Anchor Text

What is anchor text?

Anchor text, also known as a link label or link title is the clickable text in a hyperlink. Seen in blogposts, online articles, or just about any place you find content on the web, anchor text is a word or string of words that when clicked, will take the user to a specific site or page.

Anchor text is an appealing and valuable alternative to using a traditional link beginning with http://..., etc. because it contextually connects written content to a site or page without disrupting the flow of the writing. In contrast, a traditional http:// link can unnecessarily break content and confuse or distract the reader. Anchor text enhances the flow of online content while highlighting or spotlighting keywords or phrases. Well placed anchor text can add SEO value to online content.

Why is strong anchor text important?

Anchor text provides descriptive information about the content of a relevant link. It can also help determine the ranking a page will receive by search engines.

Here is an example anchor text in use:

Jane is an astrology buff who writes an online column. In her blog she references a British astrologer for his insightful research on the planet Mercury. Rather than provide the entire URL of the links to the astrologer's site, Wikipedia's profile on the planet Mercury and three other mentions, Jane uses anchor to direct readers to the relevant sites, without disrupting the flow of her piece. Readers can choose to click on the anchor text links or simply read the content as text.

The following is an example of anchor text in use:

It's that time again; Mercury retrograde. But what does that mean exactly? British astrologer, Jonathan Cainer has a few things to say on this topic.