Anchor text guide: types and best practices
Anchor text is the clickable text inside a hyperlink that gives users and search engines contextual signals about the linked page; in SEO it helps signal topic relevance, though its effect depends on indexation, context and rel attributes.
What is anchor text?
Anchor text is the visible, clickable text of a hyperlink. It appears in the HTML between the <a> and </a> tags (for example: example) and provides a short human-readable description of the linked resource. For image links the alt attribute typically functions as the anchor text equivalent.
Why anchor text matters for SEO
Search engines use anchor text as one of many signals to infer what the destination page is about. Good anchor text improves clarity for users and bots; poorly chosen or manipulated anchors can reduce trust or trigger algorithmic adjustments. Note the distinction between crawling, indexing and ranking: anchor text can affect how a page is described in the index, but ranking position is decided by many signals beyond a single anchor.
How anchor text works
HTML vs rendered DOM
Anchor text exists in the page HTML and in the rendered DOM. Use a source-HTML check (curl or view-source) to verify the anchor is present in markup, and a rendered check (Chrome DevTools Elements or the rendered DOM snapshot) to confirm it appears to users and is not only injected later by client-side scripts.
rel attributes and link intent
Use rel attributes to declare link intent. Examples: example for paid placements and example for user-generated links. There is no rel="dofollow" attribute; a normal link simply has no rel=nofollow/sponsored/ugc. Since Google treats rel="nofollow" as a hint, the precise handling is not public.
Types of anchor text
Common types and their typical uses:
- Exact-match — anchor mirrors a target keyword. Pros: very clear topical signal; Cons: overuse can look manipulative.
- Partial-match — includes a keyword plus extra words. Pros: more natural than exact-match; Cons: still risky at scale.
- Branded — uses the brand or site name. Pros: safe and natural; Cons: weaker direct keyword signal.
- Generic — phrases like "click here" or "read more". Pros: low risk; Cons: minimal topical signal.
- Naked URL — the full URL as anchor. Pros: transparent; Cons: limited descriptive value.
- Image anchors — rely on the image alt text as the anchor equivalent. Pros: accessible when alt is descriptive; Cons: alt text may be non-descriptive.
How to get started with anchor text
Start with an audit and a simple policy for new links: 1) review your existing anchor profile, 2) prioritize diverse and context-rich anchors, 3) prefer natural phrasing in editorial placements, and 4) require correct rel attributes for sponsored or paid links. For external placements, focus on relevance of the linking page and indexability of the placement rather than aiming only for exact-match anchors.
Common anchor text mistakes
Typical pitfalls to avoid:
- Heavy exact-match concentration across many links.
- Anchors placed in non-indexed pages or behind noindex directives.
- Paid placements without rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow".
- Invisible or JS-only anchors that users can't click.
- Using the same generic anchor for all internal links (missed opportunity for clarity).
Anchor text checks: technical checklist
**Anchor exists in HTML** — where to verify: curl or view-source on the publisher page — passes when the <a> element contains the expected text in the server-side HTML.
**Rendered visibility** — where to verify: Chrome DevTools Elements (Rendered DOM) — passes when the anchor is visible and clickable without needing special user actions.
**rel attribute** — where to verify: curl -I (headers) plus view-source — passes when paid or sponsored placements include rel="sponsored" or rel="nofollow" as your policy requires.
**Destination indexation signal** — where to verify: site: operator and Bing Webmaster Tools Site Explorer; for your own pages use Google Search Console URL Inspection — passes when the destination page is discoverable or listed in publisher sitemaps (public indexation signals are indicative, not definitive).
**Redirect chain** — where to verify: curl -I or browser Network tab — passes when the link resolves to the final canonical URL without unexpected redirects.
**Surrounding context** — where to verify: page content and semantic relevance checks — passes when nearby text and headlines match the subject implied by the anchor.
Practical verification notes: use curl -A "Mozilla/5.0" <URL> to fetch the HTML as a browser would (omit -I if you need the full HTML). For rendered checks, open DevTools, inspect the Elements panel and confirm the anchor is present and not visually hidden. Remember that the site: operator gives a public indexation signal but is not authoritative; for pages you own, use Google Search Console URL Inspection for definitive index status.
Read the Link Building Guide for practical publisher selection and anchor text examples
Frequently asked questions
Does anchor text still influence search rankings?
Yes—anchor text remains a relevance signal used by search engines, but it is one of many factors. Its influence varies with indexation of the linking page, the link's context and other signals such as page quality and topical relevance.
Should I remove exact-match anchors?
Not necessarily. Exact-match anchors in a natural, editorial context are fine. Problems arise when exact-match anchors are overused or appear in low-quality placements. Diversify anchor phrasing and prioritise editorial relevance.
How should I mark paid or sponsored links?
Use rel="sponsored" for paid or compensated links, or rel="nofollow" if you prefer. This follows Google's guidance on link attribution. Treat paid placements as editorial agreements and document them; Google can treat links intended to manipulate rankings as link spam.
Can image links pass the same signals as text anchors?
Image links rely on the image's alt attribute and surrounding context to convey topical signals. Ensure alt text is descriptive and that the image sits in a relevant editorial context to maximise usefulness.
Find publishers for your link building
When selecting placements, prioritise publisher relevance, indexability and editorial context over a single anchor phrase. BlogDrip connects advertisers with verified publishers and lets you browse placements while filtering by niche, publisher metrics and price to find matches that support natural, context-rich anchor text. Browse publishers for backlinks
Want to learn more first? Read the Link Building Guide
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