What is Anchor Text? And How to Optimize It?

When it comes to optimizing your online content for search engines, every detail counts. While keywords and link profiles are certainly important, it’s also important to consider how links are presented. Anchor text, or the clickable words that constitute a link, can make a major difference in search engine rankings. Once you’ve mastered the art of utilizing anchor text, you’ll have better luck achieving your SEO goals.

What Does An Anchor Text Look Like?

Anchor text typically appears as blue, underlined text. Each website manager, however, can alter the appearance of anchor text according to their tastes. Sometimes the anchor is not underlined, and it isn’t always blue. The important thing is that it stands out from the surrounding text so that readers know it’s a link. The anchor should also change its appearance when a user puts their cursor over the text, either by changing color or becoming underlined. This alteration confirms a reader’s assumption that they’re dealing with a link.

Why Are Link Texts Important For SEO?

Anchor texts, also called link texts, can affect how Google and other search engines rank your content. Search engine algorithms use internal links to make sense of a website’s layout. When you link from one page to another within your site, the link text will help Google understand the topic of the linked page. Relevant, user-friendly link texts will also make your site easier to navigate. This adds value to the site, which in turn improves your ranking with search engines and also helps in Local PR.

How Anchor Text Influences Search Engine Rankings

Google and other search engines rank content according to their algorithm’s judgment of how valuable the content is to users. When links bring readers to additional pages that are relevant and informative, user experience improves. Anchor text that succinctly and clearly states a destination page’s content will make it easier for readers and search engine algorithms to navigate the site. This added value will boost the site’s ranking, allowing your content to appear higher on search result pages.

What Are Internal Links?

An internal link takes users from one of the pages in your website to another. They’re called internal links because they keep users within a single site. Internal links help users navigate a site’s content. They also make it easier for search engines to make sense of the site and rank the site’s various pages.

What Are Backlinks?

Backlinks send users to your content from external pages located outside your site. When a user visiting another site clinks the anchor, they’re sent immediately to your page. Not only does this send users directly to your content, but it will also help your search engine ranking by attesting to the legitimacy of your site. This higher ranking gives your content a better placement on search result pages.

How Does Anchor Text Affect Internal Links?

The link text bringing users from one part of your site to another can impact how Google indexes the site. Google and other search engines will have an easier time ranking your content if it’s able to determine which pages on your site are related to others. An anchor that clearly states what another page is about will make this process more effective. Take, for example, an internal link that brings users to a page about the dangers of keyword stuffing. If the anchor contains the words “keyword stuffing,” users and Google alike will understand the purpose of the link. Not only will this improve your Google ranking, but it will also increase click-through rates on your site.

How Does Anchor Text Affect Backlinks?

The link text for your content’s backlinks also affects your internet search ranking. Search engines use anchors to help determine the value and relevance of a link. You can boost your ranking by including a variety of anchors among your backlinks. Imagine, for example, that you’re selling fishing supplies. If all your backlinks have the anchor “tackle shop,” your ranking will suffer from the lack of variety. Having some anchors that say “tackle shop” and others that say “bait shop,” will help your ranking.

Different Kinds Of Link Text

When indexing a site, Google’s algorithms differentiate between various types of anchor text. Understanding what sets these types of anchors apart can help you optimize your site.

Generic Anchor Text

A generic anchor includes no keywords or specific information about the page. Typical generic anchors include “click here,” “read more,” and “more info.” While such basic text doesn’t reference the specific nature of the link, it can still prove effective. The clear, actionable language draws attention and actively encourages users to click.

Branded Anchor Text

Branded anchors typically include the name of your brand. Such a direct, obvious anchor can effectively attract attention. Google also recognizes that branded anchors represent legitimate links, not disingenuous spam. While most branded anchors include the actual name of a business, Google will also consider the names of prominent individuals within the company as brands.

Whenever you create branded anchors, it’s important not to over-optimize the link text through keyword-stuffing. Too much optimization can actually count against your search engine ranking. Make sure your branded anchors include just a single name or company, and don’t add dates, places, or descriptors.

Exact Match Anchor Text

An exact match link text will include the exact keywords that the destination page is targeting. Take, for example, a link that brings users to a page about lawn fertilization. If the link text is “lawn fertilization,” the exact keywords that the destination page has been optimized for, then it qualifies as an exact match link text. While these anchors can certainly be helpful, it’s important not to overuse them. If every anchor is an exact match with your keywords, you could be penalized for keyword-stuffing.

Naked Anchor Text

A naked anchor consists of nothing more than the URL of the destination page copied from the power bar and pasted within your content. With naked anchors, there’s no need to consider what text would constitute a match with your keywords. Pasting the URL and making it clickable is all there is to it. While this is hardly the most attractive way to present a link on the page, naked anchors help SEO since Google knows there’s nothing spammy going on.

How Do I Create Anchor Text?

Before creating link text, it’s important to consider your strategy. Ask yourself how to make your content appear on result pages when a user conducts an internet search. Choose between branded anchors, naked anchors, and anchors that serve as a match with your target keywords. Once you’ve written the perfect link text, highlight the text, click the link button on whatever platform you’re using, and paste the URL of the destination page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Anchor Text

What Anchor Text Means?

Anchor text refers to the clickable text that encompasses a link to another page. These anchors are often colored or underlined to distinguish them from the rest of the text. Creating the right link text should be a major part of your SEO strategy. A properly optimized anchor makes your content more likely to appear when users search for certain keywords.

What Is Anchor Text In SEO With Example?

Anchor text, also called link text, is the text that appears with a link to another webpage. Some anchors match the keywords for another page within your site, while others are generic or correspond to your brand. Using the right link text can help optimize your website, improve your ranking, and make it easier for users to find your content when they search for information online.

Imagine, for example, a website for a company that sells winter apparel. Let’s say a blog post about winter style includes a link to the company’s winter hat category page. The text for this link could say “winter hats,” which is a perfect match with the keywords that the winter hat category page was targeting. Since it contains the exact keywords targeted by the other page, it qualifies as exact match anchor text.

What Is Anchor Text And Why Is It Important?

Anchor text is the colored or underlined text marking a link to another page. Choosing the right link texts for links can help your content appear when internet users search for information. As Google’s crawlers search and index your site, they’ll be able to understand the layout and rank your pages properly.

How Do You Anchor Text?

If you’re planning to create anchor text, you must start by deciding which type of link text you’d like to use. Branded and generic anchors are clear and persuasive. Creating a perfect match with the exact targeted keyword from the destination page, meanwhile, could increase relevancy. Once you’ve chosen between these options, you can type the text you intend to serve as the anchor. Then, highlight the text, click the link icon, and paste the web address of the page you’re linking to. As you can see, creating link text is a quick, easy process.