Anchor text is the set of words you click on in a link, usually shown underlined or in a different colour. In a sentence like "see our opening hours", the words "opening hours" are the anchor text. It sets expectations for the reader and gives search engines a short description of the page at the other end.
How anchor text appears in code and in search
In HTML it is the text between the opening and closing link tags:
<a href="/menu">view the lunch menu</a>
Google's link best-practice guidance asks for anchor text that is descriptive, reasonably short and relevant to the target page. When many pages link to a page using similar wording, that helps Google understand the target's topic. For an image used as a link, the image's alt text plays the role of anchor text.
People commonly sort anchors into types: exact match (the target keyword, "emergency locksmith"), partial match ("our locksmith services"), branded ("Keyhole Locks"), naked URL ("keyholelocks.co.uk") and generic ("click here", "read more").
Anchors inside your own site
You control internal links completely, so this is where anchor text is most useful. A veterinary practice's blog post about a dog's dental health could end with "read more". Better: "book a dental check for your pet", linking to the booking page. The reader knows where they are going, and the booking page gains a clear signal about its purpose.
When to care about other sites' anchors
You usually cannot choose how others link to you, and you should not try to control it much. A natural set of backlinks is mostly your brand name, your web address and varied descriptions. If almost every link to you uses the same exact commercial phrase, it suggests the links were arranged, which is a pattern associated with link schemes.
Anchor text mistakes
- "Click here" everywhere. It tells nobody anything and is unhelpful for screen reader users, who often skim a list of links.
- Linking whole paragraphs. Long anchors dilute the description; link the few words that name the destination.
- Same keyword for different pages. Using "kitchen fitting" to link to two different pages muddles which one is relevant.
- Requesting exact-match anchors in outreach. Asking partners to use a precise money phrase is how manipulative link patterns begin.
Related terms
- Backlink: a link from another site, carrying its own anchor text.
- Internal linking: where you choose every anchor yourself.
- Off-page SEO: the area where others' anchors count.
- Black hat SEO: includes over-optimised anchor schemes.