Don't Deceive Your Readers
So, I am just taking a break from my niche series to talk about Anchor Text and how not to deceive your readers and Google.
I have seen a few examples of this recently, which is why I wanted to mention it.
Anchor Text is simply the word or phrase that you highlight and add an internal or external link to.
It needs to be relevant to the page it actually leads to, or Google will see it as deceptive and it could harm your site.
It could also confuse your readers and lead to them not trusting your content.
Let's see some examples of what not to do.
One worrying trend I have seen here, is linking text to a WA affiliate link, even though the website is about an entirely different niche topic.
So, the post was about weight loss, and the words "healthy snacks" were actually linked to WA.
The writer was clearly hoping that someone would click and be interested enough to sign up.
Not only is that unlikely to happen, but Google will see it as deceptive, you are trying to trick the reader by sending them somewhere irrelevant.
If the anchor text is healthy snacks, then that's precisely where it should lead to - an internal or external post about healthy snacks!
The anchor text also helps Google to understand what your website is about, so it should be a clear indication of something that you consider important enough for your readers to learn more about it.
Here's an example of what I mean by that.
Imagine you have a travel site, and you were writing about Death Valley National Park, and you happened to mention that some Star Wars scenes were filmed there.
Don't link to a post on Star Wars - it will confuse Google, and it will wonder why you consider a sci-fi movie to be so important to your niche that you want your readers to discover more.
When adding anchor text links, always make sure they are relevant to your niche and that they do not lead somewhere unexpected.
Recent Comments
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A great reminder to focus on the important things and not just the money!! Being deceptive is not the way to get ahead. The money will come with great content and by following the tips mentioned in training. Thank you for sharing.
Gotta say if I click on anchor text that leads to something other than what's implied, I not only leave the website immediately but, if it was delivered by email, go back and look for the Unsubscribe button. Your customer's trust is hard to get, easy to lose.
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Diane, this is another amazing advice!! Thank you very much. These minute details make some of us such a success in preparing good posts, pages, and reviews. I love reading your posts, for I know I will gain some new tricks. Thank you so much.