Whether you are trying to optimize your page or create a backlink to your site, anchor text is essential for good SEO. In fact, keyword anchor text is one of the simplest SEO tools you can use. However, many people are unsure about using anchors, or they simply do not understand the benefit keyword anchor text can provide. Consider the following facts and reasons you should use anchor text in your next blog, webpage, or article.
What is Anchor Text?
Anchor text is simply the word or words, preferably keywords, which are made clickable and hyperlinked to another page or website. When reading through a webpage you will often see a word, or a set of words that are written in a different color. In most cases these words are blue, but the color will depend on the webpage designer. When you place your mouse over these words you will see a website address or a preview of a different page. If you click on these words, aka anchor text, your browser will redirect you to another page with more relevant information. The page you’re redirected to may be within the website you are already viewing or a completely different website.
Anchor Text for SEO
Links are an important part of any SEO campaign. However, not all links are created equal. With anchor text being a major player in the ranking game, it would stand to reason that backlink anchor text from an authority site be such a highly sought after commodity in the SEO world of backlinks. After all, the most important links you can obtain are from other websites and highly ranked websites will provide the best backlinks. Provided the anchor text is a keyword and not something like “click here.”
Keep in mind that anchor text used in combination with keyword optimization will get you the best return on your anchor text efforts and definitely increase page rank. The reason for this is simple, Google and other search engines, as well as human readers, use anchor text as an indicator of what the linked page will be about. And we all expect that the page to where we’re being led be relevant to the anchor text that led us there.
When Should You Use Anchor Text and How Often?
Anytime you create web content you should include anchor text. Whether you are writing a blog, a post on your social site, an article, or a press release, keyword anchor text is beneficial. Even if the site you are posting on is not highly ranked by search engines you should still include anchors. After all, every site starts out on the low end of search engine results. Links that hold little value now may be very important later.
Cautionary advice, just as you don’t want to over stuff your content with keywords, you don’t want to spam your posts with anchor text. While there are no set rules on how many hyperlinks you should have in a post, if you’re publishing on your own website, you’re the boss so you get to decide. But use your common sense and provide additional relevant information through hyperlink anchor text only when and where it makes sense. If you find you have a ton of additional relevant information, write another article!
If you still have questions about anchor text, feel free to post your questions in the comment section below.
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