Anchor text
What is anchor text?
Anchor text is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink that connects one webpage to another. When you see text on a website that's typically blue and underlined (though colors and styles can vary), that's anchor text. For example, in the HTML code <a href="https://example.com">Learn more about our services</a>, the phrase "Learn more about our services" is the anchor text. When someone clicks on this text, they're taken to the linked destination. Anchor text serves as both a navigational element for users and a contextual signal for search engines about the content of the linked page.
How does anchor text affect SEO?
Search engines use anchor text as a significant ranking signal to understand what the linked page is about. When many sites link to a page using similar anchor text, search engines interpret this as a strong indication that the page is relevant for those terms. For instance, if numerous websites link to a page using the anchor text "best chocolate cake recipe," search engines will likely rank that page higher for searches related to chocolate cake recipes. This relationship between anchor text and rankings makes it one of the most powerful off-page SEO elements. However, search engines have become increasingly sophisticated in detecting manipulation, so natural variation in anchor text is now essential for a healthy link profile.
What are the different types of anchor text?
Exact match anchor text uses the precise keyword or phrase the target page is trying to rank for, such as "women's running shoes" linking to a page selling that product. Partial match anchor text contains the target keyword along with other words, like "affordable women's running shoes for beginners." Branded anchor text uses a company or website name, such as "Nike" or "Runner's World." Generic anchor text includes phrases like "click here," "learn more," or "read this article" that don't contain specific keywords. Naked URL anchor text displays the full URL as the clickable text, such as "https://example.com/running-shoes." Image anchor text uses the alt text of an image when the image itself serves as a link. Each type serves different purposes in a balanced linking strategy.
How do you optimize anchor text for better rankings?
The key to effective anchor text optimization is maintaining a natural, diverse profile that prioritizes relevance and user experience. Make your anchor text descriptive and contextually appropriate to the linked content—if you're linking to a page about coffee brewing methods, use text like "pour-over coffee techniques" rather than generic phrases like "click here." Vary your anchor text types across your site and encourage diversity in inbound links to avoid over-optimization penalties. Keep anchor text concise, typically between 2-5 words, focusing on readability. Ensure the anchor text accurately represents the destination content to maintain user trust. For internal linking, strategically use keyword-rich anchor text to help search engines understand your site structure and content relationships, but always prioritize what makes sense for real visitors reading your content.
What are common anchor text mistakes to avoid?
Over-optimization is the most dangerous anchor text mistake—using the exact same keyword-rich anchor text repeatedly across multiple sites signals manipulation to search engines and can trigger penalties. Avoid keyword stuffing within anchor text; phrases like "best SEO services best digital marketing agency top rankings" appear unnatural and harm user experience. Irrelevant anchor text that doesn't match the destination content confuses both users and search engines—if your anchor text says "dog training tips" but links to a page selling kitchen appliances, you've created a poor user experience. Using generic anchor text like "click here" or "read more" too frequently wastes SEO opportunities and provides no context about the linked content. Neglecting anchor text in internal linking strategies limits your ability to establish topical relevance between pages on your site. Finally, avoid hiding anchor text or creating misleading links that take users to unexpected destinations, as these practices violate search engine guidelines and damage user trust.