Anchor text is the visible, clickable text found in a hyperlink, typically highlighted and underlined, serving as a link to another webpage or document.
Utilizing descriptive anchor text can work wonders to enhance user experience and SEO. It can help users and search engines to easily comprehend the content of the linked resource. Failing to use anchor text or resorting to generic phrases like "click here" is not a good SEO strategy.
For example, the anchor text “best office cleaner in Singapore” tells Google that the page that they will be referred to is about the office cleaner in Singapore. On the other hand, text like “click here” gives zero context about what kind of page the anchor text will bring you.
Why is Anchor Text Important?
Contextual Relevance
Anchor text provides context about the linked content, assisting search engines in understanding the relationship between different web pages. This helps search algorithms determine the relevance of the linked page to the topic or keyword, which can help to influence search rankings.
Enhance User Experience
Descriptive and relevant anchor text will help users to be able to understand what to expect from the linked content before clicking. It guides them seamlessly through a website's navigation, enhancing user experience and reducing bounce rates.
Improve SEO and Ranking Signals
Well-optimized anchor text can also contribute to improving the SEO aspect of a website because it can help signal the relevance of the content to search engines. It impacts how pages are indexed and ranked in search results. This can potentially help to boost visibility and traffic.
Link Building Strategy
Last but not least, anchor text also plays an important role in link building efforts. When other websites use specific anchor text to link to your content, it strengthens the credibility and authority of the page, impacting the site's SEO positively.
What are the Types of Anchor Text You Should Know?
There are six most common types of anchor text that you should know of. Understanding each of them can help you to implement the usage of anchor text in the right way.
1. Exact Match
Anchor text is an “exact match” if it includes the exact keyword that you used on the page it is linking to.
Example: Linking to a web page about professional cleaners in Singapore using the anchor text professional cleaner.
2. Partial Match
Includes variations or parts of the keyword phrase, along with some additional words that are used to add more context.
Example: You should hire the best professional cleaner in Singapore
3. Branded
Branded anchor text means that you simply use the brand name as the anchor text without any other words for added context.
Example: Hire Cardinal Digital to improve your SEO strategy!
4. Naked Link
Simply displays the URL as the anchor text.
Examples: https://www.cardinaldigital.com/
5. Generic
Generic anchor text doesn't have any keywords that can be a reference of where the anchor text will take the user. It only contains generic words like "click here" or "read more.”
Example: Click here for more info!
6. Related Keywords
The anchor text for the keywords resembles partial-match anchor text but excludes the exact keyword itself. It serves as a useful means to offer context about a linked page without repetitively using the same keyword.
Example: Get the most experienced cleaning service in Singapore with ease!
What are the Best Practices to Optimize Anchor Text?
To ensure that you utilize anchor text in the right way, you should follow the best practices that we have listed below. This can help improve user experience, and increase organic traffic to your site.
- Relevance: Ensure the anchor text aligns contextually with the linked content.
- Succinct: Though there isn't a specific length limit for anchor text, it's important to keep the link succinct.
- Variety: Use a diverse range of anchor text types to appear natural and avoid over-optimization.
- Avoid Overuse: Be careful when using exact match anchor text. Make sure to not overdo it, as it can lead to penalties from search engines.
- Natural Flow: Be mindful when choosing your anchor text. The anchor text needs to fit naturally within the content without disrupting readability.
- Accessibility: Ensure the anchor text is descriptive for users who rely on screen readers or have accessibility needs.
Cardinal Digital for Better SEO!
If you want to improve your page’s anchor text or get an in-depth analysis of your website’s anchor text optimization, you should reach out to Cardinal Digital to get started.
Our SEO services will be able to guide you along the way and provide you with well-crafted anchor text that can contribute significantly to your site SEO efforts!
