why anchor text matters more than you think
Anchor Text Is the Silent MVP of Link Building
Most marketers obsess over the number of backlinks. Fair. But what’s often ignored is the *anchor text*—the clickable words that hold the link. It’s not just a label. It’s a ranking signal. And in some cases, it can even make or break your SEO campaign.
I learned this the hard way. I had a blog with 60 backlinks, most using “click here” or my brand name. It ranked nowhere. Then I adjusted the anchor profile—and boom, top 5 within weeks.
What Is Anchor Text, Really?
Anchor text is the visible, clickable part of a hyperlink. Google uses it to understand what the linked page is about. Think of it like a mini description that tells search engines, “Hey, this page is about *this*.”
There are several types of anchor text:
- Exact match: matches your target keyword exactly (e.g. “best SEO tools”)
- Partial match: includes a variation (e.g. “top tools for SEO”)
- Branded: your company or site name (e.g. “Moz”)
- Generic: “click here,” “this site,” etc.
- Naked URLs: full URLs like https://yourdomain.com
How Anchor Text Affects SEO Performance
Anchor text helps Google determine relevance. If 10 sites link to you with “best CRM for small businesses,” guess what Google thinks your page is about? Exactly that.
But it’s a double-edged sword. Over-optimizing with exact match anchors can trigger penalties. Especially if it looks unnatural. The key is balance and diversity.
My Real-World Anchor Text Audit
I once reviewed a client’s backlink profile with 120 referring domains. Over 60% used the exact phrase “affordable SEO services.” Their rankings were tanking. We diversified with branded, generic, and partial match anchors. Within 30 days, they climbed 8 spots.
Google loves variety. If your anchor profile looks robotic or manipulative, it’s a red flag.
How to Build Natural Anchor Text Profiles
Here’s the blend I usually aim for when building links:
- 30–40% branded (e.g. “Ahrefs,” “Neil Patel Blog”)
- 20–30% partial match (e.g. “tools to improve SEO”)
- 10–15% exact match (carefully placed)
- 10–15% generic (e.g. “read more,” “visit site”)
- 5–10% naked URLs
This gives you relevance, credibility, and protection from penalties—all at once.
What Google’s Patents Say About Anchors
In one of Google’s search-related patents, they describe using anchor text as a contextual signal. That means they consider not just the text itself, but the surrounding sentence, the page it appears on, and how often similar anchors appear across the web.
That’s why contextual backlinks (inside body content, not footers or sidebars) hold so much more weight.
Anchor Text in Internal Links vs External Links
Anchor strategy isn’t just for backlinks. Internal linking matters, too. Use keyword-rich anchors sparingly across your own site—but keep it natural. Don’t turn every blog into an anchor farm.
External links build authority. Internal links build structure. Both rely on anchors to signal meaning.
Case Study: From Page 3 to Page 1 by Tweaking Anchors
A SaaS brand I worked with had dozens of great backlinks—but most used “this article” or their domain name. We reached out to just 10 blogs and asked for anchor updates to better reflect the topic.
We didn’t even add new links—just improved the anchor text. That page went from rank 28 to 6 in two weeks. That’s the power of precision.
Anchor Text Mistakes to Avoid
- Stuffing exact match keywords
- Using the same anchor across many links
- Forgetting brand signals entirely
- Getting anchors from spammy or irrelevant sites
If Google thinks you’re gaming the system, you’re toast. Keep it real, and you’ll be fine.
Final Thought: It’s Not Just the Link, It’s the Words That Wrap It
Anchor text doesn’t just point to a page—it describes it. Controls it. Influences how search engines rank it. Think of anchors like SEO subtitles: short, punchy, and powerful.
So next time you build a backlink, don’t just celebrate the win. Look at the anchor. Because in SEO, every word counts—even the tiny blue ones.
