Anchor text is the clickable text of a link. In “read our guide to sourdough”, the underlined words are the anchor text.
Why it matters
Anchor text tells readers and search engines what to expect on the other side of the link. That makes it useful, and easy to abuse. Too many links with the exact same keyword is one of the classic signs of manipulated link building.
Types of anchor text
- Branded: your company or site name (“Linkbuilding.com”).
- Naked URL: the address itself (“linkbuilding.com/pricing”).
- Exact match: the keyword you want to rank for (“buy backlinks”).
- Partial match: a phrase containing the keyword (“where to buy backlinks safely”).
- Generic: “click here”, “this article”, “read more”.
- Descriptive: words describing the page (“our comparison of guest post prices”).
How to choose anchor text
Write the sentence first, then link the words that naturally describe the page. For most sites the bulk of anchors should be branded, naked URLs or descriptive phrases, with exact-match anchors used sparingly. There’s no magic percentage, but if you’d feel awkward reading the sentence out loud, change the anchor.
When you buy a link, the anchor is the one thing you fully control. It’s also the thing that most often gives paid links away. Keep it boring.