The world of search engine optimization (SEO) is ever-evolving, and the importance of anchor text optimization cannot be ignored.

When you aim to rank higher on the search engine results pages (SERPs), every aspect plays a vital role. And when we talk about anchor text optimization, it can make or break the results.

However, if you do it right, you can experience great results. Anchor text is a vital element in establishing a strong backlink profile.

Keep in mind that anchor text is a part of SEO, and SEO is only one part of your complete digital marketing practice. So although anchor text won’t come up in the bigger picture, paying attention to it is still required.

In this article, we will walk you through the best practices for anchor text optimization in 2023, helping you build a solid backlink strategy.

Let’s dig deeper!

What is Anchor Text?

Anchor text is text that is visible and accessible within a hyperlink. It facilitates users and search engines in understanding the context of the link and the destination page’s content.

Anchor text plays a crucial role in SEO by indicating relevance and authority to search engines, thereby influencing your website’s rankings.

Code Sample of Anchor Text

<a href=”http://www.sample.com”>Sample Anchor Text</a>

Types of Anchor Text

There are several types of anchor text, and understanding them is key to optimizing your strategy. They include:

1. Exact Match Anchor Text

This is when the anchor text is the exact keyword or phrase you want to rank for. While effective, overusing exact match anchor text can lead to penalties from search engines.

If you want to rank for the keyword

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2. Partial Match Anchor Text

Partial match anchor text contains a variation of your target keyword. This type is less likely to raise red flags as it appears more natural.

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3. Branded Anchor Text

Such anchor text includes your brand or website name. It’s a great way to build brand recognition and trust with users and search engines.

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4. Naked URL

This is simply the URL of the destination page without any additional text. It’s a neutral option that can help diversify your anchor text profile.

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5. Generic Anchor Text

They consist of common phrases like “click here” or “read more.” While not particularly helpful for SEO, it can add natural variation to your anchor text distribution.

6. Natural Anchor Text

It is a type of anchor text that occurs organically within the content and provides a contextual link to the destination page.

It is not explicitly optimized for SEO purposes and appears seamlessly integrated within the content.

For example, you could use a phrase like

• Check out this helpful guide on anchor text optimization
• Click here
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• Visit the website

Keywords vs. Anchor Text

It is highly important to know the difference between the two so that you can create result-driven anchor text for your website.

And here’s what you need to know:

Keywords: Search Queries

Keywords are the terms and phrases that people search for in search engines. Effective keyword research involves

• identifying the terms and phrases that users are searching for in relation to a specific topic or industry
• Integrating those keywords strategically into website content

Hence by optimizing for relevant keywords, websites can attract targeted traffic and improve their online visibility and authority.

However, there is no rule for typing search queries in the search bar. Generally, users type the most simple queries to get the quickest results.

And they are not relatable all the time. You may find:

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Anchor Text

Anchor text is the text inside a hyperlink that links to a relevant page on a website. When creating an anchor text strategy, it is important to take into account the keywords for which you wish to rank. However, excessive reliance on these keywords as anchor text is a risky and unwise approach.

Let’s check out what Google has to say about the same.

Google’s “Penguin” Update

The Penguin Algorithm came back in 2012, and it aims to stop link manipulation.

Google recommends using informative phrases capable of providing context for the linked-to content.

The “Penguin” Update aimed to promote the creation of high-quality content and white label link-building strategies by discouraging the use of manipulative tactics to achieve high search engine rankings.

Websites that were penalized by the update could experience significant drops in search engine rankings and organic traffic.

Google has become adept at identifying websites that pursue an exact-match link-building strategy. This is especially true for service pages or other pages that typically do not attract many natural links.

As a link building agency,  some clients still request a high number of keyword-rich anchor texts in their backlinks, hoping to see quick SEO gains.

However, aggressively pursuing such a strategy is a wrong move that can result in Google penalties for over-optimizing your links.

Hence, we go for editorial links and use the correct means to bring your site higher in the SERPs.

6 Best Strategies To Better Fit Your Anchor Text

There are several ways to control what sort of content and what anchor text you wish to use for your next project.

1. Perform a Thorough Competitor Analysis

Analyze your competitor’s top Google ranks for your chosen search phrases, as well as the distribution of their anchor text.

Competitor anchor analysis is the process of analyzing the backlink profiles of your competitors to identify opportunities for improving your own anchor text strategy. Here’s how to do it:

• Identify your top competitors in your industry or niche.
• Use tools like Ahrefs or Moz to gather data on your competitor’s backlinks and analyze their anchor text distribution.
• Look for patterns in the types of anchor text your competitors are using.
• Identify new opportunities for link building by targeting the same keywords or niches as your competitors.
• Use the insights gained from competitor anchor analysis and create your own anchor text strategy.

2. Ensure Content Relevancy

The content around your anchor text should be relevant because it helps Google to understand the link’s relevancy.

• The anchor text you use should be relevant to the content it links to. For example, if you’re linking to an article about backlinks, your anchor text should include relevant keywords like “link-building tips” or “best link-building agency.”
• The destination page should be relevant to the anchor text used. Linking to a page with irrelevant content can lead to a poor user experience and potentially hurt your search engine rankings.
• Relevant anchor text can help search engines understand the context of the link and improve your website’s authority in relevant search results.
• Make sure your content is high-quality and relevant to your target audience to attract natural links and avoid penalties from search engines.
• Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor the relevance of your anchor text and make adjustments as necessary to maintain a diverse and relevant backlink profile.

3. Try to Keep it Natural

No matter what niche you are working in, the anchor text should always come naturally, like it is meant to be there.

The anchor text should make your content better in reading and enhance the overall value. However, over-optimized anchor text can be damaging and break the flow of the content.

• Focus on creating content that is valuable to your target audience and let the anchor text flow naturally within the context of the content.
• Avoid using the same anchor text repeatedly or in a way that appears forced. Instead, use variations and synonyms to diversify your anchor text and make it more natural.
• Regularly review and adjust your anchor text strategy to ensure that it remains natural and relevant to your content and target audience.

4. Diversify Anchor Text

Diversifying your anchor text is an essential aspect of an effective link-building strategy. Here’s why:

• Using a variety of anchor text types (e.g., branded, partial match, etc.). They will help make a more natural and diverse backlink profile that is less likely to be penalized by Google.
• Over-reliance on a single type of anchor text can appear manipulative and raise red flags for search engines.
• Diversifying your anchor text can also help you reach a broader audience and drive traffic from a variety of sources.
• When selecting anchor text, consider the context of the content it links to and aim for a natural, conversational tone.
• Avoid using the same anchor text repeatedly and strive for variety.
• Use tools like Ahrefs or Moz to analyze your backlink profile and identify opportunities for diversification.
• Regularly monitor and adjust your anchor text strategy.

5. Never Ignore Page Types

When it comes to developing an anchor text strategy, it is important to consider the type of pages you are linking to. It is important because:

• Different page types may require different anchor text strategies. For example, service pages may require more branded anchor text, while blog posts may benefit from more varied anchor text.
• Use anchor text that accurately reflects the content and purpose of the page it links to.
• Pages with higher authority and more natural links may be better suited for exact match anchor text or other more aggressive strategies.
• Consider the overall structure and hierarchy of your website when selecting anchor text.
• Use descriptive anchor text for internal links to help users and search engines understand the context of the link.

6. Balance Anchor Text Ratio

Optimizing the anchor text ratio is an important factor to consider when developing a link-building strategy.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to what percentage of each type of anchor text you should have in your backlink profile.

However, the general best practice is to maintain a balanced and diverse ratio of different types of

• anchor text
• branded text
• partial match
• exact match

Aim for a natural distribution of anchor text that reflects the content and context of the linked pages.

So, when should you use ‘Exact Match Anchor Texts’

Exact match anchor text is when the anchor text is an exact match for the target keyword or phrase.

Of course, overuse of exact match anchor text can be seen as manipulative and potentially result in penalties or lower search engine rankings. However, there are certain situations when using exact match anchor text can be effective.

Here are some examples:

• For highly authoritative and trusted sites: These sites can often get away with using more aggressive anchor text strategies, including exact match anchor text.
• For pages that naturally attract many links: Pages that have high-quality content and naturally attract many links can be more tolerant of exact match anchor text.
• For pages targeting a very specific and niche keyword: Using exact match anchor text for very specific and niche keywords can be effective in helping the page rank for that specific keyword.

Hence using exact match anchor text moderately and in appropriate contexts to avoid raising red flags for search engines.

And when should you ‘Not Use Exact Match Anchor Texts’

While exact match anchor text can be effective in certain situations, it’s generally best to avoid using it excessively or in inappropriate contexts.

Here are some situations when you should NOT USE EXACT MATCH ANCHOR TEXT:

• For pages that don’t naturally attract many links: Pages such as service pages or contact pages may not be suitable for exact match anchor text.
• For pages targeting highly competitive keywords: Using exact match anchor text for highly competitive keywords can appear manipulative and potentially harm your search engine rankings.
• When diversifying anchor text: Using only exact match anchor text can result in an over-optimized backlink profile. It is crucial to diversify anchor text and use a variety of types, including branded, partial match, and natural anchor text.
• When creating a natural and user-friendly experience: Overuse of exact match anchor text can disrupt the flow of the content and make it appear spammy to users. It’s important to prioritize natural language and user experience over excessive keyword optimization.

Which Pages Should You Consider Linking to?

When building backlinks, it’s important to consider the quality and relevance of the pages you are linking to. Here are some factors to consider when selecting pages to link to:

• High-quality and authoritative pages: Focus linking to pages with high-quality content and established authority can help improve the credibility of your own website and boost search engine rankings.
• Relevant and related pages: Look for pages that are relevant and related to your own content can help establish the context and value of your website.
• Pages with natural links: Aim for linking to pages that naturally attract many links and can help enhance the credibility and authority of your own website.
• Pages with a diverse and natural backlink profile: Avoid linking to pages with an over-optimized or spammy backlink profile, as this can potentially harm your own search engine rankings.

Considering all these factors can help you in many ways. You just have to be careful about the process you follow and get your link placed naturally.

Happy Anchor Text Optimization!

In The End

Building links is a crucial aspect of a successful SEO strategy. However, following the best practices outlined in this article can help you establish a natural and diverse backlink profile. However, if you still can’t take the risk, you can connect with industry-experienced link-building agency like Outreach Monks to get quality backlinks for your website. They regularly monitor and adjust the anchor text strategy to ensure it remains effective and up-to-date with the latest SEO trends. So you rely on them for amazing results.

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