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SEO is a subject that embodies hundreds of little details. Among those details, anchor text and hyperlinks are two elements that are frequently discussed in SEO. Nonetheless, many users are confused about identifying between anchor text vs hyperlink.
In this blog, let’s dig deep into these elements and find out the difference and the importance of anchor texts and hyperlinks and what these can do to improve your page’s SEO.
What Is Anchor Text?
An anchor Text is the part of the link that connects two web pages to one another. Anchor text is also identified as “link title”, “link text”, or “link label”. Commonly, the anchor text is underlined and appears in a different color than the surrounding text. It is possible to alter the color of the anchor text and underline it through HTML code. However, the web standard is the blue, underlined anchor text.
The Importance of Anchor Text
Anchor Text is useful in transferring you from one location on the web to another. Literally, it is the text that anchors you between two different locations. On the one hand, the label in the anchor text depicts what a user will see on the linked page. On the other hand, most importantly, the anchor text is useful for search engines to index and rank web pages, and therefore, the anchor text helps you in boosting your SEO efforts.
Types of Anchor Texts
There are various types of anchor text. Now let’s look into some of them.
Exact Match
An exact match anchor text includes a specific keyword or phrase for which the target webpage wants to rank.
Example:
Phrase Match
A phrase match anchor text includes a specific phrase for which the target webpage is aiming to rank.
Example:
Here are some strategies for internal linking that can be used in your SEO campaign.
Partial Match
A partial match anchor text consists of some part of the keyword, but it can also include the exact phrase with some other words for context.
Example:
Learn how to perform keyword research for your niche.
Branded
If the name of the brand is used as the anchor text, then it is known as branded anchor text. In other words, the text in the anchor is the name of the site to which you are directed.
Example:
Generic
A generic anchor text includes generic words and usually generic anchor texts are used for CTA buttons and ads. Generic anchors do not provide any kind of information about the webpage that you are directed to.
Example
Click here to read our blog.
Naked URL
When the raw URL of the webpage is used as the anchor text, then that type of anchor text is known as “Naked URLs”. It is called ‘naked’ because the entire URL is completely visible to the users.
Example – https://inquivix.com/
Image Anchor
Images can also be used to serve the purpose of an anchor text. In this case, an image is used to anchor the user between two web pages. Most importantly, be sure to include a description in your image because search engines use that particular description to comprehend the image.
Example
What Is a Hyperlink?
A hyperlink can be recognized as an element in an HTML document that connects a portion of the document or the whole document to another document. A hyperlink is also recognized by the labels such as “link” and “web link”. Usually, a hyperlink can be a text, image, or icon. If a hyperlink is a text, generally it is in purple or blue and may or may not be underlined. The similarities in the appearance between hyperlinks and anchor texts are what makes it complicated to identify which one is what. As an anchor text navigates the user to another portion or web page, similarly, by clicking the hyperlink, you will be directed to its target.
The Importance of a Hyperlink
When considering the importance of a hyperlink, the first and foremost importance is the ease it provides the user to navigate from one internet location to another. On the other hand, the inclusion of hyperlinks facilitates improving the SEO of a website. In return, if a website uses adequate SEO techniques, it is possible for search engines to rank that particular website effectively.
In addition, hyperlinks are also useful in increasing a website’s traffic and credibility and in return facilitate establishing connections within a particular web community.
Hyperlinks can be implemented in an effective and advantageous way. However, if it is incorrectly implemented, it will possibly damage the ranking of the website.
Types of Hyperlinks
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Hyperlinks can be mainly divided into two categories as “Internal Hyperlinks” and “External Hyperlinks”.
Internal Hyperlink
An internal hyperlink refers to a link that is found in a webpage and this particular hyperlink directs the user from one segment to another of the same domain. Internal hyperlinks are also used to navigate the user through its content in a particular manner. This is known as “Click Path”.
External Hyperlink
An external hyperlink refers to a link found on a web page that can navigate the user from one domain to another. External hyperlinks can be of two types, namely, outbound hyperlinks and incoming hyperlinks.
Outbound hyperlinks connect the user from one domain to another. This hyperlink is frequently used when adding references and recommendations.
Another type of external hyperlink is ‘Inbound’ hyperlinks, also known as backlinks. This type of link navigates the user from other domains to your own website. Significantly, inbound links facilitate improving the website’s backlink profile and that is an important component of SEO. Consequently, it will bring out a high ranking on a SERP and positively affect the website’s visibility.
Types of Hyperlinks
There are several types of hyperlinks.
Text Links
One of the most commonly seen types of hyperlinks is the “Text Link”. A text link is a visible, clickable text that navigates the user from one segment to another or from one domain to another.
Image Links
A hyperlink that is in the image format is referred to as an “Image Link”. When you click on the image, either you get directed to its domain or the image will open. Banner ads that are visible on websites are the most common image links that you can come across.
Anchor Links
Anchor links are most often confused with anchor texts. If we define what anchor links are, those are the links that direct you from one segment of the document to a different segment of the same document. For instance, most web pages include a table of content and this consists of anchor links. When a user clicks on a subheading on the table of contents, they’ll be taken to the relevant section on the same page.
Fat Links
Fat links are also referred to as “Extended links”. This type of hyperlink is a single link that leads you to multiple destinations.
Anchor Text vs Hyperlinks and SEO
[Image: Use this image as inspiration and create a graphic following INQ design guidelines.]
Anchor texts and hyperlinks play an integral part in improving the SEO of a webpage. Let’s look at what these elements can do to assist in a web page’s SEO separately.
Including an optimized anchor text for internal hyperlinks and external hyperlinks can help in improving the web page’s SEO in several ways.
- Inclusion of optimized anchor texts in internal links supports search engines to comprehend the site structure.
- Inclusion of an effective anchor text in external hyperlinks supports the user to comprehend whether it is a site that they want to visit.
Search engines pay attention to hyperlinks on any web page. It is because hyperlinks provide information about the kinds of content on your page for search engines. On the other hand, having an effective hyperlink has the ability to boost your Google rank.
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As you can see, anchor text and hyperlinks serve different purposes in SEO. If we reiterate the difference, the fact that should be in mind is that an anchor text is a part of a hyperlink. However, both these elements play separate roles in optimizing the SEO of your web page. It is indeed true that anchor texts and hyperlinks are advantageous, but on the other hand, if these are implemented inaccurately, they will have negative consequences as well. Thus, keeping a balance without exaggeration is always an effective SEO practice.
It is always best to assist yourself with some expert advice and support to save yourself from trouble by considering what anchor texts and what hyperlinks to be used. Do you need help with your search engine optimization? Call us at Inquivix and we are here to help you with all your SEO-related queries
FAQs
What Is the Connection between an Anchor Text and a Hyperlink?
A hyperlink is an element in an HTML document that connects a segment of the document to another or that connects the whole document to another document. An anchor text is a part of a hyperlink and it is usually what a user sees and clicks on
How Can an Anchor Text and a Hyperlink Optimize the SEO of a Web Page?
By including an optimized anchor text for internal hyperlinks and external hyperlinks, it supports the search engines to understand the site structure of the web page. Moreover, it also supports any user to understand whether it is a site that he or she wants to visit. On the other hand, an effective hyperlink helps search engines to detect the kind of content that is on the page and thus, helps in boosting your page’s Google rank.