Anchor Text
Also known as: Link Text, Link Label
The visible, clickable words in a hyperlink. Anchor text tells both users and search engines what the linked page is about, so it passes topical context along with link equity. It applies to internal links between your own pages and to external backlinks pointing to you from other sites.
Key Takeaways
- Anchor text is the visible, clickable words in a hyperlink.
- It tells users and search engines what the linked page is about, passing topical context.
- It applies to internal links between your own pages and to external backlinks from other sites.
- Descriptive anchor text helps engines associate a target page with relevant terms.
- Generic anchors like "click here" carry no context, and exact-match over-optimization can look manipulative.
How It Works
When a page links to another, the words inside the link act as a label. Search engines read that label as a hint about the destination's topic, so a link reading "beginner running shoes" tells them more about the target than a link reading "click here." This context travels with the link equity a page passes along.
Internal anchor text is fully within your control and is a strong relevance signal. Using descriptive internal anchors helps steer crawlers toward priority pages and can rescue an Orphan Page, a page with no internal links pointing to it, by giving it a route in. Pairing that with a clear Title Tag on the target reinforces the subject.
External Backlink anchors are different, because other sites choose them. A natural mix of branded and descriptive anchors is healthy, while many identical exact-match keyword anchors from outside sites can look engineered and invite link-spam scrutiny.
Why It Matters
Descriptive anchor text helps search engines associate target pages with relevant terms and helps users predict where a link leads. Internal anchor text is a strong, fully controllable relevance signal for steering crawlers toward your priority pages.
Example
A blog post about trail running links to its shoe guide using the anchor "best trail running shoes for beginners" instead of "read more." Search engines gain a clear topical signal about the target page, readers know exactly where the link leads, and the internal link helps that guide rank for related searches while connecting it into the site's structure.
Common Mistake
Using generic anchors like 'click here' or 'read more' that carry no context, or over-optimizing external anchors with exact-match keywords, which can look manipulative and trigger link-spam scrutiny.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is anchor text in SEO?
Anchor text is the clickable, visible text of a hyperlink. Search engines use it as a relevance signal about the linked page's topic, and it appears on both internal links within a site and external backlinks from other sites.
Why is "click here" bad anchor text?
It gives users and search engines no context about the destination. Descriptive anchor text that reflects the target page's topic is more useful for accessibility, clarity, and helping engines understand what the linked page covers.
Can anchor text hurt your rankings?
It can when external backlinks repeatedly use identical exact-match keyword anchors, which looks manipulative and can trigger link-spam scrutiny. Internal anchors you control are safer, but should still read naturally rather than being stuffed with keywords.