Anchor text: what it is and how to use it for SEO

What is anchor text?

Anchor text is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink. It tells a reader what they can expect after following the link. Search engines can also use that wording as context for the page being linked to. In this example, “anchor text guide” is the anchor:

<a href="/blog/anchor-text">anchor text guide</a>

The words should make sense in the sentence and accurately describe the destination. A link that says “anchor text guide” should lead to a page about anchor text, not an unrelated product page. Anchor text can be a few words or, in some designs, an image; it is the link's accessible description that matters to a visitor deciding whether to click.

Types of anchor text

SEO discussions group anchors by the wording they use. These labels help you review a link profile, but none of them is automatically good or bad. Relevance and natural use matter more than fitting every link into a preferred category.

• Exact match: the anchor uses the target topic or query exactly, such as “anchor text.” It can be clear in the right sentence; repeated exact-match phrases inserted to influence rankings can look unnatural.
• Partial match: the target phrase appears in a longer description, such as “guide to anchor text best practices.” Use it when that is how a person would naturally describe the destination.
• Branded: the anchor names a company or product, such as “MrKeyword.” It is useful when the brand itself is the destination or part of the sentence.
• Naked URL: the visible text is the address, such as “example.com/resources.” This is sometimes practical when sharing a URL, though a descriptive phrase is usually easier to scan in editorial text.
• Generic: wording such as “click here,” “read more” or “this page.” It gives little context on its own. If you use it, make sure nearby text explains what the link opens.
• Image alt as anchor: when an image is the link, its alternative text can describe the linked content for people using assistive technology and provide link context. Keep the alt text accurate to the image and destination rather than stuffing keywords.

A healthy page can contain different kinds of anchors because links serve different purposes. Do not add links just to manufacture a mix. Make each link useful where it appears.

What Google says about anchor text

Google's anchor text guidance recommends descriptive, reasonably concise wording that is relevant to both the source page and the linked page. It advises writing links for people, using natural language, and avoiding generic anchors where possible. Google also warns against cramming keywords into anchor text.

Google's guidance is not a target distribution or a formula for how many links should use a particular phrase. Give readers enough information to understand the link, and make sure the destination delivers what the wording promises. If a link is sponsored or user-generated, use the appropriate link qualification; anchor wording does not replace those attributes.

Best practices for internal link anchors

Internal links connect pages on your own site, so you can choose both the wording and destination. Write an anchor that is specific enough to make sense when someone scans the paragraph, and place it where the destination would genuinely help. For example, a paragraph about linking between related pages can point to a guide on internal linking for SEO.

Vary wording when the surrounding sentences naturally call for it, but do not invent awkward synonyms just to make anchors different. The same clear wording can be right in multiple places. What you want to avoid is a sitewide pattern where exact-match keywords are forced into unrelated sentences or menus.

Check that each anchor leads to the intended live page. A link to a moved page should point to the final destination where practical, and important pages should not be left without useful incoming links. Our guide to finding and fixing orphan pages explains how to locate pages no other page links to.

Backlink anchors and exact-match risk

Backlink anchors are the clickable words on another website that point to your site. You do not control every editorial choice, and a competitor or unrelated site may use wording you would not choose yourself. A variety of anchors is normal because different writers describe a page in their own words.

Pay attention when a large set of links uses the same commercial exact-match phrase in contexts that appear created to manipulate rankings. Google lists links created primarily to manipulate search rankings among its link spam policies. That does not mean one exact-match anchor proves a violation. Review the source pages, whether the links are editorial or paid, and whether any paid or user-generated links are properly qualified.

Start by understanding what backlinks are, then review the sites linking to you with the steps in how to check backlinks. A tool's anchor data is a way to find examples worth inspecting, not proof that a link is harmful. Do not disavow links just because their wording is an exact match; first assess the source and circumstances.

How to review your anchors

1. Choose the scope. For internal links, crawl your own pages and capture source URL, destination and anchor. For backlinks, inspect your referring domains and the pages that link to you.
2. Check the destination. Confirm that the link resolves to the expected, relevant page. Note broken links, unexpected redirects and links that land on unrelated content.
3. Read the context. Does the anchor make sense in its sentence? Does it set an accurate expectation? Is an image link described accessibly?
4. Look for patterns, then inspect examples. Repeated exact-match commercial anchors or generic wording across important links may deserve review, but context matters. Do not judge a link by a label alone.
5. Fix the controllable issues. Improve unclear internal anchors in place, update stale destinations and contact a linking site only when there is a real reason to correct its link.

Use the free backlink checker to inspect external links and referring domains. For a page on your site, the broken link checker can help find links that no longer work. Treat its results as a review list: check the source page and destination before deciding what to change.

Anchor text FAQ

Should every link use a keyword?

No. Describe the destination naturally. Brand names, URLs and generic wording can all occur, but readers should be able to understand the link from its wording or nearby context.

Is exact-match anchor text bad?

No single anchor type makes a link bad by itself. Exact-match wording can be appropriate when it fits. A conspicuous pattern of forced exact-match links created to manipulate rankings is a reason to investigate the links and their context.

How long should anchor text be?

Use enough words to describe the destination without making a whole sentence or paragraph clickable. Google's guidance is to keep anchor text reasonably concise and descriptive, rather than follow a fixed word count.