Anchor text is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink that users click to navigate from one webpage to another. It is often underlined and displayed in a different color from the surrounding text.
Anchor text plays a crucial role in search engine optimization (SEO) because it provides both users and search engines with context about the content of the linked page.
Why It Matters in SEO:
Search engines like Google use anchor text to understand what the linked page is about. Relevant and descriptive anchor text can help improve the ranking of the target page for specific keywords. On the other hand, misleading or over-optimized anchor text (like keyword stuffing) can harm SEO and may lead to penalties.
Types of Anchor Text:
- Exact Match: Uses the exact keyword the linked page is targeting (e.g., “SEO tools” linking to a page about SEO tools).
- Partial Match: Includes a variation of the keyword (e.g., “best tools for SEO”).
- Branded: Uses a brand name (e.g., “Moz”).
- Generic: Uses general text (e.g., “click here” or “read more”).
- Naked URL: Uses the full URL as the anchor text (e.g., https://serpforge.io/).
- Image Anchor Text: When an image is linked, the alt text acts as the anchor text.
Best Practices:
- Use descriptive and relevant anchor text that reflects the content of the target page.
- Avoid generic terms like “click here” unless absolutely necessary.
- Keep anchor text natural and avoid keyword stuffing.
- Link to high-quality, relevant pages to enhance user experience and SEO value.
Example:
In the sentence:
“Check out our latest guide on link building.”
The anchor text is “link building”, which tells both users and search engines what the linked page is about.
