Anchor text is the clickable text part of a link and gives the user the information “where does this link go?” When anchor text is used correctly, it both strengthens the user experience and supports SEO performance by giving Google a clear signal about the topic of the page.
What Is Anchor Text?
Anchor text is the visible text of a link. When the user clicks the link, they go to the page that this text points to. Technically, anchor text is written in HTML within the <a> tag.
Anchor text HTML example:
<a href=”https://site.com/seo-manager”>SEO manager</a>
Here, the “SEO manager” part is the anchor text.
What Are the Types of Anchor Text)?
Anchor text types produce different signals depending on the text structure of the link. The most common types are:
- Exact match (exact match):
Using the target keyword exactly.
Ex: “anchor text”
- Partial match (partial match):
Keyword + additional description.
Ex: “anchor text nasıl kullanılır”
- Branded:
Anchor given with the brand name.
Ex: “Nerec Yılmaz”
- Naked URL:
The link itself becomes the text.
Ex: “https://www.nerecyilmaz.com/”
- Generic:
Vague, non-descriptive anchor.
Ex: “click now”, “review”
- Image anchor (image link):
An image is linked; the signal is usually carried via alt text.
How Is Anchor Text Used?
Practical applications:
- Describe the topic of the page you link to clearly (avoid generic expressions).
- Do not link to the same page with the same anchor all the time; use variation.
- Place the anchor text naturally within the paragraph; do not stack it like spam.
- Choose clear texts of 2–6 words instead of very long anchors.
- In internal links (internal link), take the user to “the next logical step.”
The Importance of Anchor Text in SEO
In SEO, anchor text is a strong contextual signal that tells Google what the linked page is about. When used correctly:
- You build topic clusters more clearly with internal linking (topic cluster)
- You increase the authority of important pages
- You guide the user to the right page and increase time on site
When used incorrectly (especially excessive exact match), it can give spam signals and make your link profile look risky.
Anchor text strategy in off-site SEO
Anchor text strategy in off-site SEO is about managing which texts the sites you get backlinks from use to link to you. The goal here is not “one single type of keyword” but creating a natural distribution.
The healthiest approach:
- Branded anchors being dominant (brand trust)
- Partial match and descriptive anchors supporting
- Exact match anchors being limited and used naturally
- Naked URL and generic anchors also being present in the profile
Conclusion
Anchor text is a small but critical detail that affects both user experience and SEO signals. When you build the anchor text HTML structure correctly and do strategic linking with natural and descriptive texts in internal links, it contributes directly to organic visibility. If you want, we can create a site-specific internal link + anchor text plan and achieve faster growth on the organic side between your content clusters and service pages. Contact us for details.
