Anchor Text (also called phrase linking) can significantly improve your web pages relevance in the search engines. Optimized or keyword rich anchor text can help your web site gain positioning in the search engines as well as help drive better targeted search traffic.

What is Anchor Text?

Anchor Text is the visible hyperlinked text that you see on the page, here is an example:

To read more about search engine optimization techniques, check out my Search Engine Optimization blog.

Here the words search engine optimization are hyperlinked to the hidden URL of http://seogirl.blogspot.com/. The words, visible, search engine marketing blog is the anchor text.

Anchor text should be used to indicate the subject matter of the page that it links to. If you use the example above, Search Engine Optimization Blog indicates to visitors that they can expect to find information pertaining to search engine optimization if they click on that link.

Why is Anchor Text Important?

Anchor text is one of the more important elements in influencing a Web site's position in search engine result pages (SERPS). Your anchor text should include important keywords.

If the anchor text technique is used properly it will enhance the relevance of the targeted page. The page containing the anchor text will also be enhanced to some degree because you will be using relative keywords.

Optimizing Anchor Text of Inbound/External Links

Keywords within the anchor text are equally useful from links pointing to your website from other websites. (Inbound links) If you are working on a link building campaign, it is suggested that you have several title and description options for the link pointing to your website.

If you supply a webmaster with something to copy and paste they are able to set your link up within a few minutes and you get exactly what you want as far as anchor text.