Each time Google updates their algorithm, the process by which they rank web pages is altered in some way, whether slightly or in a more significant manner. The latest change in the algorithm saw quite a few websites which were previously ranked fairly high, drop down by a number of places. Although this phenomenon does not appear to be a penalty of any type, the only common characteristic between these sites seemed to be that their rankings leaned heavily on anchor text rather than on site optimization. Some SEO experts believe this to be the biggest flaw in Google’s latest program, while others feel it is about time. While the goal of all search engines is to consistently show the most relevant and trusted websites at the top of the search results, Google feels that anchor text has little connection to trust for most all search queries due to misuse in the form of paid links full of keyword-stuffed anchor text.
Is Anchor Text Overused?
Google’s algorithm theorizes that just because a site may have thousands of anchor text links using a keyword such as “solar” doesn’t necessarily mean it will be a relevant search result for those who query “solar.” It is generally believed that there are two types of site rankings for commercial queries. The first one is the sites which rank due to the trust factor of their incoming links, meaning their links consist entirely of newspaper websites, quality blogs and such, and the second are the sites which rank highly due strictly to thousands of paid links with anchor text full of keywords. It is these sites Google is targeting, attempting to discount those paid links with competitive keywords anchored in the text.
No “Click Here’s” Please
If you are using the phrase “click here” as your anchor text link, shame on you! This technique is not only old-fashioned, but is just downright lazy. The goal of your anchor text is to include words which specifically relate to your website, the service you are offering, the idea you are promoting or the product you are selling. As a general rule you should keep your anchor links under sixty characters in length, and avoid at all costs using the same anchor text over and over in the same article or page content. This technique not only appears unprofessional but you also risk a rap on the knuckles from Google. And spider bots aside, do you really want to risk boring your reader to tears by repeating anchor text? Research your keywords, and experiment on various search engines to see which are the most effective.
Think Like Your Readers
Diversify your links, and strive to make them as professional as possible. Avoid stuffing anchor text on any single webpage, article or blog post as it could be regarded as spam. Two or three highly relevant backlinks are really all you need to get your readers to trust your site, and search engines to recognize you. Once the search engines pick up your site based on the successful use of anchor text and careful search engine optimization, it should be ranked by your chosen keyword. Once you are ranked, the site will get more and more traffic, become more popular, and move quickly up the rankings. Never forget that there are real human beings out there reading your website’s content. If it appears to your readers that your site is simply anchor links and SEO, they will quickly click elsewhere, looking for a more trusted, professional website.
Google has made it crystal clear that if they judge a site to be stockpiling links in a way they don’t approve of–simply for the purpose of moving up the rankings—they will penalize the site. While relevant links from other sites can go a long way in helping your site move up the search engine rankings, violate Google’s rules regarding anchor text and you may see your site virtually disappear overnight from the search results. So, use anchor text judiciously, but cautiously, working it into your overall SEO plan.
