What is Anchor Text? SEO Best Practices

Definition

Anchor text is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink. It is typically displayed in a different color (usually blue) and underlined to distinguish it from surrounding text. When you see a phrase like "learn about broken links" in a sentence, the words "learn about broken links" are the anchor text.

Anchor text serves two purposes: it tells users what to expect when they click the link, and it tells search engines what the linked page is about. This dual role makes anchor text an important factor in both user experience and SEO.

Types of anchor text

• Exact match — the anchor text exactly matches the target page's main keyword. Example: "301 redirect" linking to a page about 301 redirects.
• Partial match — the anchor text contains the keyword along with other words. Example: "learn how to set up a 301 redirect".
• Branded — uses the brand name as the anchor text. Example: "Broken Link Scan" linking to the homepage.
• Generic — non-descriptive text like "click here", "read more", or "learn more". Provides minimal SEO value.
• Naked URL — the raw URL is used as the anchor text. Example: "https://brokenlinkscan.com".
• Image anchor — when an image is wrapped in a link, the image's alt attribute serves as the anchor text.

Anchor text and SEO

Search engines use anchor text as a ranking signal. The text of a link helps search engines understand what the target page is about:

• Relevance signal — descriptive anchor text helps search engines categorize and rank the linked page for relevant queries.
• Internal linking optimization — using clear, descriptive anchor text in your internal links helps search engines understand your site structure and content relationships.
• Over-optimization risk — using exact-match anchor text excessively in external links can trigger Google's spam filters. A natural anchor text profile includes a mix of types.

Anchor text and broken links

When a link breaks, the anchor text becomes a valuable clue for fixing it. If a broken link has the anchor text "WordPress migration guide", you know exactly what type of content the link was supposed to point to — making it much easier to find a replacement URL.

During a broken link audit, always review the anchor text of each broken link. It helps prioritize fixes: a dead link with descriptive anchor text on a high-traffic page is more urgent than a generic "click here" link on an archived post.

Best practices

1. Be descriptive — write anchor text that clearly describes the linked page. Avoid generic phrases like "click here".
2. Keep it concise — anchor text should be a few words to a short phrase, not an entire sentence.
3. Make it natural — anchor text should read naturally within the surrounding content.
4. Vary your anchors — use a mix of anchor text types for a natural linking profile.
5. Fix broken anchors — regularly scan for broken links and update both the URL and anchor text when fixing them.

Good anchor text improves both user experience and SEO. Run a free scan to find broken links on your site and review their anchor text for better fixes.