Let’s explore the importance of anchor texts in the creation and positioning of content, what their types are, and examples of their use.
Anchor text: more than a link between web pages
One of the characteristics that make digital content stand out is the use of links that are included to guide navigation. One of these cases is the anchor text.
1 Anchor text: more than a link between web pages2 5 types of anchor text, function, and examples3 Why is generic anchor text considered dangerous?4 Why can anchor text with keywords be dangerous?5 4 tips and 4 tools to improve the use of anchor text in your SEO strategies
You can link two web pages with anchor text, but it is not limited to that. Additionally, it will be helpful for (Ryte, 2020):
Create links to other documents of interest.Link files (images, data tables, videos, audios).Direct to your company’s social networks.Initiate the download of a file or program.
Anchor text can, in this way, be natural to content within the same domain (internal links) or other domains (external links).
5 types of anchor text, function, and examples
Not all anchor texts are the same and are classified according to their content and the information they provide. These are the most commonly used anchor text types (SEO Culture, 2020):
- General Includes expressions such as “Click here,” “Start download,” “Watch the video,” “More information,” “Go home,” among others. It has the advantage of generating a direct call to action or CTA. However, an anchor text is recommended with better SEO techniques (LucusHost, 2020).
Why is generic anchor text considered dangerous?
Because it does not provide the user with information about the content to which he will be directed, another disadvantage is that generic expressions do not say anything about your brand, so they do not provide valuable information for the positioning of your content. 2. Naked link This is the type of anchor text where the URL is shown directly. It is also known as URL matching anchor text. It will be helpful to indicate directly the page, source, or file to which you are linking, for example: What is anchor text and why it is important for SEO 3. Keyword This anchor text uses the keyword or keyword you are looking to position. It has two variants, which we will explain, assuming, for example, that the keyword is “wow essays reviews“: By exact match with the keyword. In this case, the anchor text could be: “check wow essays reviews and..” By partial match, when synonyms or variations of the keyword are used. For example: “Essay review on this topic”
Why can anchor text with keywords be dangerous?
When using this option, you must be careful not to abuse the use of the keyword and over-optimize it. Search engines like Google may consider it spam and penalize your content if you abuse these links. 4. Branding These are the anchor texts where the brand or authority sources associated with it are used. They are also known as anchor text by the name. They will be helpful for your brand to be seen directly and increase awareness, for example, Seomadtech. 5. Image It is the anchor text used when inserting an image that is linked. The text used by browsers and by Google as an anchor is included in the image’s alt (SmallSEOTools, 2020).
4 tips and 4 tools to improve the use of anchor text in your SEO strategies
Avoid over-optimization, don’t always use the same keywords in anchor texts.Include internal anchor texts that lead to different contents or sections of your domain. This is a way to provide more information about your brand.Include relevant information for your visitors and Google, telling them what they will find in the destination.Place them in visible places and in a format that stands out from the rest of the content.
The following tools will help you to analyze your anchor texts (they are also examples of branded anchors):
Ahrefs Site ExplorerMajestic Site ExplorerGoogle Search ConsoleMoz Open Site Explorer
Using the five types of anchor text properly is important for content positioning. Your content will rise in the search results by naturally using them and taking care of SEO techniques. Anchor text is an ally to drive traffic to branded content and improve your visitor metrics.
