If you’ve been in the world of e-commerce SEO for a minute, you’ll have likely heard about anchor text. Anchor text is an integral part of linking within your web pages, blogs, and more. That’s why it’s critical for you to understand what anchor text is inside and out as well as how to best utilize it for your e-commerce business. In this post, we’ll define anchor text and talk more about the different ways it can be used to your advantage.
What is Anchor Text?
The anchor text is the clickable part of the link, and is usually easily identified, underlined, and has blue text. Anchor text is extremely important as it is something that helps tell Google what your page is about. You’ll want to do your best to ensure that your anchor text looks natural and that it contains keywords that you’d like your site to rank for when possible. However, it will not always make sense or look natural to use exact keywords as your anchor text. You don’t want your content to come across as spammy, both to your audience and to Google, so make sure you’re prioritizing a natural, easy flow with your anchor text.
What are the Different Types of Anchor Text?
There are several different types of anchor text, and we’ll focus on four types within this section. Branded, exact match, partial match, and call to action (or CTA) are all powerful tools that can help your rankings when used properly.
Branded
Branded anchor text is when you use the name of the brand as an anchor text. For example, if you’re talking about Google and wanting to link back to their site, you would use the word “Google” as your anchor text. It’s pretty simple but powerful.
Exact Match
In a recent post about performing a backlink analysis, I wrote about using keywords as your anchor text. That’s what we refer to as exact match anchor text. Using keywords as your anchor text can be extremely useful in helping you to rank with Google. However, be wary of using too much exact match anchor text, as it can come across as spammy to some search engines. An example of exact match anchor text is using the keyword SEO to link to our SEO page
Partial Match
Partial match anchor text is when you include a variation of keywords related to your page. While not an exact match, this is still a fantastic way to help tell Google what your page is about and drive traffic. An example of partial match anchor text is using the words, Stryde’s paid search services and linking to our PPC page.
Call To Action (CTA)
A call to action is a statement that pushes the reader to take a certain action and is crucial to your link-building. CTA’s have been proven to improve your click-through rates and ultimately drives more traffic and success for your website. An example of using a CTA for anchor text is using the words learn more and linking to our paid social media page. To determine what kind of anchor text is needed to rank well for a particular search query, you’ll need to put on your detective cap and do some competitive research. What kind of anchor text are your top competitors using? What percentage is the exact match vs branded vs CTA? By using a tool like Ahrefs, you’ll be able to quickly see patterns and set a proper anchor text strategy.
Now that you have a better understanding of anchor text and the different ways it can be utilized, you’ll be able to take your link-building to the next level. If you’re still unsure, though, or you’d like more help from a team of experts, set up a consultation with our team to see if we’d be a good fit for your e-Commerce business.
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Looking for more link-building tips to help you grow your e-commerce business? Check out these posts:
- What Is Link Building & Why Is It Important For Your Ecommerce Business?
- What Are the Different Types of Links You Should Build For Your Ecommerce Business?
- How To Tell If A Link Is Valuable & Will Move The Needle For Your Ecommerce Business
Greg is the founder and CEO of Stryde and a seasoned digital marketer who has worked with thousands of businesses, large and small, to generate more revenue via online marketing strategy and execution. Greg has written hundreds of blog posts as well as spoken at many events about online marketing strategy. You can follow Greg on Twitter and connect with him on LinkedIn.
