Anchor Text Explained: How to Choose Anchors That Look Natural
The words you link from matter. Learn the main types of anchor text, why over-optimised anchors are risky, and a simple way to plan a natural mix for your campaigns.
Anchor text is the clickable text of a link. In the sentence “read our guide to guest posting”, the anchor text is guide to guest posting. It tells readers, and search engines, what to expect on the other side of the link.
Choosing anchors well is one of the simplest ways to make a link building campaign both effective and natural.
The main types of anchor text
| Type | Example (for a page selling running shoes) |
|---|---|
| Branded | “RunRight”, “the RunRight team” |
| Naked URL | “runright.example”, “https://runright.example/shoes” |
| Exact match | “running shoes” |
| Partial match | “lightweight shoes for long-distance running” |
| Generic | “click here”, “this article”, “learn more” |
| Topical / descriptive | “a guide to choosing trail footwear” |
Why exact-match anchors are risky
It is tempting to use your main keyword as the anchor every time. After all, the link is meant to help that page rank for that keyword. But when real people link to a page naturally, they rarely all use the same commercial phrase. They use the brand name, the URL, a description or a phrase that fits their sentence.
A link profile dominated by exact-match keyword anchors is one of the clearest signs of manipulation, and search engines are designed to spot it. Over-optimised anchors can reduce the value of your links or put your rankings at risk.
What a natural mix looks like
There is no official “correct” ratio, and the right mix depends on your niche and your existing links. As a practical starting point, many SEOs aim for a profile where:
- Branded and URL anchors make up the largest share.
- Partial-match and descriptive anchors form a healthy middle.
- Exact-match anchors are used sparingly, on the most relevant placements only.
- Generic anchors appear occasionally, as they would in normal writing.
Tip: Before planning new links, export your current backlinks from an SEO tool and look at the anchors you already have. Plan new anchors to balance what is there.
Five rules for choosing anchors
1. Write the sentence first
The anchor should be part of a sentence that would make sense even without the link. If you have to bend the sentence to fit a keyword in, choose a different anchor.
2. Match the anchor to the target page
The anchor should describe what the reader will find. Linking “pricing for small teams” to your homepage is confusing; link it to your pricing page.
3. Keep it short
Two to six words is usually enough. Linking a whole sentence looks odd and dilutes the meaning.
4. Vary anchors across placements
Don’t repeat the same phrase across a campaign. Rotate between branded, descriptive and partial-match variations.
5. Spread links across pages
Point links to your guides, service pages and product pages, not only the homepage. Deep links with descriptive anchors look natural and help more of your site.
Anchor text and guest posts
With guest posts you control the article, so you can place your link where it fits best. With niche edits, the sentence often needs to match an existing paragraph, which naturally favours descriptive anchors. Either way, the rule is the same: the link should help the reader.
Putting it into practice
- Audit your existing anchors.
- Decide which pages need links and why.
- Draft a list of branded, descriptive and partial-match anchors for each page.
- Assign the most relevant placements to your few exact-match anchors.
- Review the mix every month as new links go live.
When you order through GuestPostHere, you choose the target URL and anchor text for every placement. If you are unsure, our team can suggest options, just ask.