What Is Anchor
Text?
Anchor text is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink.
Example in HTML:
html
<a href="https://example.com">SEO Strategies</a>
Google and users both use anchor text to understand:
● The topic of the linked page
● The context of the linking page
● The intent of the link
Section 1:
Anchor Text Fundamentals
1. Types of Anchor Text (Know the
Variants)
|
Type |
Example |
Notes |
|
Branded |
Moz |
Safe
& natural |
|
Brand + Keyword |
Moz SEO tools |
Semi-descriptive |
|
Exact Match |
link building strategies |
High
risk if overused |
|
Partial Match |
best link outreach methods |
Safer
alternative |
|
Related Keyword |
SEO outreach methods |
Semantically
relevant |
|
Naked URL |
https://example.com |
Clear
but not optimized |
|
Generic |
Click here, Read more |
Weak
SEO signal |
|
Image |
Uses
alt text as anchor |
Often
overlooked |
|
Page Title |
Guide to Entity SEO |
Safe
and common |
Tip: Use a balanced
mix across your internal and external link profile.
Section 2: SEO
Roles of Anchor Text
- User Role: Describes what the link leads to
- Search Engine Role: Provides semantic clues to Google for relevance and ranking
Google uses it to:
● Determine the topic of the target page
● Evaluate if the linking
behavior is natural or spammy
Section 3: How
to Optimize Anchor Text
1. Make It Succinct
● Use clear, short phrases (ideally 3–5 words)
● Avoid overly long or
keyword-stuffed text
Good:
SEO strategy guide
Bad: This is a very detailed SEO strategy guide with expert tips for
2025
2. Ensure Relevance
● Anchor must relate to both:
○ The source content (where the link is placed)
○ The target content (linked page)
This improves link relevance and ranking potential.
3. Vary Keyword Density
Avoid overusing the same anchor text:
● Internally or externally
● With exact matches especially
Penguin algorithm penalizes exact-match anchor text spam
4. Avoid Generic Text
● Do not rely on Click here, More info, This page
● These are poor for SEO and user clarity
Section 4:
Internal vs. External Anchor Text
|
Internal |
External |
|
You control it 100% |
You control it partially |
|
Link between your pages |
Link from another domain |
|
Use to pass authority internally |
Use to gain credibility externally |
|
Use varied, relevant anchor phrases |
Don’t manipulate external links |
For external anchor
text, request better links only when
appropriate (e.g., media interviews, partnerships).
Section 5:
Anchor Text Ratios (Safe Practices)
Homepage
/ Service Pages
● 80% Branded
● 10% Partial Match
● 5% Naked URL
● 5% Miscellaneous (e.g., this guide)
Blog
/ Informational Pages
● 30% Branded
● 20% Title tag variations
● 20% Partial Match
● 10% Brand + Keyword
● 10% Random
● 5% Exact Match
● 5% Naked URL
Section 6: How
to Write High-Quality Anchor Text
Checklist:
● Keep it short and descriptive
● Avoid repeating the same
anchors
● Place links where they feel natural
● Surround the anchor with relevant content
● Don’t cram keywords
Section 7:
Avoid Anchor Text Spam
Red flags Google may penalize:
● Repeating the same exact
match anchor text
● Linking to unrelated content
● Stuffing multiple keywords
into the anchor
● Using manipulative patterns
(e.g., link farms)
Tip: Check your backlink
profile regularly using SEMrush/Ahrefs and disavow toxic links if
necessary.
Section 8:
Technical Best Practices (HTML, Design)
● Use <a> tags with visible text
● Don’t leave anchors empty
● For images: use descriptive alt="" text
● Ensure links are underlined / colored (UX best practice)
Tip: Use the Google
URL Inspection Tool to see if Googlebot reads the anchor correctly.
Section 9:
Competitor Anchor Text Modeling
How to do it:
- Use Ahrefs or SEMrush to
extract anchor profiles
- Categorize each anchor (branded,
partial, naked, etc.)
- Study how top competitors distribute anchor types
- Avoid copying spammy or
manipulative patterns
- Model the strategy that trusted domains use
Tools: Ahrefs Site Explorer → Anchors
tab → Export
Section 10:
When Is Exact Match OK?
Okay when:
● Linking to informational definition pages
● The brand is very trusted (e.g., Wikipedia,
Salesforce)
● Page naturally earns exact
match links (e.g., product, topic pages)
Avoid on:
● Local service pages
● Affiliate landing pages
● Commercial pages (unless
branded)
Section 11:
Anchor Text for Geo Pages
If targeting location-based queries:
● Ensure the location is relevant to the linking page
● Only include city/state names
if they add clarity
● Don’t overdo location
keywords
Avoid: best car insurance Toronto, car insurance
Toronto, insurance Toronto → over-optimization
Use
natural variants like:
compare auto policies in your
area
Section 12:
Tools to Audit Anchor Text
Use these tools regularly:
● SEMrush Site Audit → “Anchor Text”
filter
● Ahrefs → Anchors > Distribution view
● Google Search Console
→ Manual Actions
Check for:
● Repeated anchors
● Irrelevant or spammy anchors
● Broken or empty anchors
Final Takeaway
Great anchor text balances:
● User experience
● Search engine clarity
● Natural language
● Keyword variation
And avoids:
● Manipulation
● Over-optimization
● Repetition
Summary
Checklist
|
Task |
Description |
|
Choose anchor text based on page type |
Branded for homepage, varied for content |
|
Use varied anchor types |
Branded, partial, generic, naked, title |
|
Write naturally |
Concise, contextual, relevant |
|
Avoid spam |
No stuffing, no link farms |
|
Audit anchor profiles |
Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush |
|
Design for UX |
Underlined and visible |
|
Add supporting context |
Keywords near the anchor help Google |
In Details
What is Anchor
Text?
Anchor text is the clickable part of a link — the actual words that are hyperlinked.
Example:
html
<a href="https://yourwebsite.com">learn more about SEO</a>
Here, "learn more
about SEO" is the anchor text.
Why It’s Important:
● Tells users what the linked page is about
● Tells Google the topical relevance of the destination
● Helps SEO rankings if used correctly
● But can trigger Google penalties if used incorrectly
(especially in backlinks)
SECTION 1:
TYPES OF ANCHOR TEXT (Know the Variants)
Understanding the different
types helps you avoid over-optimization and keeps your link profile
natural.
|
Anchor Type |
Example |
Use |
|
Branded |
Nike, Moz |
Best for homepage and brand references |
|
Exact Match |
buy running
shoes → links to /buy-running-shoes |
Risky if overused |
|
Partial Match |
affordable
shoes for runners |
Safe and natural |
|
LSI / Related |
footwear for
athletes |
Semantic variation |
|
Brand +
Keyword |
Nike running
shoes |
Natural and descriptive |
|
Naked URL |
https://nike.com |
Safe but weak for SEO |
|
Generic |
click here, read more |
Not recommended |
|
Image Anchor |
Image with alt text as anchor |
Must add alt text properly |
|
Page Title |
The Ultimate
Guide to SEO |
Common, safe for internal linking |
SECTION 2: HOW
TO USE ANCHOR TEXT PROPERLY
1. Make Anchor
Text Clear and Descriptive
The anchor should clearly
tell the user what’s on the next page.
Good:
“best SEO tools for beginners”
Bad:
“click here” or “this page”
2. Match the
Anchor with the Target Page Content
The anchor must be topically
related to the destination page.
Google evaluates this match to judge relevance.
3. Use a
Variety of Anchor Types
Avoid using the same anchor text repeatedly across your site
or backlinks.
Mix of:
● Partial match
● Related keywords
● Branded terms
● Page titles
Avoid patterns like:
● 100% of your links use “best
SEO company”
● All internal links go to one
page with the same anchor
4. Don’t Overdo
Exact Match
Exact match anchor text = using the exact keyword you want to
rank for.
Example:
“buy noise-canceling headphones” linking to that exact
keyword page.
Google’s Penguin
algorithm penalizes:
● Sites with unnatural patterns
● Sites with high % of exact
match links (especially from external sources)
Safer:
“explore top headphones with noise-canceling tech”
5. Use Anchor
Text in Context
Google uses the surrounding
text of the anchor too.
Always place links:
● In the middle of relevant
paragraphs
● Not hidden in footers or
menus
SECTION 3:
INTERNAL vs EXTERNAL ANCHOR TEXT
Internal Anchor
Text
Links between pages within
your website.
Benefits:
● Distributes authority (“link
juice”)
● Helps Google crawl &
understand structure
● Improves UX by guiding users
You have full control,
so you can:
● Choose exact wording
● Avoid overusing exact match
● Create clusters around topics
External Anchor
Text
Links from other
websites to yours.
Here, you have limited
control.
Best Practices:
● If doing outreach, suggest natural anchors like page title or
branded terms
● Avoid paying for links with
spammy anchor patterns (this violates Google’s link spam policy)
SECTION 4:
ANCHOR TEXT RATIOS
Recommended Distribution (General)
|
Type |
% in Natural Profile |
|
Branded |
40–60% |
|
Partial Match |
15–25% |
|
Naked URL |
10–15% |
|
Exact Match |
1–5% (be cautious) |
|
Generic |
<5% |
|
LSI / Related |
5–15% |
These are not fixed
rules — adjust based on:
● Site niche
● Existing link profile
● Target page type
SECTION 5: BEST
PRACTICES FOR WRITING GOOD ANCHOR TEXT
|
Do This |
Why |
|
Be specific |
Google rewards clarity |
|
Keep it short (2–6 words) |
Easier to read and scan |
|
Add value in context |
Helps UX and SEO |
|
Use sentence flow |
Reads naturally |
|
Check link matches the anchor topic |
For trust and ranking accuracy |
Avoid:
● Repeating keywords
word-for-word
● Linking to irrelevant pages
● Using the same anchor in sidebars repeatedly
SECTION 6: COMMON ANCHOR TEXT
MISTAKES TO AVOID
Keyword Stuffing:
“best digital marketing services for SEO in New York”
(forced and awkward)
Link Farming:
Multiple links with the same anchor pointing to many
poor-quality domains.
Irrelevant Linking:
Linking “best email marketing tools” to a dog food
product page.
Hidden Links or Poor UX:
Links in footers, white-on-white text, or in widgets —
these are red flags to Google.
SECTION 7: HOW
TO AUDIT YOUR ANCHOR TEXT (Step-by-Step)
- Use tools like:
○ Ahrefs
→ Site Explorer > Anchors
○ SEMrush
→ Backlink Audit
○ Screaming
Frog → Internal links
- Create a spreadsheet:
○ Column A: Page URL
○ Column B: Anchor Text
○ Column C: Type (Branded,
Exact, Partial…)
○ Column D: Target Page
○ Column E: Link Source
- Review patterns:
○ Too many exact match?
○ Spammy anchors from poor
domains?
○ Duplicate links in
headers/footers?
- Action:
○ Update internal anchors for
variety
○ Disavow spammy external links
if needed
○ Create fresh content with
balanced anchor strategy
SECTION 8:
Geo-Targeted Anchor Text Best Practices
If you're optimizing for local
SEO, be cautious with location-based anchors.
Bad:
● “best plumber New York City”
on every link
Good:
● “licensed plumber in NYC”
● “our NYC emergency plumbing
service”
Don’t overuse city names in every link. Use natural variations.
SECTION 9: Tools for Monitoring and
Optimization
|
Tool |
Use |
|
Ahrefs |
Anchor text profile of competitors |
|
SEMrush |
Toxic link audit with anchor review |
|
Screaming
Frog |
Internal anchor distribution |
|
Google Search
Console |
Manual actions for link spam |
|
Surfer SEO /
Clearscope |
Internal link suggestions with NLP support |
Final Master
Checklist for Anchor Text SEO
|
Task |
Details |
|
Know anchor types |
Use 5–7 variations per page |
|
Match context |
Link relevance = SEO power |
|
Avoid over-optimization |
Especially for exact matches |
|
Mix internal/external anchors |
With natural language |
|
Audit regularly |
Disavow toxic patterns |
|
Optimize image anchors |
Add meaningful alt text |
|
Track performance |
CTR, rankings, crawl data |
.jpg)
.jpg)
