What Is Anchor Text? Types, Examples and Safe Ratios for SEO
What anchor text is in SEO, the main types with examples, why exact match anchor text is risky, and how to plan a safe anchor text mix for client links.
Anchor text is the clickable text of a link, and search engines read it as a short description of the page the link points to. Used well, it helps a page rank for the right searches. Overused, it is one of the clearest signs of manipulative link building.
This guide explains what anchor text is in SEO, the main types with examples, why exact match anchor text is risky, and how to plan a safe mix for client sites. It’s the same approach we use in our outsourced link building for agencies, where every anchor is planned before outreach starts.
What is anchor text?
Take the sentence “Read our guide to local SEO strategy”, where only the words “local SEO strategy” are clickable. Those three words are the anchor text.
Google uses the words in and around a link to understand the target page. A link with the anchor “local SEO strategy” suggests the target page is about local SEO strategy, whether the link comes from another site or from the same site.
Types of anchor text, with examples
Anchor text examples for a page about local citation building on example.com:
| Type | Example | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Branded | Example Agency | The brand name |
| Naked URL | example.com | The website address |
| Exact match | local citation building | The precise target keyword |
| Partial match | how citation building helps local SEO | Includes the keyword with other words |
| Related or LSI | directory listings for local businesses | Describes the topic without the keyword |
| Generic | click here, read more | No description at all |
| Image | (the image’s alt text) | An image used as a link |
Why exact match anchor text is risky
Exact match anchors are the most powerful type, which is exactly why they were abused. A site whose backlinks mostly use the same money keyword doesn’t look like a site people link to naturally, because real people rarely link that way. They link with the brand name, the URL or a phrase that fits their sentence.
Google’s spam policies list links with optimized anchor text in articles and widgets among link schemes. Too many exact match anchors can lead to links being ignored, or in worse cases, a manual action.
What a natural anchor text mix looks like
There is no official ratio. The best guide is the sites that already rank for the client’s keywords. In most niches, their backlink profiles look roughly like this:
- Most anchors are branded or naked URLs.
- A smaller share is partial match or descriptive.
- Exact match anchors are the smallest group.
Check the top three competitors’ anchors in a backlink tool before you plan. If the client’s profile already leans heavily on exact match keywords, the next links should be branded and descriptive to balance it.
How to plan anchor text for a client
- Review the existing profile. Count the current anchors by type, and note any over-optimized keywords.
- Map target pages to keyword groups. Each page gets its main keyword plus variations.
- Set the mix for the next batch of links. Lead with branded and partial match anchors.
- Write anchors that fit the sentence. The best anchor reads naturally to the person on the linking site.
- Record every anchor in the link report, so the mix stays balanced month after month.
Branded links from profiles and directories help keep the mix natural on newer sites, which is why many campaigns start with foundation links before outreach. We cover the other warning signs to watch for in safe link building for client sites.
Anchor text for internal links
Anchor text matters on your own site too. Internal links help Google understand how your pages relate and which ones matter most.
- Use descriptive anchors, not “click here”.
- Vary the wording for the same page across your site.
- Never use the same anchor for two different pages.
- Link to the most important page early in the content.
These are the same rules we follow on our own blog, and they work for client sites just as well.
Anchor text mistakes to avoid
- Using the same exact match keyword in every link
- Generic anchors everywhere, which waste the chance to describe the page
- Anchors that don’t match the target page, which confuse readers and search engines
- Ignoring the anchors of links you didn’t build, which still shape the profile
Reporting anchor text to clients
Every link report should show the anchor text used for each link, next to the target page and the live URL. It helps clients see that links are planned, and it lets you spot imbalance early. Add it to your monthly SEO report template alongside rankings and traffic for the target pages.