Link building is essential for search engine optimisation, and the words you choose as the anchor to your links play a bigger role than many people think.
Search engines don’t just pay attention to where links lead; they also assess what drives users to a link. But what is anchor text exactly?
In this Embryo blog, we’ll delve into what anchor text is and how to utilise it effectively in your content. We’ll also reveal the best SEO practices to ensure your content performs in the SERPs.
What is anchor text?
Anchor text is the clickable text within a hyperlink that redirects a user from their current page to another website or page. Usually highlighted in blue or underlined, this text is distinctly different from the rest of the text on a page, making it clear to users that clicking will redirect them to a different location.
Let’s see an example of anchor text in action…
“Embryo is a Manchester-based SEO agency that specialises in PPC, content marketing and more. We also help businesses elevate their online presence with web development and web design.”
Here, the anchor text in the above sentence is:
- ‘PPC’
- ‘content marketing’
- ‘web development’
- ‘web design’
What are the different types of anchor text?
There are a number of ways to write anchor text, each serving slightly different purposes.
- Exact match – Includes the exact keyword match that the link would rank for. “ Explore our digital PR services”.
- Partial match – Includes a variation of the target keyword integrated more naturally into the text. “Our experts can help strengthen your brand”
- Branded – Clickable brand or company names as the link. “Explore the wide range of marketing strategy services at Embryo.”
- Generic CTAs – Instructions like “click here to get in touch” that offer no topical context.
Why is anchor text important?
There are a number of reasons why anchor text is important to understand and implement correctly, but it serves two major functions.
Search engine context and relevance
The first is that it allows search engines to understand what your content is about and what it is presenting to users. Google and other search engines use anchor text to identify what you’re linking to. From here, it can be determined whether your links are useful and informative or spammy or irrelevant. If you are using anchor text and linking practices effectively, your content is rewarded by ranking higher in the SERPs.
If other pages are using similar wording for anchor text and links, this helps to create further trust and authority for your page.
User navigation and content understanding
Aside from helping search engines, anchor text allows users to understand what they are clicking on before clicking the link. From a UX standpoint, anchor text needs to be clear and relevant to the link it is holding; otherwise, it not only shows bad practices but also leads to confusion for the user.
High-quality anchor text also helps to lower bounce rates and increase users’ engagement times by creating a streamlined user experience.
“Anchor text adds essential context to links between pages, aiding search engines’ semantic understanding as they crawl and index your site. Relevant anchor text also improves user experience, clearly defining what the user should expect when deciding to click a link.”- Glen Morrant – SEO Account Manager
What does anchor text look like in the back end?
The example text in the previous paragraph shows what the user sees. But if you’re a marketer or web developer, you need to know what anchor text looks like on the back end of a website.
Anchor text in HTML looks like this:
<ahref=”https://embryo.com/”>Embryo</a>
The ‘Embryo’ text is the anchor to the link before it.
Anchor text optimisation best practices
In order to ensure your content performs in the SERPs, it’s important to implement the best practices that keep your website recognised by the algorithm.
Ensure a balance of anchor types
It’s uncommon for a website to use exact match keywords every time anchor text is used. Instead, a mixture of branded anchors and partial-match anchors woven into text are used to create the most authoritative backlink profile. Exact match anchors are great for a single high-volume keyword, but are best used sparingly with a mixture of different anchors.
Keep anchors concise and clear
Effective anchor text is short and easy to understand. A few words that indicate the page’s topic and context are enough to make an effective anchor. Always avoid hyperlinking long sentences or singular words unless it is a brand or product name.
Avoid keyword stuffing
Forcing keywords into an anchor or creating spammy anchor text not only deters users from clicking but can also lead to penalisation from Google and other search engines. You should also avoid vaguer phrases like “click here” as this prevents search engines from effectively determining how helpful the content links are. Keyword stuffing is one of the top reasons for content not ranking, so ensuring clear and informative anchor keywords is crucial.
Key takeaways
Anchor text is still an essential pillar for creating accessible, SEO optimised content. By ensuring you use well-crafted anchor text, you can elevate your website’s search visibility whilst also creating the optimal reading experience for users.
If you’re looking for the best methods of increasing your content rankings, take a look at our blog. Alternatively, get in touch with our marketing experts at Embryo today so we can help elevate your online presence.
