s massive index of backlink data, enabling users to explore link profiles in extraordinary detail.

Key Features:

• Backlink Data: Retrieve comprehensive lists of links pointing to any domain or URL
• Anchor Text Analysis: Access the text used in backlinks to identify over-optimization issues
• Referring Domains: Get detailed information about domains linking to your target
• Link Intersect: Discover linking opportunities by finding sites that link to competitors but not to you

Benefits:

• Identify high-quality link prospects based on domain authority
• Analyze competitor link strategies to uncover new opportunities
• Monitor new and lost links to measure campaign effectiveness
• Find toxic links that may require disavowal

Keyword API

The Keyword API empowers users with Moz’s extensive keyword research data, providing insights into search volume, difficulty, and opportunity.

Key Features:

• Monthly Search Volume: Access accurate search volume data for keywords across different countries
• Keyword Difficulty: Understand how challenging it would be to rank for specific keywords
• Opportunity Score: Identify keywords that offer the best balance of volume and difficulty
• SERP Analysis: Examine current search results for any keyword

Benefits:

• Identify high-opportunity keywords that align with business objectives
• Develop content strategies based on search intent and competition
• Prioritize keyword targets based on potential ROI
• Track keyword performance over time to measure content effectiveness

SERP API

The SERP API provides direct access to current search engine results pages, enabling users to analyze ranking positions, SERP features, and competitive landscapes.

Key Features:

• Current SERP Data: Retrieve real-time search results for any keyword
• Rank Tracking: Monitor ranking positions for target keywords over time
• SERP Feature Analysis: Identify which SERP features appear for specific queries
• Competitor Analysis: Examine which domains consistently rank for your target keywords

Benefits:

• Provide clients with accurate ranking reports and SERP analysis
• Identify SERP features to target for increased visibility
• Monitor algorithm updates and their impact on rankings
• Develop strategies to outrank competitors in search results

Why Moz API Stands Out

• Industry Recognition: Moz’s Domain Authority and Page Authority have become universal standards recognized by SEO professionals worldwide.
• Comprehensive Data: Moz provides a more holistic view of SEO performance through its combination of authority metrics, keyword data, and backlink analysis.
• Superior Spam Detection: Moz’s Spam Score offers more sophisticated analysis of potentially harmful links compared to competitors.
• Developer Experience: Moz API documentation is consistently rated as more clear and comprehensive, reducing implementation time.
• Trusted Brand: As an established leader in the SEO industry, Moz carries more credibility with clients and stakeholders.

Step 1: Obtain Your API Key

Before you can make requests to the Moz API, you’ll need to obtain an API key:

1. Sign up for a Moz Pro account at moz.com
2. Navigate to the API section in your account dashboard
3. Generate your unique API key
4. Note your access ID and secret key

Step 2: Making Your First Request

Moz API uses RESTful endpoints that return data in JSON format. Here’s how to make a basic request to retrieve URL metrics:

import requests
import hashlib
import time
import base64

# Your Moz API credentials
access_id = "mozscape-xxxxxxxxxx"
secret_key = "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"

# The URL you want to analyze
url = "https://www.example.com"

# Set up the authentication parameters
expires = int(time.time() + 300)
string_to_sign = f"{access_id}\n{expires}"
signature = base64.b64encode(hashlib.sha1(string_to_sign.encode('utf-8')).digest()).decode('utf-8')

# Make the API request
params = {
    "AccessID": access_id,
    "Expires": expires,
    "Signature": signature,
    "Cols": "103079215108"  # This bitmask includes Domain Authority, Page Authority, and Spam Score
}
response = requests.get(f"https://lsapi.seomoz.com/v2/url_metrics", params={"url": url, **params})

# Process the response
if response.status_code == 200:
    data = response.json()
    print(f"Domain Authority: {data.get('domain_authority')}")
    print(f"Page Authority: {data.get('page_authority')}")
    print(f"Spam Score: {data.get('spam_score')}")
else:
    print(f"Error: {response.status_code} - {response.text}")

Step 3: Handling Rate Limits

Moz API implements rate limiting to ensure fair usage. The specific limits depend on your subscription tier:

• Standard: 25 requests per minute
• Medium: 100 requests per minute
• Large: 500 requests per minute
• Premium: 1000 requests per minute

Real-World Scenario: Pulling Backlink Data for 100 Sites

Using the Moz Links API, you can efficiently collect backlink data across multiple domains while respecting rate limits:

# Process all domains and save results
results = []
for domain in domains:
    print(f"Processing {domain}...")
    data = get_backlink_data(domain)
    if data:
        results.append({
            "domain": domain,
            "linking_root_domains": len(set(link["source_root_domain"] for link in data.get("results", []))),
            "total_links": len(data.get("results", [])),
            "domain_authority": data.get("results", [{}])[0].get("domain_authority", 0)
        })
    time.sleep(1.2)  # Respect rate limits

# Save results to CSV
with open('backlink_analysis.csv', 'w', newline='') as csvfile:
    fieldnames = ['domain', 'linking_root_domains', 'total_links', 'domain_authority']
    writer = csv.DictWriter(csvfile, fieldnames=fieldnames)
    writer.writeheader()
    for result in results:
        writer.writerow(result)

print("Analysis complete. Results saved to backlink_analysis.csv")