Example#
In <a href="/technical-seo-checklist/">technical SEO checklist</a>, the anchor text is “technical SEO checklist”.
Types of anchor text#
| Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Exact match | keyword research |
| Partial match | our intent-first keyword research process |
| Branded | IFTIKHAR |
| Generic | click here, read more |
| Naked URL | iftikhar.in/seo-library/ |
| Image link | The image’s alt text acts as the anchor |
Best practices#
- Be descriptive: the anchor should tell readers what they’ll get.
- Keep it natural and varied, especially for backlinks.
- Keep it concise: usually 2–6 words.
- Match the target: don’t use the same anchor for two different pages on your site.
- Avoid generic anchors like “here” where a descriptive phrase fits.
Over-optimisation risk#
For internal links, descriptive keyword anchors are fine. For backlinks, a profile dominated by exact-match commercial anchors looks manipulative and can attract spam penalties. Natural link profiles are mostly branded, partial-match and URL anchors. Related: internal links, backlinks.