Diversify Your Link Profile

Diversify Your Link Profile With Descriptive Anchor Text

Free yourself by breaking the link between search engine optimization and anchor text in exchange for a great user experience. Anchor text is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink. It's most often used to help connect visitors to additional content relevant to the user's needs (such as any background information the user might need to fully grasp the topic). Whether by reason that humans are creatures of habit or are intentionally using the same words, the frequency with which you use the same anchor text may be hurting your visibility. Exact match anchor text occurs when an unnatural amount of keyword phrases are used for optimization. This creates a static link profile and sends up a red flag to search engines: Spam Alert. Publishing the same anchor text aggressively in articles, blog posts, and guest posts both on and off your website appears unnatural to readers and search engines. Anchor Text Best Practices First, don't overthink it! Anchor text gets a lot of air time because the incorporation of HTML into writing is still fairly foreign to many writers (check out the additional resources section at the bottom of this post for more information on HTML). What may matter more than the words you use in anchor text is the descriptive language around it. This language should be relevant, compelling, and transparent as well as target readers. Next, find balance. Try these natural, user-oriented strategies to create an organic mix of anchor text: Co-Occurrence - Natually tie in your brand with the keywords associated with it. General Anchors - Use general anchors such as "click here," "this post," or "learn more." URL - Show readers exactly where they're going by using your URL or web address (lengthy URLs are not recommended). What Should I Do About My Existing Content? A moderate usage of exact match anchor text across multiple articles should not hurt your link profile. However, if you find an unbalanced amount of exact match anchor text upon review of your backlink analysis, then you may need to consider adjusting your content. If you find yourself in this position, don't be alarmed! Contact our Support Team for more detailed advice regarding your published articles on EzineArticles.com. When you lean too heavily in one direction, it seems unnatural. In extreme cases, it may appear that you’re using tactics that target search engines instead of readers to create all of those similar backlinks. Create a great user experience by using the above tips to add variety and depth to your link profile while maintaining relevance and transparency. Want more? Check out these additional resources related to anchor text: HTML Code Basics for Expert Authors [Learn More] Maintain Your Credibility with Great Anchor Text [Learn More] Introducing Co-Occurrence: Are Your Resource Box Links Transparent and Relevant? [Learn More] Anchor Text Guidelines for Publishing with EzineArticles [Learn More] Are You Over-Optimizing Your Anchor Text? 5 Strategies to Natural Link Profiles [Learn More] This is a confusing topic for many and everyone will benefit from your questions - click here to share them in the comments section!

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