What Is Anchor Text?
Anchor text is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink. When you write "use our free keyword density checker", the words "keyword density checker" are the anchor text. It appears as a clickable underlined link in the browser.
Anchor text matters for SEO because Google uses it as a strong signal about what the linked page is about. If hundreds of pages link to a page using the anchor text "keyword density checker", Google understands that page is about keyword density checking — which helps it rank for that term.
Types of Anchor Text
- Exact match — the anchor text exactly matches the target keyword (e.g. "keyword density checker" linking to your keyword density checker page)
- Partial match — includes the keyword with additional words (e.g. "free keyword density checker tool")
- Branded — uses your brand name (e.g. "SearchRankTool")
- Generic — non-descriptive phrases like "click here", "read more", "learn more"
- Naked URL — the URL itself used as anchor text (e.g. "searchranktool.com")
- Image anchor — when an image is the link, Google uses the alt text as the anchor
Anchor Text Best Practices for Internal Links
For links within your own site (internal links), use descriptive anchor text that accurately describes the target page. This helps both Google understand your site structure and users understand where a link will take them.
Avoid: "Click here to learn more about optimising your title tags."
Better: "Learn how to optimise your title tags and meta descriptions for better click-through rates."
Anchor Text for External Backlinks
For backlinks from other sites, a natural backlink profile should have variety:
- ~30–40% branded anchors ("SearchRankTool", "your brand name")
- ~20–30% partial match anchors
- ~10–20% generic anchors ("click here", "this article")
- ~10–20% naked URLs
- ~5–10% exact match anchors
A backlink profile with 80% exact match anchors looks unnatural and manipulative to Google — it is a pattern associated with link schemes. Penguin (Google's algorithm that targets link spam) specifically targets over-optimised anchor text profiles.
The "Click Here" Problem
Generic anchors like "click here" and "read more" are a missed opportunity. They tell Google nothing about the destination page. Replace generic anchors with descriptive ones whenever possible — it takes 10 seconds per link and improves both SEO and accessibility (screen readers read anchor text aloud to visually impaired users).
Anchor Text and Readability
Good anchor text is also good writing — it flows naturally in a sentence and accurately describes what the user will find if they click. Use our Readability Checker to review your content and ensure your links read naturally within the surrounding text.