What is Anchor Text and Why is it Important in SEO?

Search engine optimization is one of the most popular marketing strategies for many companies, which of course depends on how important and effective this marketing technique is. More than half of all customer journeys begin with a search on a search engine. Having said that, of course you want to appear high in the search results so that potential customers can find you. This is what SEO is. As they say, if you can’t be seen, you don’t exist.

Search engine optimization, SEO is a rather broad subject that covers many different aspects to succeed. It includes everything from the quality of your content, domain authority, backlinks, your website’s technical aspects, and much more. One of the components of SEO optimization is the use of anchor text.

But what is anchor text, how does it work and why is it important? This is exactly what we will look at in this article.

To maximize your success with SEO, it is necessary to keep track of all the various small details of optimization. Although these may seem unimportant, many times it is the many small details that set you apart from your competition. All these details, including the anchor text, may seem unimportant but can actually have a big impact on your results.

What is Anchor Text?

Anchor text, known as “anchor text” in English, is the text that is visible and clickable in a hyperlink. It is the clear and highlighted text that you click on when there is a link in the text. The main purpose of the anchor text is to provide a brief description of the linked page’s content and to guide both visitors and search engines about the relevance of the link.

When the anchor text receives a link, it is often blue or underlined and acts as a link between the current page and the linked destination. For example, the anchor text could be “Read more here” or “Click for details,” and its wording should be informative and descriptive to give the user a clear understanding of what to expect on the linked page.

Although the anchor text may seem like something that primarily has to do with the user experience and a way to guide users, it actually has a rather important role for SEO – which we will go into in more detail later on.

Examples of anchor text and its use

The anchor text may vary in form and content depending on the specific context and purpose of the link. Examples of different types of anchor text include:

Exact Keywords: Use of specific keywords relevant to the linked page, eg, “Best SEO Practices” for a link to an article about SEO.
Natural language: Using natural and informative text, eg, “Read our latest guide on effective anchor text.”
Brand anchor text: Use of the company name as anchor text, which can be particularly useful to strengthen brand identification, eg, “Visit TLDs for more information.”
When using anchor texts, it is good to be aware of the different ways you can use them and how to think when choosing anchor text.

Of course, there are two different aspects to anchor texts depending on where the link is placed. On the one hand, you have the anchor texts on your own website, and on the other hand, you have the anchor texts on other websites to your own when you build links (and you have the option to choose the anchor text yourself, for example if you write a guest post).

It is also important to distinguish between the anchor text and the link itself as these are not the same thing. The anchor text is the actual text on which the link is placed and the link is the actual URL pointing to the specific page.

Why is Anchor Text Important in SEO?

As we said before, the anchor text is not only a way to guide users, but the anchor text also has an impact on your SEO and how search engines see your website.

First and foremost, user experience is incredibly important in SEO. If your website offers good user-friendliness, the search engines will reward you with better rankings. If, on the other hand, the user experience is bad, it can instead have a negative impact on your ranking.

Well-used anchor texts are a way to improve the user experience on your website. Above all, it is a way to provide users with additional information on various topics smoothly and practically by linking to external resources. For example, if you have an article about winter tires, a link with a clear anchor text that goes to the Transport Agency that contains additional information about when you need winder tires can be a good way to improve the user experience for your users. Having said that, it is important that the anchor text clearly informs the user what they can expect. For example, it could be “read the Transport Agency’s list of rules for winter tires here” or just “You can find more information about winter tires on the Transport Agency’s website”

These examples show how you can make it clear what the user can expect to find when they click on the anchor text link.

Anchor text plays an important role from the perspective of search engines as it acts as a signal about the linked page’s content and relevance. Search algorithms use anchor text to understand the context and topic of the linked page. By analyzing anchor texts, search engines can better understand the connection between different pages and assess their mutual relevance.

Relevance and keyword optimization

When it comes to building backlinks, the anchor text is also important. Because search engines see connections between anchor text and the landing page, you want to use anchor texts that are relevant to your website. The most appropriate thing is to vary the different types of keywords and search terms that you have identified during your keyword analysis. If a website links to your shoe store, it may therefore be appropriate to use the term “men’s shoes” as anchor text as it strengthens the relevance of the link and helps search engines understand that your page is relevant to that keyword. This helps to strengthen your authority and relevance within the terms you use as anchor texts. A good rule of thumb is to use keywords that you want to rank for as anchor texts when building backlinks.

At the same time, it is important to point out that it is important that your link profile looks natural and is diversified. With this in mind, you don’t want to use the same anchor text all the time. Instead, be sure to vary the anchor texts you use for your own backlinks.

Best Tips for Anchor Text in SEO

Selection of relevant keywords

Before choosing anchor texts, it is important to do thorough keyword research, also known as keyword analysis, to identify the search terms most relevant to your website and its content. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or other SEO tools to gain insight into search volumes and competition for different keywords.

Longer and more specific phrases, known as long-tail keywords, can be beneficial for targeting a more specific audience. Include these keywords in the anchor texts to attract more specific and relevant traffic. In other words, you don’t have to use only one word in your anchor texts such as “shoes” or “bike”. You can instead use search terms and even whole sentences.

To strengthen brand recognition and build your brand, in addition to your keywords, you should also include the company name and your brand as anchor text in some links.

Avoiding over-optimization and spammy techniques

Keyword Balance and Diversity: Use a balanced mix of keyword-related anchor text and more generic, informative anchor text to get a more natural link profile. For example, you can mix keywords, sentences, words, your brand, and words such as “click here” or “read more”.
Natural integration: Anchor texts should be integrated naturally into the content so that they create a meaningful context for the user. Avoid using irrelevant anchor text that can be seen as spam by the search engines.

How to Implement Effective Anchor Text

Internal linking strategies

Relevance and user experience: When creating anchor text for internal links, the focus should be on improving the user experience and navigation of your website. Use relevant anchor texts that give the user a clear understanding of the linked page’s topic.

Hierarchical structure: Create a hierarchical structure with anchor texts that reflect the page’s place in the site’s hierarchy. This makes it easier for both users and search engines to understand the website’s structure and content context.

Use the appropriate amount of internal links: Using internal links and linking to credible websites and sources can be positive as it can help increase the credibility of your own site. For example, if you have written an article and then refer to credible pages as sources, search engines may perceive your content as more credible. In these cases, of course, you also want to make sure to use relevant anchor texts.

External links and collaboration

Relevant and authoritative links: When creating anchor texts for external links (backlinks), it is important to focus on relevant and authoritative sources. Using authoritative anchor texts helps strengthen your website’s credibility and authority, which can contribute to improved SEO results.

Relational anchor text: If possible, establish relationships with other websites in your industry to create natural and relevant anchor text. This can increase trust between websites and provide a mutual benefit in the eyes of search engines.

Tools and resources for anchor text analysis

SEO tools to measure data: Use SEO tools like Ahrefs, Moz, or SEMrush to monitor and analyze your anchor texts. These tools provide insights into anchor text performance, link profile, and potential areas for improvement.

Web analytics tools for user behavior: Use web analytics tools like Google Analytics to understand how users interact with your anchor texts. This can provide valuable information about which anchor texts work best and how they affect user behavior on your website.

Anchor text and Responsive Design

Responsive design is important to ensure your website looks good and works effectively on different devices and screen sizes, including computers, tablets, and smartphones. Keep in mind that the vast majority now search engines with their smartphone, which is why Google has taken a “mobile first” approach and rewards the pages that offer a good user experience on mobile. The anchor text must be adapted and optimized to maintain its usability and clarity across different platforms.

Make sure the anchor texts are flexible enough to work on smaller screens without sacrificing usability or clarity of information. Avoid long anchor texts that can be cropped on smaller screens and aim to keep them concise and informative.

Mobile optimization and its impact on anchor text

Mobile users have a tendency to search for specific information and expect fast and clear navigation. Anchor texts on your mobile-optimized page should be well-designed and provide immediate guidance to help users quickly reach the desired content.

Also, anchor texts for mobile devices should be large enough and well separated to avoid typos. It is also important to consider the placement of the anchor texts to avoid overlap or confusion.

When working on optimizing your anchor text, it’s a good idea to regularly test the anchor text’s performance on different devices and platforms. Analyze user feedback and web analytics data to make any adjustments and improve anchor text effectiveness and usability across the spectrum of devices.

Measure Anchor Text Effectiveness

A good tip is to use web analytics tools like Google Analytics to track and analyze the traffic on your website. These tools give you information about how users reach your site, which pages they visit, and how they interact with the anchor texts.

You should also evaluate pageviews and conversions associated with the anchor texts. If a specific anchor text leads to increased interaction or conversion, it can be a sign that it is effective. You should take this information and use similar anchor texts in the future.

KPIs and measurable results

Click-through rate (CTR): Measure the click-through rate of the anchor texts by comparing the number of clicks against the number of impressions. A high CTR indicates that the anchor text is enticing and entices users to click.

Bounce Rate: Bounce rate indicates whether users stay on the page they arrive at via the anchor text or whether they immediately leave the site. A low bounce rate shows user engagement and relevant anchor text.

Organic Traffic Growth: Track changes in organic traffic to the pages the anchor texts lead to. An increase in organic traffic indicates that the anchor texts have positively affected the search engine ranking.

A/B testing and optimization of anchor text strategies

Test different anchor texts: Conduct A/B testing by using different anchor texts for similar pages and compare the results. This can help you identify which wording and strategies are most effective for your target audience.

Adapt according to the results: Based on the A/B test results and the analysis of KPIs, you should adapt and optimize your anchor texts. This may mean changing wording, including different keywords, or adjusting the link context to better match user intent.