Getting your anchor text right is one of the most important link-building tasks. I’ll tell you right now that it’s much more than just slapping a keyword into a link. Being smart about it helps both your users and Google understand what your content's all about.
So, what’s anchor text?
It’s the clickable part of a link—the words you click on to go to another page.
Looks simple, right?
Anchor text plays a big role in SEO. Google uses it to figure out what the linked page is about. If done well, it helps your site rank better.
Find out more below 😉
Not every anchor text works the same way—each type has its own role for your SEO. Thus, choosing the right one can make (or break) your link-building strategy. That said, let’s walk through the main types of anchor text and find out how you can use them effectively.
A partial match anchor is when your link text includes variations or related keywords instead of the exact keyword phrase. This makes your link look more natural while still helping Google understand the linked page’s relevance.
For example, for the article Link Building Companies to Watch in 2024, partial match anchors could look like this:
These phrases are related to the target keyword, but they’re not exact matches. This makes them perfect for keeping your link profile varied and less likely to trigger Google’s spam filters.
Now, an exact match anchor is when your anchor text is an exact match for the keyword or phrase you want to rank for. It's a direct signal to Google that says, "Hey, this page is about this specific topic."
For example, for our article Outsource Link Building: The Pros and Cons, some exact match anchors could be:
These anchors perfectly match the target keywords of the page, giving Google a clear signal about what the page is all about.
One thing to watch out for, though, is that exact match anchors can backfire if you use them too much. Overdoing it can make your links look spammy, and in my experience, that can actually hurt your rankings more than help.
If you’re going to use exact match anchors, make sure they’re coming from highly relevant pages. For example, if you’re promoting a page about event link building, the exact match anchor should ideally come from a page discussing creative link building strategy.
Once again, don’t overdo it.
It’s better to use exact match anchors sparingly, especially after you’ve already built up other types of anchors like partial match, branded, naked URLs, etc. (No worries, we’ll get to those other anchor types in just a minute.) Only then should you go with an exact match anchor to help the page rank higher. And be sure to keep an eye on how it affects performance.
Branded anchor text is exactly what it sounds like—using a company or brand name as the clickable text in a link.
Such anchors are great for getting your brand name out there and showing Google you're legit. After all, when well-known sites link to your brand, it builds trust with everyone!
What do you think a branded anchor for my site, Editorial.Link, would be? You guessed it right—Editorial Link! And it’s super effective because it helps people recognize your brand and makes your site relevant for search engines.
Here's a great example where respected sites like HubSpot and GetProspect use branded anchors to link back to Editorial.Link:
When trusted brands link to you, it only amplifies your authority 😉
Generic anchor text is a bit less specific. It doesn’t use any keywords related to the content but instead employs common words or phrases like:
and so on.
These types of anchors are often used for calls to action (CTAs). They’re not keyword-rich, but they help guide users to a particular page.
💡Note: if you use a generic anchor, make sure to include a more descriptive link text nearby to give both users and search engines more context 😉
A naked URL is when the actual website address is used directly as the anchor text. There’s no fancy keyword or branding—just the plain URL itself.
For example: https://editorial.link/outsource-link-building-the-pros-and-cons/
This type of anchor is straightforward and transparent. It shows the full URL, which can sometimes be useful if you want to emphasize the destination link. Keep in mind, though, that it doesn’t offer much context for users or Google.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all rule when it comes to anchor text ratios. It depends on your project, niche, and industry.
However, a common recommendation among experts is the 70/30 rule—where about 70% of your anchor texts should be branded or naked URLs, and 30% should be partial match or exact match anchors.
Why this ratio exactly?
It keeps your link profile looking natural and helps avoid over-optimization, which can lead to penalties.
Here’s an infographic to make it clear:
Don’t forget about your competitors and look at what’s working for them. Check what ratio top-ranking sites in your niche are using and try to emulate that. Also, don’t fall into the trap of using the same anchor text repeatedly. Mix it up with synonyms and variations that still fit the context of your site.
💡Tip: When creating your anchor list, include synonyms right from the start. You can even Google the terms to see which related pages rank, or spy on your competitors to see what they’re doing with anchor variations.
While anchor text can be your friend, getting it wrong can turn it into a foe. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:
Don’t use the same anchor text for different pages (even if the pages are similar). Trust me, promoting a few pages with identical anchors may confuse Google and lead to unpredictable ranking spikes (or drops) for those keywords.
Make sure the anchor text is directly related to the page you’re linking to. For example, if you’re promoting a page about "niche edits," don’t use the anchor "link building services"—it’s off-topic and will likely cause a rankings drop.
💡Tip: If you’ve made this mistake, try swapping out the anchor for a generic one or updating the URL, if possible.
Repeating the exact same anchor text too many times looks spammy and can harm your rankings. Instead of sticking with, say, "custom software development" over and over, use different options like:
Keep your anchors diverse to avoid penalties and to maintain a natural link profile.
There you have it! Anchor text helps make your links look natural, balanced, and useful. A good mix of branded, generic, partial, and exact match anchors keeps things fresh and avoids raising red flags with Google.
Mind variety and keep experimenting. Change up your anchor text so it doesn’t feel forced or spammy, and always make sure your links are there to help users (not just your SEO).
Lastly, stay flexible and let your anchor text work for you 😉
