When people ask me for one thing to help their SEO, I say page titles as they are the most changeable element that is often underutilized … and then I also inform them that SEO is a process combining many elements, not just one or two fixes so they realize that by adding page titles their traffic will not sky rocket.

I then point out that if they want to improve their web site’s usability (ease of use) as well as their SEO then take a look at their anchor text.  That usually results in a "huh?" look on their face.

So if your new to the term anchor text, below is a simple definition.

• Anchor text is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink on a web page. An example is easily shown as: this is anchor text.

How does anchor text benefit the user of a website?
Links provide the user the route to learn/read/view more information or data on that item linked.  Above I linked the text "this is anchor text" to Wikipedia’s page on anchor text to give you, my reader more information on it.  For a small business website, this link can direct users to a page that elaborates more on those terms, service or product.  As a user is reading your content, you allow them to click into areas to get more information on what has caught there attention.

I get asked this a lot:  Why link the text in your content area if your navigation is already linking to this page?
It’s not redundant to link the term or text in your content to appropriate areas of your site.  You are making it EASIER for your user to learn more on something right as they see the term and it’s linked.  Why make their eye’s redirect up to your nav to get there.  they see the term they are most interested in, let them click to get more information now!

How does anchor text benefit your SEO?
Search algorithms place more importance on words/text appearing in links.  Why?  Because if you are going to elaborate, provide a page in your website with info on just that topic, or cite other sources (other website pages), then the search engines reward that.  It brings more focus to the page and is of more value to the user … and the engines want to make users happy with their results (SERPs).

In another post I’ll address how anchor text in the links pointing to your site from other sites have great effect on your SEO, but lets get this mastered on your own site first.

Correctly using anchor text.
So now that you’re getting the basics and understanding the value, lets make sure you are linking correctly.  Below are two sentences, both get the user to the same page within the Prime website, but the first example provides the anchor text value we are looking for.

Good:  Prime Advertising & Design is a Minnesota web design firm.

Bad:  Prime Advertising & Design is a Minnesota web design firm. Click for more

There are many great blog posts on anchor text by other blogs and here are a few I recommend reading to strengthen your anchor text knowledge:
 

• Anchor Text Matters from Quart Mountains Blog covering online marketing
• Anchor Your Text from Blog-Op on optimization
• Anchor Text and Blog Effects on Low Competition SEO Markets for terms like an Arizona Pool Builder
   
  

OK, good luck with whipping your anchor text into shape.

Posted on April 19th, 2007 by Aaron
Filed under: web design, seo, content, small business

If you like what you're reading, please subscribe to this blog.

Related Posts

• Prime Adds Blog and Redesigns E-letter for 2007
• Prime Wins a COTY Award at 2007 NARI Event
• Searchers Weigh In On Improving Search Engines