What is anchor text? How to use it effectively

For SEOers, the idea of what anchor text is is no longer unfamiliar. But getting the best results from anchor text is not something everyone who does SEO also works. Many people still assume that all you need is to build a large number of links keyword anchor text links to climb Google's rankings. But spamming too many links can earn you a Google warning or even a penalty. In this article, MONA Media shares how to use SEO anchor text most effectively. Let's get into it.

What is anchor text?

Anchor Text is also known as Anchor Link, Link Label, Link Text or Link Title. It is the visible text of a hyperlink: when you click it, you go straight to another web page or a URL new one. Used well, it helps you raise your CTR and guide users through to conversion in a subtle way.

Normally you can't tell which page or URL a link will take you to. Anchor text tells you what the page or URL is about. It is usually styled differently from the surrounding text, typically blue and underlined.

For example: MONA Media

Some SEOs hide that visual cue, so the color only changes when you hover over the phrase. Anchor text plays a major role in website SEO. Every site that wants to optimize for search and grow its views uses link text.

Why does anchor text matter?

Before Google Penguin algorithm updates, anchor text is still one of the simplest ways for Google to understand how relevant a websiteis. Webmasters can also use anchor links to improve SERPs.

Google Search Console, for example, lets you see the link labels most widely used in links pointing to your site, which helps you optimize. But many people abused this, forcing Google to update its algorithm, so anchor text can now be penalized when it is spammy or over-optimized.

Don't worry, though: link titles are still useful, even more than before. All you need to do is use anchor links correctly.

To do that, you first need to understand the types of anchor text so you can apply each one properly.

How important is anchor text in SEO?

Anchor text matters a lot in SEO. Used with a sensible density and in the right situations, it brings several benefits, such as:

• Helps you rank higher in search results (SERP) and compete better with rivals.
• Guides users by placing anchor text in the right keywords contexts. This also supports keyword SEO.
• Natural, varied anchor text in each article also improves user experience, which is a key SEO factor and the whole purpose of anchor text.

All these benefits support higher rankings. Visitors stay on your site longer and follow your anchor links to other URLs willingly. It also helps reduce bounce rate. Combined with in-depth content and a strong CTA, it makes it easier to turn visitors into buyers.

What are the common types of text links?

Before learning how to use anchor text, you need to know all its types so your text links look natural. MONA has put together a list of 12 common types. Let's go through them.

Brand anchor text

As the name suggests, brand anchor text is a link title containing your brand name. It is one of the safest anchors you can use, as long as your website is not an exact-match domain.n canonicals.

Example:

• MONA Media – brand name
• MONA Media SEO services

As you can see, most large websites use brand anchor text to build brand awareness.

Anchor Text chung chung

Generic Anchors is the most widely used type of anchor text, found on almost any website. Generic link text looks like this:

• See more
• Visit here
• here
• Click here
• Details
• Learn more
• …

Put simply, this type of anchor text works like a call to action (CTA).

Naked link anchor text

What is naked link anchor text? Known in English as Naked Link Anchors or URL anchor text, this type uses the full URL as the anchor text and contains the link itself. Google rates this way of placing anchor links highly.

Example: https://mona.media/

No Anchor Trick

No Anchor Trick means using no text. The simplest way is to attach the link to an image in the article. It is a small trick that many SEO specialists and large websites use when optimizing website content.

Image anchor text

Image anchor text or Image Anchor, is an HTML element used to embed images in websites. The <img> tag is the most common way to add images to a website and customize them with various attributes.

Note: Google uses the “ALT” attribute as the link title for an image. So if you leave it empty, your link title will be “no Text”.

→ See more: What is the Alt tag? A guide to optimizing image Alt tags for SEO

Brand plus keyword anchor text

This type of SEO anchor text includes both the brand name and the main keyword, so it is fairly safe and effective. It feels natural and many people use it.

Example: MONA Media is the brand name and Content Marketing services is the target keyword. The brand plus keyword anchor text would then be: “MONA Media Content Marketing Services”.

If you are running a content campaign on your website without results, or want to do Content Marketing to promote your brand but don't know where to start, take a look at content marketing services at MONA Media today.

Related anchor text (LSI)

LSI stands for Latent Semantic Indexing, meaning the related keywords, also called variations of the main keyword, such as synonyms and terms related to the keyword's meaning and content.

To find LSI keywords, you can use Google's suggestions or Google Keyword Planner. Or you can run search engine on your industry or service, and Google will automatically suggest related keywords people often search for.

Long anchor text

Long anchor text ? This is essentially a longer, extended version of partial match anchor text. Long-tail keywords, a long phrase reads more naturally and draws more attention.

Example: Full-scope SEO services are services that…

Exact match anchor text

What is exact match anchor? Exact match anchor text is simply your keyword. It has a big effect on boosting keyword rankings. However, it needs a sensible anchor density or Google may penalize you.

Example: If the main keyword is “full-scope SEO services” then the exact match anchor is also “full-scope SEO services”.

-> Read next: What keyword density is good for website SEO

Partial match anchor text

What is partial match anchor? This anchor text contains the keyword but not in exact form. It is also seen as a natural way to link to another website.

Example: If your main keyword is "dịch vụ SEO" (SEO services), your partial match anchor could be "dịch vụ SEO tổng thể" (full-scope SEO services) or "dịch vụ SEO uy tín" (reliable SEO services).

Synonym anchor text without the keyword

These anchors are synonym anchors that do not contain the exact keyword you are optimizing for. They help prevent over-optimization and strengthen your exact match anchors.

Industry keyword anchor text

Simply put, this anchor text points to the field you work in, creating a close relevance that makes Google think more highly of your site.

Uses of industry keyword anchor text project:

• Varied anchor text
• Helps Google better understand the topic of the article
• Makes it easy to push keywords to the top without the risk of over-optimization

Example: If the main keyword is "SEO services", you can use broader industry keywords such as Marketing, SEO, search engine optimization, or more specific industry keywords such as: SEO Onpage, Backlinks, Internal Link,…

What anchor text density is good for SEO?

Above, MONA walked you through the types of anchor text. Each type needs a different level of visibility.

So here is our research on the recommended anchor text density for each article, for your reference:

• Anchor text with the exact keyword works best, but this type should only be kept at 1% – 5%.
• For anchor text with secondary keywords, density should be around 12% – 15%.
• For anchor text with generic keywords, keep density at only 10% – 15%.
• For image anchor text, no more than 10% of the article content.
• URL anchor text is very important and should be used at 10% – 15%
• Anchor text placed under brand keywords can go up to 35% – 40%.
• For LSI plus partial match anchor text, the ideal density is 12-14%.
• For industry anchor text plus long anchor text, use only 1-3%.
• Overusing exact match anchor text will get you penalized by Google. The SEO standard for this type of anchor text is from 5 – 8%.

Study each type of anchor link and how to set the right density for each case. To know whether your density is right, check the state of your anchor text. One of the core techniques of anchor text is adjusting it to keep the density reasonable. 

How to check anchor text density

As noted, anchor density matters a great deal in SEO. Besides placing link titles sensibly, check your density regularly to see whether it is still appropriate so you can fix problems early. So which tools can check anchor text?

There are many tools for checking anchor text ratios. We suggest you pick well-known tools such as Ahrefs, moz, semrush… to check anchor link density for your website.

Then open the tool and enter the website address or URL you want to check. The tool shows the full anchor text data. These SEO tools will also send a report with the percentage of each anchor text and related information.

Some tools are free and some anchor text checkers are paid. SEOs can choose whichever suits them.

How to create SEO anchor text

How do you create anchor text in SEO? To use varied anchor text, first build a set of keywords related to the main keyword. You can use keyword research tools such as:

• Google Keyword Planner
• Keywordtool.io
• Ahrefs
• LSI
• Google Suggest
• Google Search Console

Once you have a list of related keywords, split them into specific groups:

• Long-tail keywords
• Synonym keywords
• LSI keywords
• Modifier keywords
• …

Finally, to create anchor text, just remember this simple HTML:

<a href=”Link to the page you want to send visitors to”> Your anchor text</a>

In WordPress, to create an anchor link, just highlight the text and click the link button on the toolbar, or press Ctrl+K and paste the link.

How to insert SEO anchor text sensibly

SEO experts recommend optimizing anchor text sensibly for the best results. Below is our guide to optimizing anchor text and raising its CTR.

Research anchor text keywords

Keyword research to insert anchor text. Besides searching on Google, you can also use tools such as Keywordtool.io, Ahrefs or LSI. You will find many groups of synonym, modifier, related and long-tail keywords to use in your anchor text.

Keep anchor text concise

Use the right link text for each purpose. Whatever technique you use, keep anchor text short, concise and precise. Readers should know at a glance what the link is about. This helps raise conversion rate and makes your URL navigation look more professional.

Anchor text relevant to the page content

Anchor text unrelated to anything on the page or in the article is a no-go. Users almost never click these anchors. Neither users nor Google will think well of anchor text placed so carelessly.

Don't link to harmful websites

As we know, Google is strict about links. If you link to a harmful or untrustworthy website, a Google penalty is hard to avoid, because you have sent users to a low-quality site.

So research any site thoroughly before linking to it. If you do link to an untrustworthy page by mistake, remove the link at once and check its ranking and traffic. Our advice is to link only to pages with a score of ≤100k.

If you must link to another website for extra information but don't want the link to count toward your SEO, use the feature nofollow.

→ See also: An effective link building strategy for your website

Anchor text placed in the right context

Anchor text must fit the context of the article and the section where you place it. That is what sparks the reader's curiosity and helps them find further information on what they are searching for. Anchor text that doesn't match the context or content may be seen as spam.

Say you have the text link “skin care”. The linked site should then focus on skin care methods and tips.

Use varied anchor text

Don't use anchor text with the same keyword everywhere. Use a range of keywords and meanings to enrich your articles. Readers find it more interesting, and Google also thinks well of how you place anchor text and use SEO keywords.

Keep anchor text density reasonable

What is anchor text density? By now you should know. Above, we covered in detail the density to use for each type of anchor. Go over the allowed percentage and Google will see it as spam. In serious cases your website may be penalized by Google.

Optimize ALT tags

Optimizing the tags that describe images helps Google understand what each image is about. You can also use an image as anchor text.

To optimize ALT tags well, choose one main keyword and combine it with a specific description of the image. Make sure the ALT text also reads as a natural description.

Guide to building LSI anchor text

Building LSI anchor text is an effective SEO technique for increasing your site's credibility and relevance to search engines. LSI anchor text consists of keywords related to the main topic of the content, used to link to other pages on your site or to external websites.

Below are three common types of anchor text and how to use them effectively in your SEO strategy:

Anchor Text chung

Anchor Text chung are general keywords with no direct link to the topic of the content. Generic anchor text is usually used to encourage readers to take an action but gives little information about the destination page. 

Say the target keyword is “SEO services” and the link title is “here”. You need to choose relevant, appealing link titles to attract clicks. But don't overuse a dull link title such as “here”. Vary it with other wording such as “see details”, “we look at”, “sign up now” and so on to keep things fresh and interesting for readers.

brand anchor text

Brand anchor text uses keywords that carry the name of a brand, business or organization. For example “Google“, “Facebook“, “UNICEF”,… Brand anchor text is usually used to build credibility and brand recognition for a website.

Example: If the target keyword is “full-scope SEO services” then the link title would be “Full-scope SEO services by MONA SEO”

-> Tips: To get better results from anchor text, learn about Topic Cluster and effective image SEO tips.

Naked link anchor text

Naked link anchor text uses the URL, or part of the URL, of the destination page as the keyword.

Example: For the target keyword “SEO services” the anchor text is “mona.media“, which gives: “At mona.media, with our SEO services, we create real business results for companies”

Using co-occurrence is a must for any link title, even an exact match one. Naked link anchor text also gets better quality when the link title matches the article content, because Google can tell how well a link fits without you giving its bot many link titles.

Strategies for using anchor text effectively

Anchor text is an important SEO factor, but do you know how to use it well? Below are strategies for using anchor text that have been shown to deliver good results:

Create social media backlinks

You can create backlinks by registering accounts on well-known social networks and placing backlink to your target website, for example the MONA Media Facebook page.

Using these social sites with a URL, brand or generic anchor text spreads your anchor tags more evenly, and also helps your SEO dominate on Google Maps.

In addition, most of these social media backlinks are nofollow, which also helps balance your dofollow and nofollow ratio.

Forum backlinks

Backlink forum are backlinks created on online forums. You can join forums related to your field or industry and place a link to your website in your signature, posts or profile. These forum backlinks help Googlebot see that you are trying to be part of the community.

To use forum backlinks effectively, follow these principles:

• Choose forums on related topics with many members and posts, and with flexible rules on links.
• Join discussions, give feedback, answer questions or share experience on the forums.
• Write high-quality, valuable posts relevant to the forum topic.
• Place links to your website naturally and sensibly within your posts.
• Don't spam or post too many promotional links, as this annoys users and can get you banned from the forum.

Blog comment

One way to create backlinks is to comment on blogs related to your website's topic. You can use anchor text in comments to link to your site, but keep these points in mind:

• Choose high-quality, reputable blogs with a lot of traffic.
• Leave valuable comments that show interest in and understanding of the article. Don't spam or advertise.
• Use natural anchor text, don't over-optimize keywords, and don't use the same anchor text for many backlinks.
• Change the anchor text from post to post. Don't use the same anchor text in all your comments.

Use backlinks from Web 2.0

Web 2.0 sites let users create and share personal content, such as Blogspot, WordPress, Tumblr and Medium. You can create Web 2.0 sites, publish content related to your website's topic under a personal brand, and then use anchor text to link to your website.

Some points to note when using Web 2.0 backlinks:

• Create high-quality Web 2.0 sites with good design and engaging content.
• Post regularly and keep content up to date.
• Use anchor text that fits the Web 2.0 site's content. Don't over-optimize keyword anchor text or use the same anchor text for many backlinks.
• Create Web 2.0 sites related to your website's topic.

Private Blog Network (PBN)

PBN is a network of websites created to build backlinks for a main site. PBN domains are often bought from sites Google has removed from search results or that have stopped operating. PBNs are considered a high-risk SEO strategy, because Google can detect them and penalize your website if you use them carelessly.

Some points to note when using a PBN:

• Choose PBN sites with high DA (Domain Authority) and PA (Page Authority), good quality backlinks and good traffic.
• Create PBN sites with content related to your website's topic.
• Use natural anchor text, don't over-optimize keywords, and don't use the same anchor text for many backlinks.
• Hide your PBN sites. Don't expose IP addresses, whois data or other signs that let Google know you are using a PBN.

FAQ

1- What is an anchor link?

It is a link attached to anchor text that sends users to another website or another URL.

2- When you use a 301 redirect, does anchor text pass over too?

The answer is Have. That also means that when you redirect 301 a website that has spammy anchor text, that spam passes to your new website too. And if anchor text is over-optimized, Google can penalize your website.

3- How do you avoid over-optimization when redirecting an old site to a new one?

There are two ways to avoid a Google over-optimization penalty when using 301 anchor text:

• Method 1: Make sure the new website has plenty of brand, naked link or generic anchor text, so the move doesn't trigger over-optimization.
• Method 2: Build up brand, naked link or generic anchors for the new domain before you make the move.

Building a set of related keywords, varied content and fitting anchor text is the most important thing to do when using anchor text for SEO. For the most reliable results, you can also consider the SEO services from MONA Media. We have a professional SEO team that thoroughly solves SEO problems, including anchor text issues. In detail, MONA's SEO service offers these benefits: Solid on-page SEO techniques, SEO Offpage,… Technical audits and fixes for your website A range of SEO strategies: keyword set SEO, Local SEO, and more Building brand recognition effectively with SEO Marketing solutions that fit your business best. Access to MONA's large backlink resources. Regular detailed reports and result statistics. And there is much more waiting for you to discover. MONA's SEO service is rated the number 1 SEO service on the market, and has helped more than 12,000 clients businesses in Vietnam and abroad increase revenue by more than 300 times with SEO alone.  Your business can achieve this too. Please CONTACT US us on the hotline 1900 636 648 for website SEO quote and get advice on the most effective SEO strategies. Contact information: Address: 1073/23 Cach Mang Thang Tam, Tan Son Nhat Ward, Ho Chi Minh City Hotline: 1900 636 648 Email: info@themona.global

Above, MONA has given you detailed information on what anchor text is and how to create and use it sensibly for strong SEO results. We hope this helps you understand how to do SEO and succeed on your SEO path.