Anchor text is one of the most common terms used among SEO experts. It is helpful in linking two web pages. If you are not aware of what is anchor text, its importance or types you will find it all here.
So, let’s get started:
What is Anchor Text?
Anchor text is visible text that is clickable in a hyperlink. The link is usually highlighted with different colour (mostly blue or red) and underlined. So the reader can know it will redirect to another page with relevant content.
The text provides the context to the linked content, and it is crucial for the search engine and the user to understand the relevance of the link. Therefore, it is recommended to use descriptive anchor text for better user experience and SEO. The relevancy shows what exactly the link is about and how it is connected to the content.
For instance, if you are linking the blog to the main SEO Syrup blog page, it is important to use descriptive anchor text like “SEO Syrup blog page” rather than using a general anchor text “red here” or “click here.”
What is the importance of anchor text?
Descriptive and relevant anchor text helps to improve the performance of a website, increase user engagement and eventually improve the ranking of websites on Google. It provides a better user experience that is helpful in conversions as well.
It all happens because, with descriptive and relevant anchor text, both user and search engine bots try to determine what a linked page content is about. Simply put, an appropriate anchor text is helpful for search engine algorithms to have a better understanding of site structure. It also provides more context about how various pages on the website are related.
For example, by using “best Chinese recipes,” Google will understand that the page is relevant to food and is specifically about recipes for Chinese food.
On the contrary, the anchor text words like visit here, click here and read here have zero help as they do not give any information and are not considered valuable.
Hence, the anchor text that gives useful context to the visitor and search engine is considered good anchor text compared to the links with words like “click here.”
Types of Anchor Text:
There are different types of anchor texts that can be used in the content and prove to be helpful in SEO. Let’s have a look:
Branded Anchor Text:
The branded anchor text means, when a brand name or word is used as an anchor text without any more additions. The branded links are best used in the text when you are referring to a link or source directly on the webpage.
- To know more about alt text visit “SEO Syrup.”
- Shop for the best experience in London at the “XYZ store.”
- Visit “Café ABC” to enjoy the best donuts in town
Keyword with Brand name:
The second type of anchor text used in the website content consists of text that includes the brand name and the keyword to give you better information about the linked webpage. For instance:
- Check out the latest “Samsung reviews” to choose the best model.
- Start your health journey with “Nike running shoes.”
- Now get all the grocery solutions while purchasing medicine at “xyz pharmacy at Fleet Street.”
- Do not forget to try “Café ABC coffee” while in London.
Exact Match:
Exact Match is an anchor text that uses exact keywords to the page it links for targeting.
For instance,
- SEO Syrup Guide to Google Business Profile
- Cat supplies on sale in London
- Buy Christmas gift baskets from West One
However, using the exact anchor text in balance is important, as Google may view the exact match as a red flag. For instance, use the cat supplies on sale example again.
If you repeatedly use the anchor text “cat supplies” or “cat supplies on sale,” the search engine has a difficult time determining the structure of the webpage. Therefore, the page ranking becomes challenging.
If you continuously use the anchor text “sleeper sofa,” Google may have a more challenging time determining the structure of the page, making it harder to rank.
Image Anchor text:
When any image on the web page is used as a link its alt text acts like an anchor text. So, even if the image does not load, the anchor text can be clicked on, and visitors can view the image. However, ensure that anchor image text is relevant and descriptive and abstains from excessive usage of keywords.
It is important to note that alt text is usually longer than anchor text, as they are needed to describe what is in the image and why it is placed in the first place.
Partial Match Keywords:
The partial match keywords are the text that includes different keywords to link to the targeted page. It means that the target keyword is entirely or partially included in the linked text and consists of a few other words for adding relevance to context.
For example:
- Check out the SEOSyrup guide on image alt text and how to use it (image alt text is the target keyword in this content)
- Get the best sale offers on cat food and other pet supplies (cat food is the target keyword)
- “Shop the best Christmas and Easter gift baskets at Oxford Street (gift baskets is the target keyword)
Related Keywords:
The type of anchor text is a little bit similar to the partial match anchor text, but here, it does not include the actual targeted keyword. The related anchor text is considered one of the best types as it offers context to the page you are linking without using the keywords excessively. For instance;
- Learn more about Meta descriptions in our latest blog (Meta description is related to the blog on Meta tags)
- Save big on cat supplies and toys (cat supplies and toys are related to the cat supplies topic)
- Explore the new themed restaurant at Notting Hill
Naked Link:
Naked anchor texts are the URL links used as the anchor text in any content. These links are often given as reference links at the end of the web content or blog. For instance;
Make sure that naked anchor texts are only used when required and relevant, as they can create a messy and confusing look for the readers and leave a bad impression on SEO.
Generic Anchor texts:
Generic anchor texts do not add any keyword or point to any specific reference page. The user has to read the text in its surroundings to know about page nature and how it is relevant to the context. For instance;
- To know more, click here
- Find more details now
- Click to get more information
However, general or generic anchor text does not have any worth in Google algorithms as they do not offer any explanation about the page. Therefore, if you use generic anchor text, use them sparingly, as they are often considered spammy.
Conclusion:
So that’s all about what is anchor text, its importance and its types. With smart use of any anchor text type like exact match or brand name, the website can get more chances of a high ranking and engage users to stay longer on the website.
