Anchor text is the handful of clickable words in a link. It looks like a small detail, but it is one of the ways people and search engines work out what a linked page is about before they ever visit it. Get it right and your links become clearer, more useful and more natural. Get it wrong – especially with keyword-stuffed anchors on links you have built – and you create exactly the kind of pattern Google's spam systems look for.
A lot of anchor text advice online revolves around "ideal ratios": a certain percentage of exact-match anchors, branded anchors and so on. Google has never published such numbers, and you should be sceptical of anyone who presents them as rules. What Google has published is clear guidance on what good anchor text looks like.
In this guide you will learn the types of anchor text, how Google says to write it, how to think about anchor distribution without made-up ratios, and how to audit your own anchors for both internal and external links.
Key Takeaways
- Anchor text is the visible, clickable text of a link. Google uses it to understand the page being linked to.
- Google recommends anchor text that is descriptive, reasonably concise and relevant – not generic ("click here") and not stuffed with keywords.
- There is no official "safe" anchor text ratio. Natural link profiles are dominated by branded, URL and descriptive anchors.
- You control internal anchors fully, so make them descriptive. You should not dictate the anchors of external links you earn.
- Exact-match keyword anchors in guest posts, press releases and widgets are named in Google's link spam policy.
What is anchor text?
Google's starter guide defines it simply:
“Link text (also known as anchor text) is the text part of a link that you can see.”
— Google Search Central, SEO Starter Guide
In HTML, it is the text between the opening and closing <a> tags:
<a href="https://example.com/emergency-plumbing/">24-hour emergency plumbing</a>For image links, Google uses the image's alt text as the anchor, which is one more reason to write good alt text (see our guide to image SEO).
Types of anchor text
| Type | Example (for a page about running shoes) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Branded | StrideCo | The most common type in natural profiles |
| Exact match | running shoes | Matches the target keyword exactly – risky when overused in built links |
| Partial match | our guide to choosing running shoes | Includes the keyword plus other words |
| Descriptive / related | how to pick shoes for long runs | Describes the page naturally |
| Naked URL | stridecoexample.com/running-shoes | Common in citations and forums |
| Generic | click here, read more, this article | Gives no context – Google advises against it |
| Page title | "How to Choose Running Shoes in 2026" | Natural when people cite an article |
| Image (alt text) | alt="StrideCo trail running shoe" | Used when an image is the link |
How Google says to write anchor text
Google's link best practices page summarises good anchor text in one line. It should be:
“descriptive, reasonably concise, and relevant to the page that it's on and to the page it links to.”
— Google Search Central, SEO link best practices for Google
In practice, that means:
- Be specific. "list of cheese types" tells readers far more than "click here".
- Keep it short. A few words or a short phrase, not a whole sentence wrapped in a link.
- Write naturally. Google advises against cramming every related keyword into a link; keyword stuffing violates its spam policies.
- Give context. The words around a link help too, so avoid chains of links with no surrounding text.
- Never leave it empty. If an image is the link, give it alt text.
Anchor text ratios: what the data does and does not say
You will see recommendations like "keep exact-match anchors below X%". These numbers come from individual SEOs' observations, not from Google, and they vary widely by niche. A more reliable approach is to compare your profile with what is natural for sites like yours.
In most natural backlink profiles, the majority of anchors are branded names, naked URLs, page titles and descriptive phrases, because that is how people write when they cite something. Exact-match keyword anchors show up, but usually as a minority. If your profile looks very different – for example, a large share of links using the same commercial keyword – it suggests links were built rather than earned.
The best benchmark is your actual competition. Run a competitor backlink analysis on the sites ranking well in your niche and compare their anchor distribution with yours.
| Anchor pattern | Looks natural | Looks manipulated |
|---|---|---|
| Branded and URL anchors | Make up a large share | Rare or absent |
| Exact-match commercial anchors | Occasional, from varied sites | Dominant and repeated across unrelated sites |
| Variety | Many different phrasings | The same few phrases over and over |
| Source of keyword anchors | Editorial articles | Guest posts, footers, widgets, press releases |
Internal vs external anchor text
Internal links: you are in control
On your own site, use descriptive anchors that tell readers and Google what the target page covers. Vary them naturally, and avoid using the identical anchor to point to two different pages, which can blur which page should rank (see our guide to keyword cannibalization). Our internal linking guide goes deeper.
External links: let editors choose
When you earn links through outreach or digital PR, let the publisher choose the anchor. Asking for specific keyword anchors – or paying for them – moves you into territory that Google's link spam policy describes explicitly, which includes guest posts, advertorials and press releases with "optimized anchor text" links.
How to audit your anchor text: step by step
- Export your anchors. In Google Search Console, the Links report has a "Top linking text" table for external links. Backlink tools give fuller data.
- Categorise them. Label each anchor as branded, URL, exact, partial, descriptive or generic.
- Look for clusters. Are many links using the same commercial keyword? Where do they come from?
- Compare with competitors. Check whether your mix is out of line with sites that rank well.
- Investigate odd patterns. Heavy exact-match anchors from guest posts or networks may need cleanup – see our guide to toxic backlinks and disavowing.
- Fix internal anchors. Replace "click here" and "read more" links with descriptive text during your next on-page SEO review.
Common mistakes
- Chasing a magic ratio. There isn't one. Focus on natural, earned links.
- Requesting exact-match anchors in outreach. It signals a link scheme to editors and to Google.
- Generic internal anchors. "Learn more" buttons waste a chance to describe the target page.
- Over-optimised internal anchors. Using the same keyword-heavy phrase for every internal link looks forced.
- Linking whole paragraphs. Long anchors are hard to scan and dilute meaning.
- Empty image links. No alt text means no anchor text.
Related Guides
- How to Do a Competitor Backlink Analysis
- What Are Backlinks? How They Work and How to Get Them in 2026
- Link Building Strategies That Work in 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best anchor text for SEO?
Descriptive, concise text that accurately describes the linked page. For links you earn, the publisher's natural choice – often your brand or the page title – is best.
Is there a safe percentage of exact-match anchor text?
Google has not published any ratio. Compare your profile with well-ranking competitors and make sure keyword anchors are a natural minority that came from editorial links.
Does anchor text still matter in 2026?
Yes. Google's documentation says anchor text tells users and Google something about the page you are linking to, for both internal and external links.
Should internal links use exact-match keywords?
They can when it reads naturally, but vary your wording and focus on describing the page clearly rather than repeating one keyword.
Can I change the anchor text of backlinks to my site?
Only by asking the site owner. It is usually better to leave earned links alone unless the anchor is misleading or the link is part of a manipulative pattern.
Conclusion
Good anchor text is simply good writing: clear, concise and honest about where the link goes. Make your internal anchors descriptive, let editors choose anchors for links you earn, and keep an eye on unnatural patterns. Need help auditing your links or tidying up your internal linking? Our on-page optimization and SEO teams can help – get a free quote.
