SEO · Free tool
Anchor Text Analyser
Extract every anchor on a page, see its text, its destination, and a quick classification.
generic
1
descriptive
2
naked URL
1
| Anchor text | Type | URL |
|---|---|---|
| “click here” | generic | https://example.com/learn |
| “complete guide” | descriptive | /guide |
| “https://example.com” | naked URL | https://example.com |
| “about us” | descriptive | /about |
Why this matters
Generic anchors ("click here", "read more") waste a primary on-page SEO signal — Google uses anchor text as a strong topical cue for both the destination and the linking page. Descriptive anchors that match the destination's topic are nearly always better for accessibility and SEO.
For inbound links, balance matters
For backlinks (links pointing to your site), an unnatural over-concentration of exact-match anchor text triggers Penguin-style algorithmic demotion. Healthy profiles are dominated by branded anchors and naked URLs, with descriptive anchors next, and exact-match anchors only sprinkled in. Pair with the nofollow auditor to also catch missing rel attributes. Background in anchor text types and over-optimisation.
Common fixes
- Replace "click here" with the actual destination topic.
- Avoid identical anchor text to two different destinations on the same page.
- For image links, make sure the
altattribute is meaningful (it acts as the anchor). - Don't stuff keywords — link with natural sentences.
FAQ
What anchor text types are there?
Exact-match (the keyword), partial-match (keyword + filler), branded (brand name), generic (click here, read more), naked URL (the URL itself), and image anchor (alt text acts as anchor).
Is over-using exact-match anchors bad?
Yes - Google Penguin algorithm flags unnatural anchor text profiles. Healthy profiles for internal links can be exact-match heavy; backlinks should be a natural mix dominated by branded and naked URL anchors.
Do nofollow links pass anchor signals?
Officially no, since 2019 Google treats nofollow as a hint, not a strict directive. Anchor text in nofollow links is still seen but typically discounted. Do not rely on nofollow links for anchor-text ranking signals.