What are anchor texts?
Anchor text is the visible text you click on in a hyperlink. It can be a word, a phrase, or a company name that is highlighted in color or underlined to show that it takes you to another page. In other words, anchor text serves as a link between two web pages, but it does much more than simply create a connection. They tell both users and search engines what to expect when they follow the link. This means that how you phrase your anchor text is important for both user experience and search engine optimization (SEO).
Technically speaking, anchor text consists of the text enclosed between link tags in HTML:
<a href="url">Ankertekst</a>This is the text you see on the website that links to an internal or external page. When working with digital content and SEO, it’s important to understand how search engines interpret this text and the role it plays in your overall link-building strategy.
How do you use anchor text?
You use anchor text to provide meaning and context for your links. When you link from one page to another, you should word the text so that it accurately describes the destination page. This helps both the reader and Google understand the context. For example, if you have an article about keyword analysis and you mention tools like Google Search Console, you can create an anchor text such as “view keyword data in Google Search Console” instead of the generic “click here.” This way, you show what the user will see when they click—and at the same time, you strengthen the semantic link between the pages.
From a broader marketing perspective, many marketing teams use anchor text as part of a long-term link-building strategy. The goal is to create a relevant internal link structure and build external links that signal quality and relevance to Google’s algorithms. When anchor text is planned in conjunction with SEO and content marketing, a natural synergy emerges between editorial content and technical optimization. This results in both better visibility in search results and more user-friendly navigation.
That's why you should use anchor text
Anchor text serves a dual purpose. They direct users where you want them to go, while also telling search engines what the link is about. This makes them essential for SEO because Google uses them as signals when assessing how relevant a page is to a given keyword. By varying your anchor texts naturally, you can help your pages rank for different search phrases without risking over-optimization.
From a strategic standpoint, well-chosen anchor text also helps reduce the bounce rate and increase engagement. Users are more likely to click through when the link text is relevant to their information needs. In other words, your anchor text guides them further through the content, which enhances the overall user journey. This applies to blog posts, white papers, and product descriptions alike—short, clear, and contextual links create cohesion in your digital content.
What types and varieties are available?
You can vary your anchor texts in several ways. Variation is important because search engines prefer natural link patterns. Here are the most common types:
- Exact match: The anchor text matches the keyword you’re optimizing for, such as “women’s shoes.”
- Partial or phrase match: Contains the keyword as part of a longer phrase, such as “women’s shoes.”
- Branded: Use of a company name or URL, e.g., “Amplify.”
- Generic: Non-specific text such as “read more” or “click here,” which should be used sparingly.
- LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing): Related words and synonyms that provide linguistic variation.
- Long anchors: Longer, natural phrases that include keywords, such as “read how to optimize your anchor text correctly.”
A classic recommendation is to keep exact-match links to a minimum. As a rule of thumb, you can limit them to a small percentage of your overall link profile and supplement them with branded and phrase-based variations. This creates a natural link pattern that both users and algorithms perceive as credible.
How do you use anchor text in practice?
In practice, working with anchor text involves analysis, measurement, and ongoing adjustments. You can use tools like Google Search Console to see which text is most commonly used to link to your website. This gives you insight into which words external sites associate with your brand and your topics. If you’re doing more in-depth link building, a tool like Ahrefs can help you see the distribution of different anchor text types and identify overrepresentations of specific keywords.
Internally, you can create a spreadsheet where you note which types of anchor text you’ve used for different pages. This gives you an overview so you can ensure that the link structure aligns with your content strategy. When you combine this with an analysis of SEO data and perhaps insights from your SEM efforts, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of how organic and paid channels support each other in your digital strategy.
What should you keep in mind?
You should avoid using the same anchor text too many times, especially in external links. Repetitive links can lead search engines to suspect manipulative link building. Therefore, make sure to vary your anchor texts, and let the wording of each one flow naturally within the context. At the same time, you should avoid empty or misleading phrases such as “click here.” They don’t provide any context and reduce the link’s value—both for the user and for Google.
Finally, remember that quality trumps quantity. A single relevant link with good, descriptive anchor text can be worth far more than a hundred ill-considered links. When you integrate SEO, content marketing, and branding, anchor text is therefore the key to connecting user-friendly content with a strong technical structure. This gives you better visibility in search results and a more cohesive digital experience for your visitors.
