Anchor Text
Anchor text is the visible text of a hyperlink, e.g. this text. Search engine spiders use the anchor text to determine what the page it is linking to is about.
So, it is very important that this text is relevant to where it is pointing, for example:
- click here for SEO page – BAD
- free SEO information – GOOD.
Remember keywords and phrases? Well, if they are included in the anchor text for a link, then that tells the search engines that the page the link is pointing to is relevant to the key phrase. Put simply, the more of these ‘relevant’ links you have pointing to your site, the higher your site will rank for that key phrase.
The anchor text of the internal links in your site are equally important for exactly the same reasons.
Posted: December 13th, 2006 under Basic SEO, Link Building, SEO Glossary.
Comments: Leave yours - 3 so far
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Comment from Phil
Time: October 11, 2007, 9:31 pm
Thanks! I never realised the importance of not doing the ‘bad’ example you gave! I’ll be making some fundamental changes!
Comment from Alex – blogindiversity.com
Time: October 14, 2007, 1:12 am
I knew it was important to have a title for your internal links, just not as important to which you describe.
“Put simply, the more of these ‘relevant’ links you have pointing to your site, the higher your site will rank for that key phrase.”
So how do we get more sites to point to an individuals blog/website? Other than article submission, blog rolls, mentioned in a friends article, etc.. ?
Comment from dan
Time: October 16, 2007, 8:21 am
Hmmm, this post was talking about the anchor text, not the title attribute. (Although that helps as well.)
Just as the anchor text of external links tells the search engines what the theme of your site is, so do the internal links.
For example, if you have a ‘home’ page, it can be a good idea to have a text link (using the main key phrase you are targeting) elsewhere on your page pointing to your domain name.
And how do you get links? Every way you mentioned plus directories, press releases, providing tools or software, etc, etc. Make your site linkworthy and maybe even buy links. The digital point forums are a good place to look.
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