Where exactly do you use links when doing link-building work for your website? Anchor texts are words or phrases that provide important information for both search engines and users about where the link you point to is going. Especially when Google spiders are crawling your website, it is very important to use effective and relevant anchor texts to give them easily scannable information about the subject / category of the links.
As the Seorative team, we are with you in on-site optimization steps, technical improvements, and of course at every stage of link building. The work we offer covers all the details, from anchor texts to the content is compatible with SEO in general. Check out the detailed guide we have prepared for you to discover more!
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What is anchor text?
Anchor text can be named in two or three different ways. Let’s take a look at the alternative names first:
- link label
- link text
This type of text is a word or group of words that carries a link and can be read by the person. Anchor texts containing keywords related to the page that the link is referring to are often used in link-building studies. Because instead of adding a link to the content naked, adding it with anchor text will be much more beneficial in terms of both branding and SEO.
Why is Anchor text important?
As it is known, anchor texts are among the ranking factors considered important by Google. These texts, which tell both readers and Google bots that scan your content, what the internal or external link you provide is about, contribute to the process of increasing the authority of your site. Remember, this is important for the user, not just Googlebot, because the user will want to see a relevant clue before going from one page to the next.
Types of Anchor Text
There are many different sorts of anchor texts that may be found on the internet nowadays. While some of them are beneficial for SEO on a website, others should be limited in number to avoid spam and search engines’ mistrust of the page. So it is safe to say that you should use anchor texts to your advantage but also keep an eye out on the quantity of them.
Exact-match
When it comes to SEO ranking, this is the most significant form of anchor text. In many cases, it is enhanced with a localization factor, and it represents the exact match keywords that a website wants to target. It is a highly effective anchor text that delivers significant SEO value and helps to raise the ranking of a website. Exact match anchors, on the other hand, should not be misused. In search engines’ views, exact match anchor text is immediate, and when used in large quantities, it may be considered spam.
Partial-match
A partial match anchor text type may include a keyword for a specific page. In it, you’ll find a variant of the term from the linked website. It also includes some additional words that are used to create long-tail variations of keywords.
Branded
Sometimes brand inquiries and brand names are included in the anchor text. The usage of anchor texts in the form of the brand and the target inquiry is good in terms of increasing the signals for the brand. It is quite handy and straightforward to use. It will be sufficient to utilize your brand name and a keyword in the same sentence.
Naked Link
When a link is created without the use of any keywords, the anchor text is referred to as naked anchor text. They are also called naked URLs.
Generic
A generic anchor text is a broad, general term that does not include the keyword that is being referenced in the link. This includes phrases such as “click here”, “this site”, and “this article”. They usually call the visitor to action.
Image
It is possible that the pictures used on the site have an Anchor Text type. You may guide the user to the location you want them to go by assigning a link to the picture you created. When an image is linked, Google utilizes the text included inside the image’s “alt” property to serve as the anchor text for the link.
Anchor Text Keyword Density
While it is crucial to include keywords into your anchor text wherever feasible, you should exercise caution when it comes to keyword density. Over-optimized anchor text seems unnatural and may result in you being penalized by search engines. Keeping keyword density modest and avoiding excessive use of exact match anchor text are smart practices. Including your anchor text in material that is as relevant to the term you are targeting is critical to your success! This is because the backlink you get from material that has a poor degree of affinity with the term you are seeking will do more damage than good for your website.
How to use Anchor text?
For the easiest way to use anchor text, first, write strong content. In this content, add a short note about this topic in an area where the user might want to learn more.
So, here is an example of anchor text, after giving a recipe for a dessert cooked with pears, appeal to those who want to explore the main dishes that can be cooked with pears. Ask them a call-to-action question like “Are you ready to see the best pear recipes?” and embed the link of your desired web page on the word “best pear recipes”.
It’s that simple!
This is the primary method of placing a strong and relevant anchor link that looks organic to both Google and users. When placing an anchor link, make sure that it does not look artificial and paid. Especially if you get paid backlinks while doing off-page SEO, it should be your priority for the published content to look organic.
Anchor Text and Google Algorithms
Google aims to detect harmful or non-organic link-building efforts with various updates. Google Penguin, on the other hand, can be defined as a Google tool that examines the overall work of anchor text diversity, link relevancy, and link building. Important updates that concern both SEO experts and webmasters are also made through Google Penguin.
So, which link and anchor text formats are risky for your site, according to the latest updates?
- Exact match anchor text structures that are clearly paid or not organic
- Anchor texts that appear spammy (click here, see here)
- Links from malicious websites
Do these seem a little confusing to you? In fact, understanding anchor text is about understanding the working and crawling principles of Googlebots. After all, anchor texts are structures that give Google clues about the link structure to follow. If you want Google not to perceive your site and your content as spam and to believe that it creates organic and useful content, you need to professionally manage the content marketing and link-building process.
Luckily there’s the Seorative team for that! Contact now and let’s strengthen your site together!
