Anchor Text Best Practices That Actually Help SEO

I cringe a little whenever I read some of the articles I wrote years ago.

Back then, I thought I had internal linking figured out.

Every link used the exact keyword I wanted to rank for.

If the keyword was "best tomato fertilizer," I'd find every possible excuse to make those exact three words clickable.

I honestly believed I was helping Google understand my content.

Looking back, I was making my articles sound robotic.

Even worse, I wasn't thinking about the person reading the article.

I was thinking almost entirely about search engines.

Thankfully, that didn't last forever.

The more websites I built, the more I realized something surprisingly simple.

Good anchor text isn't written for Google first.

It's written for the person who's about to click it.

If someone can't immediately understand where a link is taking them, I've probably written poor anchor text regardless of what SEO tools might say.

That realization completely changed how I write today.

Instead of trying to force keywords into every link, I focus on creating natural recommendations that genuinely help readers continue learning.

Ironically, I've found that approach performs much better over the long run.

What Is Anchor Text?

Anchor text is simply the clickable words inside a hyperlink.

That's it.

If you've ever clicked a phrase inside an article that took you somewhere else, those clickable words are the anchor text.

While the definition is simple, choosing the right words can have a surprisingly large impact on both user experience and how your content is connected together.

One thing that really changed my thinking was realizing that internal links aren't just for SEO. They help readers discover the next useful piece of information. I dive much deeper into that idea in my article about how internal links help SEO more than most bloggers realize, because that mindset completely changed how I organize my websites.

Why Anchor Text Matters

Imagine you're reading an article and suddenly come across a link that simply says "click here."

What are you clicking?

You have no idea.

Now imagine the link says "how to start composting at home."

Without even clicking, you already know exactly what you'll find.

That's good anchor text.

It removes uncertainty.

It sets expectations.

It helps readers decide whether the next resource is relevant to them.

I've found that simple principle improves both readability and navigation across large websites.

The Biggest Anchor Text Mistake I Made

For years, I believed every internal link should use the exact keyword I wanted that page to rank for.

That led to articles where the same phrase appeared over and over again.

Not only did it sound repetitive, but it also made the writing feel unnatural.

Eventually I started asking myself another question.

Would I actually say this if I were explaining the topic to someone sitting across the table from me?

Many times the answer was no.

That's when I stopped writing for algorithms and started writing for readers.

Ironically, my content became much easier to read.

As my websites continued growing, I also found it much easier to discover natural linking opportunities instead of trying to force the same keyword into every article.

Good Anchor Text Should Sound Natural

One of my favorite tests is reading the sentence out loud.

If the link feels awkward while speaking, it usually feels awkward while reading too.

Natural writing almost always produces better anchor text than trying to squeeze an exact keyword into every sentence.

Sometimes the perfect anchor text is only three words.

Sometimes it's an entire phrase.

The important part is that readers immediately understand what they're about to click.

Different Types of Anchor Text

Over the years I've used just about every type of anchor text imaginable.

Some work better than others depending on the situation.

Descriptive Anchor Text

This is my favorite.

The clickable words clearly describe what readers will find after clicking.

They're helpful.

Natural.

Easy to understand.

Partial Keyword Anchors

These include part of the topic without sounding repetitive.

I use these frequently because they tend to blend into normal writing much better than forcing an exact phrase every single time.

Branded Anchors

Sometimes linking to a product or business name makes perfect sense.

For example, when discussing the workflow I personally use for finding contextual linking opportunities, I'll naturally mention Internal Link Reviewer for WordPress because that's the tool I built after struggling to manually remember relationships between hundreds of articles.

The brand itself becomes the anchor because that's exactly what readers are looking for.

Generic Anchors

Links like "click here," "learn more," or "this page" aren't automatically terrible.

I simply don't use them very often.

Most of the time, I think readers deserve something more descriptive.

Anchor Text Should Match Reader Intent

This is probably the biggest lesson I've learned.

People don't click links because they're optimized.

They click them because they solve the next problem they're trying to solve.

If someone is reading about internal links, they may naturally begin wondering how to organize those links across hundreds of articles.

That's exactly where a recommendation fits naturally.

Years ago I would've forced a keyword into the sentence.

Today I'd simply recommend another helpful resource because that's what I'd honestly do if we were having the conversation in person.

I Stopped Thinking About Keywords and Started Thinking About Conversations

One day I was updating an older article when something hit me.

If a real person asked me a question face-to-face, I wouldn't stop halfway through my answer and suddenly say...

"Oh, by the way, here's my article called Best Tomato Fertilizer."

I'd answer their question naturally.

If another topic came up, I'd say something like, "I actually wrote a guide that explains that in much more detail."

That's exactly how I try to write internal links now.

They aren't interruptions.

They're simply the next recommendation I'd naturally make during the conversation.

That one mindset change probably improved my anchor text more than any SEO advice I've ever read.

One Article Should Naturally Lead to Another

I think this is where many websites accidentally miss a huge opportunity.

Imagine someone lands on one of your articles from Google.

You answer their question.

Great.

Now what?

If the article simply ends, there's a good chance they'll head back to Google looking for the next answer.

I'd rather keep helping them.

That's why I try to anticipate the next logical question they're likely to ask.

For example, if someone is learning about anchor text, there's a good chance they're also trying to improve their overall internal linking strategy. That's exactly why I'd naturally point them toward my guide explaining how internal links help SEO instead of expecting them to search for it themselves.

That's not about squeezing in another internal link.

It's about continuing to help the reader.

Anchor Text Should Never Surprise the Reader

One simple rule I follow is that readers should always know what they're about to click.

If the anchor text promises one thing but delivers something completely different, that's a poor experience.

I try to make every link feel obvious.

The reader shouldn't have to guess.

They should already know exactly what kind of information they're about to find.

That clarity builds trust.

It also makes people much more likely to continue exploring your website.

One Habit That Helped Me Write Better Anchor Text

I stopped forcing myself to add links while I was writing the first draft.

Instead, I finish the article.

I let it sit for a little while.

Then I read it from beginning to end as if I were visiting the page for the very first time.

That's when the natural opportunities usually jump out at me.

I'll reach a paragraph and immediately think...

"Someone reading this would probably also want to learn about..."

That's almost always where the best internal links appear.

They aren't planned.

They're discovered.

Don't Be Afraid to Use Different Anchor Text

This is another mistake I made for years.

I thought every link pointing to the same article should use nearly identical wording.

Today I almost never do that.

Real people don't repeat the exact same phrase every time they recommend something.

Neither should your content.

One article might be introduced as:

• my guide to internal linking
• how internal links improve SEO
• building better topic clusters
• strengthening your website structure
• improving your internal linking strategy

If all of those naturally describe the destination, I think that's perfectly fine.

It also makes the writing feel much more conversational.

Anchor Text Changed the Way I Built My Plugins

As my websites became larger, I realized remembering good internal linking opportunities was becoming almost impossible.

I knew I had articles that deserved more attention.

I simply couldn't remember all of them anymore.

That frustration eventually led me to create Internal Link Reviewer.

I didn't build it to automatically insert links everywhere.

I built it because I wanted help finding opportunities I would've otherwise missed.

The plugin suggests contextual internal links, but I still review every recommendation myself.

That's important because no software understands my audience as well as I do.

I still make the final decision.

Bad Anchor Text Usually Creates Other Problems Too

One thing I've noticed over the years is that poor anchor text rarely exists by itself.

Articles filled with awkward links often have other issues too.

Outdated recommendations.

Weak formatting.

Old examples.

Broken resources.

Whenever I decide to improve anchor text, I usually end up refreshing the rest of the article at the same time.

That's one reason I spend so much time maintaining older content.

While reviewing those articles, I often discover outdated resources that deserve attention. In fact, that's exactly why I wrote my guide explaining how broken links hurt SEO. Once you begin maintaining content regularly, you quickly realize that internal links and broken links are usually part of the same overall workflow.

Think Like a Helpful Guide, Not a Search Engine

If someone were visiting your hometown for the first time, you probably wouldn't hand them a giant list of street names.

You'd guide them.

You'd recommend places in the order that makes the most sense.

You'd answer one question before introducing the next.

That's exactly how I think about internal links today.

Every article should feel like you're personally walking someone through a subject.

The anchor text simply points toward the next stop on the journey.

When I started thinking that way instead of obsessing over keywords, my writing became much more natural.

Ironically, I also think my websites became much more useful because readers weren't constantly being interrupted by awkward, keyword-stuffed links.

How I Audit Anchor Text Across a Large Website

Once my websites grew beyond a couple hundred articles, I realized something.

I couldn't possibly remember every internal link I'd ever created.

That meant I needed a repeatable process instead of relying on memory.

When I review anchor text today, I don't open random articles.

I start with my most important pages.

These are usually the articles bringing in the most traffic or the pages that support an entire topic cluster.

Then I slowly work outward.

I read the article as if I've never seen it before.

I pay attention to every internal recommendation.

Does the link feel natural?

Would I actually click it?

Does it answer the next question someone would probably have?

If the answer is yes, I leave it alone.

If not, I improve it while I'm already editing the article.

That simple habit has gradually made my websites much easier to navigate.

What I Look for When Editing Anchor Text

Most of my edits aren't complicated.

They're usually small improvements that make the article read more naturally.

Some of the things I look for include:

• Anchor text that repeats the exact same wording too often.
• Generic phrases that don't explain what the reader will find.
• Links that interrupt the flow of the sentence.
• Opportunities to recommend newer articles.
• Links that no longer make sense because the surrounding paragraph has changed.

None of those changes take very long individually.

Over hundreds of articles, though, they make a noticeable difference.

Anchor Text Should Grow With Your Website

One thing I've noticed is that my internal linking strategy continues evolving every year.

When I only had a few dozen articles, there weren't many places to send readers.

Today it's completely different.

Almost every article I publish creates opportunities to strengthen several older guides.

Likewise, older articles become even more valuable because they can now introduce readers to newer content that didn't exist when they were originally written.

That's one reason I don't believe internal linking is ever truly finished.

It's something that naturally grows alongside your website.

Don't Forget About Older Articles

If I could go back and give myself one piece of blogging advice, it would probably be this.

Your old content deserves just as much attention as your new content.

Some of my biggest traffic improvements have come from refreshing articles that were already several years old.

Sometimes all they needed was better organization.

Sometimes they needed stronger internal links.

Other times they contained broken resources that had quietly accumulated over the years.

That's exactly why I spend so much time maintaining existing content instead of constantly chasing new keywords.

If you're already updating older posts, don't overlook the importance of checking your links while you're there. I shared the exact process I follow in my guide on finding broken links in WordPress without wasting hours, because link maintenance has become a regular part of every content refresh I perform.

My Biggest Takeaway After Years of Internal Linking

If someone asked me what makes good anchor text today, my answer would be surprisingly simple.

Write the link you'd naturally use if you were helping a friend.

Don't write for a search engine.

Don't obsess over exact-match keywords.

Don't force links into places where they don't belong.

Simply recommend the next helpful resource in a way that's honest, clear, and easy to understand.

I've found that philosophy creates articles that people actually enjoy reading.

As a bonus, it also builds stronger topic clusters because every article naturally supports several others instead of standing completely alone.

That approach has shaped nearly every content website I own today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should every internal link use the exact keyword?

No. I actually try to avoid that. Different wording often sounds much more natural while still accurately describing the destination page.

Is "click here" bad anchor text?

Not always, but I rarely use it. I generally prefer descriptive anchor text because it tells readers exactly what they'll find after clicking.

Can changing anchor text improve SEO?

It certainly can improve the overall quality of your content. More importantly, it creates a better experience for readers, which is always my primary goal.

How do you find internal linking opportunities on large websites?

Once a website grows beyond a few hundred articles, manually remembering every opportunity becomes unrealistic. That's one of the biggest reasons I built Internal Link Reviewer. It helps me uncover contextual linking opportunities while still allowing me to review every recommendation before making changes.

Should I update anchor text on older articles?

Absolutely. As your website grows, older articles often become some of your best opportunities for strengthening topic clusters and helping readers discover newer content.

If you're looking for more tools designed to simplify publishing and maintaining WordPress websites, take a look through our WordPress Plugins collection. Every plugin there was built to solve a real problem I encountered while managing growing content websites, and they all follow the same philosophy of saving time while keeping you in complete editorial control.