Anchor text is the visible, clickable words in a link. It’s a small thing that quietly shapes how both people and search engines understand where a link goes, and getting it right is one of the easiest on-page wins available.
Why anchor text matters
When you link the words “on-page SEO checklist” instead of “click here,” you tell the reader exactly what they’ll get and you tell Google what the destination page is about. Google uses anchor text as a signal of a page’s topic and relevance, so descriptive anchors help the linked page rank for what it’s actually about.
Write descriptive, concise anchors
Google’s own guidance is simple: anchor text should be descriptive, reasonably concise, and relevant to the page it points to. A quick test, read the anchor text on its own, out of context. If you can’t tell what the page is about, it’s too vague. “Click here,” “read more,” and “this article” all fail that test.
Don’t overdo it
There’s no magic number of links per page, but if it feels like too many, it probably is. Space links out with real context around them rather than chaining several together, and resist cramming keywords into anchors, forced, keyword-stuffed anchor text reads badly and can trip spam signals. Write naturally: if the reader needs the words to understand the next page, they belong.
Internal links matter most
The highest-leverage place to apply this is your own site. Thoughtful internal links with descriptive anchors help visitors navigate and help Google understand which of your pages matter and how they relate. Every page you care about should be linked, in context, from at least one other page.
The bottom line
Anchor text is a small lever with outsized effect on clarity and rankings. Use plain, descriptive words, link where it genuinely helps, and don’t overdo it. Want a second set of eyes on your site’s structure and linking? See our SEO & AI Search services or reach out.
