Anchor Text

Anchor text is the clickable, visible text in a hyperlink — the part users actually see and click to visit another page. It typically appears as blue underlined text by default, though it can be styled differently with CSS.

Anchor text plays an important role in user experience and SEO, because it gives both visitors and search engines context about what the linked page is about.

Example of anchor text

Here’s what anchor text looks like in HTML:

<a href="https://example.com/seo-guide">Beginner’s SEO Guide</a>

In this example, “Beginner’s SEO Guide” is the anchor text. It gives users a clear idea of what they’ll find if they click the link — a guide to SEO for beginners.

Why anchor text matters for SEO

Search engines use anchor text to understand the topic and relevance of the page being linked to. When many different websites link to the same page using similar keywords in the anchor text, it signals to search engines that the page is authoritative and relevant to that topic.

Effective use of anchor text helps:

• Improve search engine rankings for the linked page.
• Guide users to related or useful content.
• Build semantic connections between pages on your website.

However, overusing or misusing anchor text (especially in unnatural ways) can be seen as manipulative and may lead to penalties from search engines like Google.

Types of anchor text

There are several different types of anchor text:

1. Exact match – Uses the exact keyword you’re targeting.
   Example: Learn more about <a href="/seo">SEO</a>.
2. Partial match – Includes a variation of the keyword.
   Example: Check out our <a href="/seo-guide">SEO guide</a>.
3. Branded – Uses a brand name.
   Example: Visit <a href="https://moz.com">Moz</a> for SEO tools.
4. Naked URL – Uses the raw URL as the anchor.
   Example: <a href="https://example.com">https://example.com</a>
5. Generic – Uses generic phrases like “click here” or “read more.”
   Example: Click <a href="/pricing">here</a> to view our pricing.
6. Image anchor – If an image is linked, the alt text serves as the anchor text.

Best practices for anchor text

• Be descriptive – Use words that clearly explain what the linked page is about.
• Keep it relevant – The anchor should relate directly to the content it’s pointing to.
• Avoid keyword stuffing – Over-optimizing with keywords can look spammy and harm SEO.
• Use natural language – Anchor text should feel like a natural part of the sentence.

In summary, anchor text is more than just a link label — it’s a key part of how users and search engines understand the structure and content of your website. Writing clear, relevant anchor text helps improve SEO and makes your site easier to navigate.