Anchor Text
The visible, clickable text in a hyperlink.
Description
Anchor text is a crucial element in the SEO industry as it helps search engines understand the context and relevance of the linked content. When used effectively, it can improve the ranking of a webpage in search engine results pages (SERPs). The words contained in the anchor text help search engines determine the subject matter of the linked page, affecting how it is indexed and ranked. Proper use of descriptive, relevant anchor text can enhance user experience by providing clear expectations of the content that will be accessed upon clicking the link.
Examples
- Descriptive Anchor Text: If you are writing a blog post about healthy recipes and link to a page with fruit smoothie recipes using the anchor text 'fruit smoothie recipes,' it clearly indicates to both users and search engines what the linked page is about.
- Generic Anchor Text: Using anchor text like 'click here' or 'read more' is less effective for SEO because it does not provide context about the content of the linked page. For instance, 'click here for more information on digital marketing strategies' is less descriptive compared to 'digital marketing strategies.'
Additional Information
- Avoid over-optimizing anchor text by using too many exact-match keywords, as this can be seen as manipulative by search engines.
- Use a variety of anchor text types, including branded, generic, and long-tail keywords, to create a natural linking profile.