Anchor text
Encyclopedia
The anchor text, link label or link text is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink
. The words contained in the anchor text can determine the ranking that the page will receive by search engines. Since 1998, some web browser
s have added the ability to show a tooltip
for a hyperlink before it is selected. Not all links have anchor texts because it may be obvious where the link will lead due to the context in which it is used. Anchor texts normally remain below 60 characters
. Different browsers will display anchor texts differently. Usually, Web Search Engines analyze anchor text from hyperlinks on web pages. However, also other services apply the basic principles of anchor text analysis. For instance, academic search engines may use citation
context to classify academic articles
, and anchor text from documents linked in mind maps may be used too.
of the link. For example, a hyperlink to the English-language Wikipedia
's homepage
might take this form:
The anchor text in this example is "Wikipedia"; the unwieldy URL
, contributing to clean, easy-to-read text.
s as anchor text holds significant weight
in search engine
rankings. The limit of the concept
is building sentence
s only composed with linked word
s.
algorithm
s, because the linked text is usually relevant to the landing page
. The objective of search engines is to provide highly relevant search results; this is where anchor text helps, as the tendency was, more often than not, to hyperlink words relevant to the landing page.
Webmaster
s may use anchor text to procure high results in search engine results page
s. Google
's Webmaster Tools
facilitate this optimization by letting website
owners view the most common words in anchor text linking to their site.
In the past, Google bomb
ing was possible through anchor text manipulation; however, in January, 2007, Google announced it had updated its algorithm to minimize the impact of Google bombs.
Hyperlink
In computing, a hyperlink is a reference to data that the reader can directly follow, or that is followed automatically. A hyperlink points to a whole document or to a specific element within a document. Hypertext is text with hyperlinks...
. The words contained in the anchor text can determine the ranking that the page will receive by search engines. Since 1998, some web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
s have added the ability to show a tooltip
Tooltip
The tooltip or infotip is a common graphical user interface element. It is used in conjunction with a cursor, usually a mouse pointer. The user hovers the cursor over an item, without clicking it, and a tooltip may appear—a small "hover box" with information about the item being hovered...
for a hyperlink before it is selected. Not all links have anchor texts because it may be obvious where the link will lead due to the context in which it is used. Anchor texts normally remain below 60 characters
Character (computing)
In computer and machine-based telecommunications terminology, a character is a unit of information that roughly corresponds to a grapheme, grapheme-like unit, or symbol, such as in an alphabet or syllabary in the written form of a natural language....
. Different browsers will display anchor texts differently. Usually, Web Search Engines analyze anchor text from hyperlinks on web pages. However, also other services apply the basic principles of anchor text analysis. For instance, academic search engines may use citation
Citation
Broadly, a citation is a reference to a published or unpublished source . More precisely, a citation is an abbreviated alphanumeric expression Broadly, a citation is a reference to a published or unpublished source (not always the original source). More precisely, a citation is an abbreviated...
context to classify academic articles
Academic publishing
Academic publishing describes the subfield of publishing which distributes academic research and scholarship. Most academic work is published in journal article, book or thesis form. The part of academic written output that is not formally published but merely printed up or posted is often called...
, and anchor text from documents linked in mind maps may be used too.
Overview
Anchor text usually gives the user relevant descriptive or contextual information about the content of the link's destination. The anchor text may or may not be related to the actual text of the URLUniform Resource Locator
In computing, a uniform resource locator or universal resource locator is a specific character string that constitutes a reference to an Internet resource....
of the link. For example, a hyperlink to the English-language Wikipedia
English Wikipedia
The English Wikipedia is the English-language edition of the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia. Founded on 15 January 2001 and reaching three million articles by August 2009, it was the first edition of Wikipedia and remains the largest, with almost three times as many articles as the next...
's homepage
Homepage
A home page or homepage has various related meanings to do with web sites:* It most often refers to the initial or main web page of a web site, sometimes called the front page ....
might take this form:
The anchor text in this example is "Wikipedia"; the unwieldy URL
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Main Page
__NOTOC____NOEDITSECTION__...
, contributing to clean, easy-to-read text.
Common misunderstanding of the concept
This proper method of linking is beneficial to users and webmasterWebmaster
A webmaster , also called a web architect, web developer, site author, or website administrator is a person responsible for maintaining one or many websites...
s as anchor text holds significant weight
Weight
In science and engineering, the weight of an object is the force on the object due to gravity. Its magnitude , often denoted by an italic letter W, is the product of the mass m of the object and the magnitude of the local gravitational acceleration g; thus:...
in search engine
Search engine
A search engine is an information retrieval system designed to help find information stored on a computer system. The search results are usually presented in a list and are commonly called hits. Search engines help to minimize the time required to find information and the amount of information...
rankings. The limit of the concept
Concept
The word concept is used in ordinary language as well as in almost all academic disciplines. Particularly in philosophy, psychology and cognitive sciences the term is much used and much discussed. WordNet defines concept: "conception, construct ". However, the meaning of the term concept is much...
is building sentence
Sentence (linguistics)
In the field of linguistics, a sentence is an expression in natural language, and often defined to indicate a grammatical unit consisting of one or more words that generally bear minimal syntactic relation to the words that precede or follow it...
s only composed with linked word
Word
In language, a word is the smallest free form that may be uttered in isolation with semantic or pragmatic content . This contrasts with a morpheme, which is the smallest unit of meaning but will not necessarily stand on its own...
s.
Search engine algorithms
Anchor text is weighted (ranked) highly in search engineSearch engine
A search engine is an information retrieval system designed to help find information stored on a computer system. The search results are usually presented in a list and are commonly called hits. Search engines help to minimize the time required to find information and the amount of information...
algorithm
Algorithm
In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm is an effective method expressed as a finite list of well-defined instructions for calculating a function. Algorithms are used for calculation, data processing, and automated reasoning...
s, because the linked text is usually relevant to the landing page
Landing page
In online marketing a landing page, sometimes known as a lead capture page, is a single web page that appears in response to clicking on an advertisement...
. The objective of search engines is to provide highly relevant search results; this is where anchor text helps, as the tendency was, more often than not, to hyperlink words relevant to the landing page.
Webmaster
Webmaster
A webmaster , also called a web architect, web developer, site author, or website administrator is a person responsible for maintaining one or many websites...
s may use anchor text to procure high results in search engine results page
Search engine results page
A search engine results page , is the listing of web pages returned by a search engine in response to a keyword query. The results normally include a list of web pages with titles, a link to the page, and a short description showing where the Keywords have matched content within the page...
s. Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
's Webmaster Tools
Google Webmaster Tools
Google Webmaster Tools is a no-charge web service by Google for webmasters. It allows webmasters to check indexing status and optimize visibility of their websites.It has tools that let the webmasters:* Submit and check a sitemap...
facilitate this optimization by letting website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
owners view the most common words in anchor text linking to their site.
In the past, Google bomb
Google bomb
The terms Google bomb and Googlewashing refer to practices, such as creating large numbers of links, that cause a web page to have a high ranking for searches on unrelated or off topic keyword phrases, often for comical or satirical purposes...
ing was possible through anchor text manipulation; however, in January, 2007, Google announced it had updated its algorithm to minimize the impact of Google bombs.