Why it matters for your business
Anchor text matters because it gives search engines context about the page being linked to. If several sites link to a page using the words "Auckland web design", that helps Google associate the page with that topic. It also affects real people. Clear, descriptive anchor text tells a reader exactly where a link will take them, which improves usability and accessibility. The wording of your links is a small detail that quietly shapes both rankings and user experience.
How it works
The main types
Anchor text falls into a few categories. Exact-match anchors use the target keyword word for word. Partial-match anchors include the keyword within a longer phrase. Branded anchors use your business name. Generic anchors are phrases like "click here" or "read more". Naked URL anchors are the raw web address. A natural link profile contains a healthy mix of all of these.
Why the mix matters
When links are earned naturally, people describe a page in many different ways, so the anchor text varies. If a large share of links to a page all use the exact same keyword-rich phrase, that pattern looks deliberate rather than organic, and Google may discount those links or treat them as a manipulation signal.
Internal links count too
Anchor text is not only about backlinks from other sites. The words you use to link between your own pages also send signals. Descriptive internal anchor text helps search engines understand your site structure and helps visitors navigate it. Unlike backlink anchors, you have full control here, so there is no excuse for vague internal links like "click here" when a clear phrase would do.
Accessibility matters
Good anchor text is also an accessibility feature. People using screen readers often navigate by jumping from link to link, hearing only the anchor text out of context. A list of links all reading "read more" is useless to them, while descriptive anchors tell them exactly where each link leads. Writing clear anchor text serves your rankings and your visitors at the same time.
A common mistake
Over-optimisation is the classic anchor text error. A business decides it wants to rank for "emergency plumber Wellington", so every link it builds uses that exact phrase. Natural link profiles never look like that, and the pattern stands out to search engines as deliberate. The fix is to vary the wording, lean on branded and generic anchors, and let exact-match anchors stay a small minority of the overall profile.
