Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsiTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
A strong anchor text strategy makes links easier to understand and use: describe the destination clearly, keep the wording concise and relevant, and use a normal crawlable link. Keywords can appear when they genuinely help explain the destination, but repeating them mechanically is not a sound strategy.
What anchor text is and why it matters
Anchor text is the visible, clickable wording of a link. It gives readers a clue about what they will find after clicking, and it gives search engines context about the linked page. Google describes effective anchor text as “descriptive, reasonably concise, and relevant to the page that it’s on and to the page it links to.” Google’s link best practices explain how to apply that guidance.
Links also help Google discover pages. Google recommends that every page a site owner cares about have at least one link from another page on the site. Anchor wording is therefore one part of a useful linking practice: it helps explain a destination, while the link itself can help people and search engines reach it.
How to write effective anchor text
- Know the destination. Open or otherwise verify the page you are linking to, and identify what a reader will actually find there.
- Name the useful subject. Draft a short phrase that accurately describes that destination. For example, link the words “Google’s link best practices” when the destination is that guidance, rather than using an unexplained “click here.”
- Check the phrase on its own. Read the anchor without the surrounding sentence. A reader should be able to form a reasonable expectation of the linked content.
- Read the whole sentence aloud. The anchor should fit ordinary prose. Add context nearby where it helps, but do not repeat the same terms awkwardly around the link.
- Keep it focused. Include enough wording to make the destination clear without turning a long stretch of unrelated copy into one link.
Should you use keywords in anchor text?
Use a keyword when it naturally describes the linked page and helps the reader understand why the link is relevant. Do not insert a target phrase simply because you want to influence rankings. Google explicitly advises against cramming related keywords into anchor text.
#1 Best Overall
There is no universal percentage or required mix of exact-match, partial-match, branded, or generic anchors established by the cited Google guidance. Judge each link by its clarity, relevance, concision, naturalness, and usefulness—not by an invented ratio.
Place links where they have context
Anchor text works alongside the words around it. Put a link in the sentence where the resource helps the reader, and make the sentence explain its relevance. Avoid clustering several links together when readers cannot tell which destination answers which question.
Rank #2
For internal links, consider whether important pages have a relevant incoming link from another page on your site. A link should be useful in that specific context, not added just to increase the number of links.
Recommended Free Tools
Make sure links work for people and crawlers
- Use a standard link: Google generally can crawl an
<a>element when it has anhrefthat resolves to a real address. - Check rendered links: If JavaScript supplies link text or behavior, verify the rendered page so the visible wording and destination are present as intended.
- Describe linked images: For an image that functions as a link, provide meaningful
alttext representing the linked destination; Google can use that text as anchor text. - Make links distinguishable: Readers should be able to recognize that text is clickable, and the link should lead to the destination its wording promises.
Avoid manipulative or untrustworthy links
Google’s spam guidance treats links created primarily to manipulate rankings as link spam. Its examples include paid articles, guest posts, or press releases with optimized anchor text. That is a warning about engineered manipulation, not evidence that any particular natural phrase automatically triggers a penalty.
For links to external resources, Google advises pointing to sources you trust. If you cannot trust a resource but still choose to link to it, Google recommends using nofollow or a similar annotation. User-generated links should receive an appropriate annotation through the site’s content management system.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
