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How to Use Anchor Text in Guest Posts [2018 Penalty Free Method]

Date published: December 05, 2018
Last updated: July 9, 2024

Most won’t get it but some would agree.

Using same keyword as an anchor text is not only stupid because every time you do it, you bring your website closer to getting penalizes by big G, but it is also in bad taste.

I mean, why would someone waste all the important anchor text on same keyword, while there are those main and body keywords that still need attention,

In case you’re a person who does not know what an anchor text is, here is a simple definition.

“Anchor text is the clickable word or phrase (appeared in color other than black e.g. blue or underlined) that, when clicked, takes you to the website whose link was incorporated in that word or phrase as a hyperlink.”

So all those words and phrases (not website links) on a website that you click and that take you to another website are actually anchor texts.

However:

The problem starts when you use anchor texts in guest posts and when Google notices that all backlinks to your website come from same anchor text (e.g. SEO services).

So, for example, if you offer SEO services and you are getting backlinks to your services website via guest posting, Google will soon notice that all backlinks come from anchor text “SEO services” and you will get hit by rules set in Google’s algorithm: Penguin.

This post is an effort to help you learn how to use anchor text in 2018 and avoid a penalty from Google.

Anchor Text in HTML

Although, I have explained as to what exactly is an anchor text, it is much needed to know how the anchor text and link incorporated into it look like in HTML, because this is how Google bots look at them.

So:

If your website is https://www.globexoutreach.com//and text used as anchor text is “Blogger Outreach Services”, it will appear like following:

<a href=“https://www.globexoutreach.com/”>Blogger Outreach Services</a>

This term or phrase that you use to anchor the backlink or html link is what we call anchor text and there are certain careful ways to do it.

Ways that protect your website from getting penalized by Google.

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Anchor Text Mistakes to Avoid

So:

We are not yet talking about how to do it; let us first talk about how not to do it.

What are the best way to write anchor text and how to avoid other mistakes? Let us take a look at a few very important points one by one:

  • Do not make a mistake of using general words. O yes, this is not a tip to address penalty but a tip to avoid empty shots that call anchor texts. Do not let your anchor text not have a keyword. There is no use of a backlink if the anchor text reads like “have a look at this, and I also talked to the SEO expert, he also believes that such cases must be avoided”. Do you know what it this? Aimless yapping and nothing else. Make sure that every time you use an anchor text, is has a keyword in it.
  • Go specific – Yes, it means that just using a keyword is not enough. Google favors those who go from broad to narrow. What I mean is that do not use very broad niche keywords in your anchor text, but go for narrow ones. Don’t use “SEO services”, but go for “on-page SEO keywords research” or something like this.
  • Also, this tip that I am going to share is specific to certain niches, but make sure that the nature of keyword that you use as an anchor text is not spam-ish. Google hates spam and as a matter of fact, all of us do. So don’t go for words or phrases like “money back guarantee”, “multi-level marketing” or MLM”, “no charges/fees” etc. these are sort of words used by spammers and frauds. It’ll be a false alarm and you do not want to falsely or rightly alarm Google.

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How to Write Anchor Text in 2018

Alright:

So now we know how not to do it, let us see how to write anchor text 100% organically and as per Google’s 2018 standards.

I will start with another and the most important “how not to do it” point.

  • Using focus keyword every time – Yes, this is the fastest way to get your website penalized by Google. Google keeps a link profile of every website and Google would be the first and fast one to notice that each of your backlink comes from the same keyword. This is spamming and abuse of process and it will not go without punishment.
  • Use different types of Anchor Text and thus avoid penalty – You can use different categories of anchor text and by doing this, you will make Google believe that your links are 100% organic. Here are these categories:
  • Branded Anchors – Use your brand name as the anchor text e.g. SEO Savvy Seniors. These are safest and most authentic type of anchor texts.
  • Generic Words – Although it is not good to always use words like click here or something like this, using them intermittently is not a bad idea.
  • Image Anchors – Use the image instead of text as an anchor.
  • CTA – Use your entire call to action as an anchor text.
  • LSI – Use synonyms or words related to main keyword as anchor text.
  • Brand + Keyword – Use a blend of your brand name and keyword as an anchor text. It is 100% organic.
  • Keyword itself – Yes, this is the best type of anchor but use it more than few times and see how fast you get penalized.

So:

Peeps, if you follow these simple rules of not writing and writing your anchor texts in guest posts, I bet that your website will not get penalized in 2018 or 19 or anytime in future.

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