What Is Anchor Text?
The anchor text or link text is the clickable text in an HTML hyperlink on a web page. It explains the content of the linked page or resource to both users and search engines. The term “anchor” comes from the earlier versions of HTML specification where the <a> element was called “anchor”. Now it’s known as a Hyperlink. When images are used as links on a webpage, Google treats the alt-text of the image as anchor text for the link.
What are the most common types of Anchor text?
While there isn’t a single classification system, here are the 7 most commonly used types of anchor text in SEO.
- Exact match anchor text – Exact match anchor text is an anchor text that uses the exact keyword that the linked page is trying to rank for. For example, if a page is linked about running shoes, the exact match anchor text would be “running shoes”.
- Phrase Match Anchor text – It contains the keyword phrase that the linked page wants to rank for. The phrase match anchor text includes target keywords and additional context, like “SEO Tips” for a page targeting “SEO.”
- Partial match anchor text – It Uses a variation of the keyword that the linked page is trying to rank for. The target keyword is included in part or in full in the linked text, along with a few more words to add context. For example, instead of “best running shoes,” a partial match anchor text could be “high-quality shoes for running”.
- Branded Anchor Text – It uses only the brand’s name as link text. This type of anchor text works well when citing a source or linking directly to a website. Examples include “Visit Social SEO Team for Free SEO Audit of your website” or “Shop at Amazon to get great deals on your favorite snacks”. In the above examples, only the brand names “Social SEO Team”, or Amazon, are used as link text.
- Generic anchor text – It is a non-descriptive anchor text that uses general phrases such as “click here,” “read more,” or “learn more.” It does not provide any specific information about the content of the link. Here are examples of Generic anchor text being used in different contexts:
Calls to action: Click here, Learn more, Read more, Visit our website
Simple descriptions: Link, Info, Source
Vague directions: Here, This page
Generic phrases: For more information, See more. - Image alt-text as an anchor text – On a webpage, when images are used as links, their alt text becomes the anchor text. Images are generally used as links for logos, icons, product images, buttons, and interactive elements, to enhance user engagement.
- Naked URL – A naked URL is a hyperlink that displays only the URL of the linked page and doesn’t contain any anchor text. For example, a naked URL for the Social SEO Team’s website would be https://socialseoteam.com.
Why is anchor text important?
Anchor text is very important for user experience as it provides the users with context for the linked resource and lets them know what to expect when they click on a link.
Similarly, for search engines like Google, the anchor text provides additional context about the linked page or resource, which can affect the page’s overall ranking. Sometimes the page can be indexed by Google based solely on the anchor text and URL!