What is Anchor Text?

Anchor text is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink. If you link to a page about keywords and the clickable text says "learn about keyword research," that phrase is the anchor text.

Anchor text tells readers what they'll find if they click. It also tells search engines what the linked page is about. Both uses make anchor text an important part of linking strategy.

Why anchor text matters

Good anchor text helps readers decide whether to click and helps search engines understand the relationship between pages. Descriptive anchor text sets expectations - if it says "our guide to blog structure," readers know what they'll find. Vague anchor text like "click here" forces them to guess.

When you link from one page to another, the anchor text acts as a description of the target page. Search engines use this to understand what the linked page is about. If many sites link to your page with anchor text like "SEO guide," search engines learn that your page is relevant for SEO-related searches. This is why backlinks with descriptive anchor text are valuable.

Types and best practices for anchor text

Anchor text can be descriptive ("check our guide on writing blog posts"), branded ("according to Google"), generic ("click here"), or exact-match (using the exact target keyword). Descriptive anchor text is most useful for readers and generally safest for SEO.

Make anchor text specific and relevant - the linked page should deliver what the anchor text promises. Keep it concise (a few words is enough). Vary your anchor text when linking to the same page multiple times. Don't overuse exact-match anchor text; natural variation is safer.

For internal links, use descriptive anchor text that includes relevant keywords naturally. For external links, reference the brand or be descriptive. Avoid "click here" standalone, don't over-optimize with exact matches everywhere, and never mislead readers about where the link goes.