Anchor text is a crucial part of SEO that you need to get right. Use it properly, and you’ll rank better. Use it wrong, and Google might ignore your links or even penalize your site. Let’s break down everything you need to know.
The Problem: Unnatural Anchor Text
Using the same keyword-heavy anchor text over and over is a major red flag for Google. It can cause your links to be ignored or, in bad cases, lead to penalties. The solution is simple: create a natural mix of different anchor text types.
What Is Anchor Text?
Anchor text is the clickable text you see in a link. It’s usually underlined or colored differently from regular text.
Here’s what it looks like in code:
<a href="https://example.com">clickable text here</a>Anchor text does two things:
- Tells users what they’ll find when they click
- Helps Google understand what the linked page is about
Three Types of Links That Use Anchor Text
- Internal links: Links between pages on your own website
- External links: Links from your site to other websites
- Inbound links: Links from other sites to yours (also called backlinks)
7 Types of Anchor Text
1. Exact Match
Your exact target keyword. Example: “link building” linking to a link building page
2. Partial Match
Your keyword plus other words. Example: “link building strategies”
3. Branded
Your brand or company name. Example: Your website name
4. Naked URL
Just the plain URL. Example: example.com
5. Generic
Common phrases without keywords. Example: “click here” or “read more”
6. Image
The alt text when an image is the link.
7. Title
The page title itself. Example: “What Are Backlinks and How to Get Them”
Why This Matters
Google uses anchor text to figure out what your page is about. But here’s the catch: you can’t just stuff links with keywords anymore.
How Things Changed
Years ago, you could rank by cramming exact keywords into every link. Then Google’s Penguin update changed everything.
Now Google looks at the context around your links, not just the anchor text itself. This means exact match keywords don’t work like they used to.
The Danger of Using Too Many Keywords
Using too many exact match keywords in your anchor text is risky. It can:
- Make Google ignore your links
- Get you penalized in serious cases
Real, natural links mostly use brand names, URLs, or simple phrases—not perfectly optimized keywords.
How to Rank Without Keyword-Stuffed Anchors
1. Mix Your Anchor Text Types
Here’s a good balance:
- Brand names: 40-60% of your links
- URLs and generic phrases: 20-30%
- Keyword anchors: Only 10-20%
2. Build Links Slowly
Don’t use the same anchor text repeatedly in a short time. Spread out keyword anchors and save them for your best link opportunities. Too many keyword links at once looks suspicious.
3. Use Keywords Elsewhere on Your Site
Put keywords in other places:
- Page URLs
- Your actual content
- Navigation menus
- Headers
This helps Google understand your page even without keyword-heavy anchor text.
4. Put Keywords Near Your Links
Instead of putting keywords in the anchor text, put them nearby.
Example: “For digital PR help, check out [this guide]”
The keywords “digital PR” are close to the link but not in it. This gives Google context without over-optimizing.
Don’t Obsess Over Anchor Text
Here’s the truth: anchor text is just one small piece of SEO.
What matters more:
- Good content
- Quality backlinks
- Technical SEO basics
- User experience
- Site authority
Even perfect anchor text won’t help if you ignore everything else.
Quick Do’s and Don’ts
Do:
- Use mostly branded and natural anchors
- Mix different types
- Build links over time
- Put keywords near links
- Focus on quality links
Don’t:
- Overuse exact keywords
- Build many identical anchors quickly
- Skip branded and generic anchors
- Ignore content quality
- Use keyword anchors on low-quality sites
How Anchor Text Works in AI Search
AI-powered search engines like Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Bing Copilot are changing how people find information online, These tools don’t just show a list of links—they generate direct answers and cite sources.
Why Anchor Text Matters for AI Citations
AI search tools often cite content that itself links to other credible resources. This means your anchor text strategy affects whether AI tools will:
- Trust your content as a source
- Include your links in their generated answers
- Cite your website when answering questions
Best Practices for AI Search
To increase your chances of being cited by AI tools:
Use Clear, Descriptive Anchor Text Use anchor text that clearly signals relevance, such as “According to a 2023 study…” instead of generic phrases like “click here.”
Link to Authoritative Sources Linking to authoritative sites like academic studies, industry reports, or government data improves user trust and helps your page get flagged as informative by AI models.
Add Context Around Links Don’t just drop a link. Add context or analysis alongside the citation instead of simply dropping a link. This helps AI understand why the link is relevant.
Create FAQ Sections AI tools frequently pull from content that addresses follow-up queries and variations on a core topic. Adding FAQ sections increases your chances of being cited.
The Shift to Citations Over Rankings
Traditional SEO focuses on getting people to click your link. AI search optimization focuses on getting AI tools to cite and quote your content. You’re not just competing for rankings—you’re competing for citations.
This means your anchor text needs to:
- Be clear enough for AI to understand context
- Connect to credible sources
- Support well-structured, authoritative content
Bottom Line
Good anchor text looks natural because it is natural. Mix your types, build links slowly, and focus on quality over keywords.
The days of keyword stuffing are over. Modern SEO works by providing real value while staying natural. Do that, and you’ll rank without risking penalties.
