If you’ve been doing SEO for a while, you probably remember how important anchor text optimization used to be for getting high search engine rankings. But is it still important today?
In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about anchor text—what works best, what to avoid, and why it still matters.
What Is Anchor Text?
“The text you see and click on in a hyperlink is called anchor text. It’s usually underlined and highlighted to show that it links to another website or document. This text is important because it helps readers and search engines understand what the link is about.
Using clear and descriptive anchor text is great for both SEO and user experience. It makes it easier for everyone to know what the linked content is.
For example, if you have a link to the Semrush blog, it’s better to use specific text like ‘Semrush blog’ instead of something generic like ‘click here.'”
Why Is Anchor Text Important?
“Using descriptive and relevant anchor text can boost your website’s Google search rankings and improve user experience.
This is because both readers and search engines can understand what a linked page is about from the anchor text.
In other words:
Good anchor text helps Google understand your website’s structure and how different pages are connected.
For example, if your anchor text says ‘best pizza,’ Google knows that the linked page is about the best pizza.”
However, in this example of anchor text, the text “Click here” provides no context and is not as useful.
You have total control over how descriptive your own material is when you add anchor text. “Best pizza” is far more informative in the example above than “click here.”
8 Types of Anchor Text and How They Work
The eight most typical forms of anchor text that you might utilize on your website are as follows:
Branded
This is the usage of a brand name alone—without any other words—as the anchor text. When referring to a website directly or quoting a source, branded anchor text is effective.
Examples:
- “Use Semrush to check audit your site”
- “Shop at Costco for great deals on your favorite snacks”
- “Visit Café du Monde to try their famous beignets”
Brand + Keyword
In addition to your brand name (or branded phrase), this kind of anchor text also contains an extra keyword or some contextual data.
Examples:
- “Check your backlink profile with Semrush’s Backlink Analytics tool”
- “Tackle two errands at once by visiting Costco’s pharmacy while grocery shopping”
- “Don’t forget to try Café du Monde’s famous beignets while in New Orleans”
Exact Match
When an anchor text is exact match, it contains the exact keyword that the linked page targets.
Using the anchor text “sleeper sofa,” for instance, to link to a page about sleeper sofas.
Examples:
- “Semrush’s guide to link building”
- “Pet supplies on sale at Costco”
- “Gift baskets from Café du Monde”
Be aware that too much exact match anchor text could raise suspicions with Google.
Let’s revisit the “sleeper sofa example.”
Should you consistently utilize the anchor text “sleeper sofa,” Google can find it more difficult to decipher the page’s structure. which may make ranking more difficult.
Partial Match Keywords
A variant of the keyword that the linked-to website targets is included in the partial match anchor text.
This indicates that the linked text contains the target term in full or in part, coupled with a few more words for context.
Examples:
- “Check out Semrush’s guide to link building strategies” (“link building” is the target keyword)
- “Get the best deal on pet food and other supplies” (“pet food” is the target keyword)
- “Shop our popular coffee and beignet gift baskets” (“gift baskets” is the target keyword)
Related Keywords
Similar to partial-match anchor text, related keyword anchor text omits the actual keyword.
Without overusing the same keyword, this kind of anchor text is an effective approach to give context about the page you’re connecting to.
Examples:
- “Learn more about off-page SEO strategies” (“off-page SEO” is related to the topic of “link building”)
- “Save on dog treats and toys today” (“dog treats” and “toys” are related to the topic of “pet supplies”)
- “Explore this fan-favorite New Orleans restaurant” (“fan-favorite New Orleans restaurant” is related to the topic of “Café du Monde”)
Naked Link
When the anchor text for a link is its URL, it is referred to as “naked” anchor text.
Occasionally, they will appear as reference links at the bottom of articles.
Examples:
Readers may find it disorganized and unclear if you use naked link anchor text, so only use it when necessary.
Generic
There are no keywords nor points of reference in generic anchor text. In order to understand what it’s about, users will need to read the surrounding content.
Examples:
- “Click here to read more”
- “View more to get into the details”
- “Find more info now”
Be cautious when using generic anchor text because it may appear spammy. Furthermore, it is useless for informing visitors or search engines about the subject matter of a linked page.
Images
The alt text of an image serves as the anchor text when it is used as a link.
Therefore, you can still click on the anchor text of the image even if it doesn’t load.
This University of Dayton example shows how alt text is used:
Similar to conventional anchor text, alt text need to be evocative and refrain from using too many keywords.
Because it must explain what’s in the image and, on occasion, why it was contextually included in the first place, alt text also tends to be longer than ordinary anchor text.
This is an illustration of a cat scratching post:
Anchor Text Best Practices
After discussing the various kinds of anchor text, let’s examine the best methods for making your anchor text SEO-friendly.
What makes anchor text SEO-friendly is:
- Brief
- Relevant to the page you’re linking to
- Not stuffed with keywords
A few common guidelines for creating strong anchor text are as follows:
Also Read: Step by Step Google Penalty Recovery
Make Sure Anchor Words Are Relevant
“Good anchor text helps Google understand your website’s structure, which can boost your ranking.
It also makes it more likely for readers to click on links if the anchor text is relevant and believable.
Both Google and people can figure out what a page is about by reading the anchor text. Choose words that make the most natural sense.
But be careful not to overdo it with keywords. There’s a fine line between keyword stuffing and optimizing with important keywords.
Here’s an example of anchor text that tells readers what kind of page to expect when they click the link:”
In this instance, a crocheted article is already being read by someone. It makes sense to take visitors to an article on frequently used crochet abbreviations if they click on the anchor term “abbreviation” within the article.
Don’t Over-Optimize Your Anchor Text
“There’s no strict rule for how long anchor text should be in SEO, but it’s best to keep it short. We suggest using no more than five words.
Remember, using too much exact match anchor text can be a red flag for Google.
To get the best results, mix up your anchor text formats. This sounds more natural.
When thinking about anchor text, ask yourself these two questions:
- How can I clearly and concisely describe the linked page?
- Would readers expect to go to the linked page after clicking this anchor text?
Google shows us what overly optimized anchor text and keyword stuffing look like: linking out every chance you get can seem spammy.
Instead of focusing on links first, start by creating informative and engaging content, then add links as needed.
Here’s an example of a good paragraph with effective anchor text:
Opportunities for anchor text appear naturally when you write with readers in mind.”
Pay Attention to Surrounding Text
“Readers can better understand the content you’re linking to by looking at the text around your anchor text.
This also helps search engines get more context.
Google’s algorithm now favors natural language because it aims to provide search results based on how people actually type and speak.
So, it’s important to think about the words around your anchor text.
Think about a time when you were reading and came across a link. You don’t just look at the anchor text; you likely read the whole sentence or even the whole paragraph before deciding to click.
Google does the same when evaluating your page.
For example, the anchor text ‘aiming for 50-55 characters’ doesn’t make sense on its own because it’s just part of a sentence.”
However, the entire sentence—”Aiming for 51-55 characters increases the odds that Google won’t rewrite your title tags”—indicates to both Google and readers that the anchor text has something to do with title tags.
Because of this, Google is better able to deduce from the context of the surrounding sentences what the linked page is about.
Fix Alt Text Issues
Go to the Issues page in Site Audit to see whether any alt text is missing from your website.
When you search for “alt attribute,” the message “x images don’t have alt attributes” will appear.
To determine which picture URLs are causing the issue and what page they are on, click this link (“57 images”).
Make each one’s alt text appropriate.
How to Add Anchor Text
Anchor text in HTML code appears like this:
<a href="http://www.example.com">Anchor Text</a>
With just one click, users of content management systems (CMSs) like WordPress may add, amend, and remove anchor text HTML. Coding is not necessary.
This is how easy it is to do:
Write your content and create a new post in WordPress. After that, underline the words you wish to use as anchors.
Next, select the link icon located in the text formatting bar.
Your plain text will become anchor text when you insert your target link in the box that appears.
Your anchor text should show up on your page with a distinct color to signify that it is clickable as soon as you push publish.
Not a WordPress user?
For other CMSs like Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify, the procedure is comparable.
How to Find & Fix Anchor Text Issues
Although they won’t completely destroy your website, anchor text errors will make it harder for Google to understand what you’re linking to and will make for a bad user experience.
Site Audit can be used to identify and resolve these issues.
Here’s how to do it:
Go to the Site Audit, type in the name of your domain, then press the “Start Audit” button.
Set the number of pages you want checked by adjusting the options in the resulting box. Press the “Start Site Audit” button after that.
After the audit is complete, click the project name to enter your report.
After that, select the “Issues” tab located at the top of the screen.
You’ll notice a comprehensive list of potential problems, alerts, and mistakes.
In order to filter by anchor text concerns, type “anchor” into the search bar.
There could be three notices:
- “# links have no anchor text”: links with bare or empty anchor text
- “# links on this page have non-descriptive anchor text” links that don’t give enough context for the website they link to or utilize generic anchor text
- “# outgoing external links contain nofollow attributes”: links to referred webpages that lack link authority
To view each issue and the page it appears on, click on each of the links:
Use this information to get into your CMS and fix any issues you may be having with your anchor text.
These fixes will appear in your report the next time you run your Site Audit.
Stay on Top of Your Anchor Text
You’re not quite done.
Anchor text optimization is a continuous process that requires continuing consideration and examination. especially if you release content on a regular basis.
Having weekly reports generated automatically is one of the finest methods to maintain control over your anchor text.
Here’s how to do it:
Click the “gear” icon in the upper right corner of Site Audit, then choose “Schedule” from the “Site Audit settings” menu.
The tool will then initiate an audit on your selected day of the week when you click the dropdown menu.
Verify “Send an email whenever an audit is finished.” then select “Save.”
Everything is ready for you.
This allows you to maintain control over your anchor text and maintain a strong, reputable, and user-friendly website.
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