Dumb SEO Questions

(Entry was posted by Steven Ciccantelli on this post in the Dumb SEO Questions community on Facebook, 10/29/2013).

What are the similarities and/or differences between keywords and anchor text?

In simplest terms can someone explain the similarities and/or differences between keywords and anchor text?
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YOUR ANSWERS

Selected answers from the Dumb SEO Questions Facebook & G+ community.

  • Steven Ciccantelli: In simplest terms can someone explain the similarities and/or differences between keywords and anchor text?
  • Chris Butterworth: Keywords
    What people type into search engines and the words you try and target with SEO.

    Anchor Text
    The blue text you see on a link

    Similarities = Both are words
    Differences = One is typed into Google, the other is part of a link

    Back in the good old days of SEO, using highly targeted anchor text was a good way to target specific keywords and improving rankings for them. Now it's less effective because over optimisation could result in a penalty.

    I can't help but feel I haven't really answered your question.
  • Sean McGuire: Hi +Steven Ciccantelli . Keywords are the words that you try to target through SEO strategies. Anchor text is those keywords a link that points / leads to your website (usually using HTML, but sometimes websites have formatting software / options that turn the keyword text into a link for you).

    I hope this post (or any of these replies) is helpful for you. If not, please let us know if you still have questions. I'll do my best to answer.

    +Chris Butterworth , personally I think your answer is quite good! ;
  • Steven Ciccantelli: +Chris Butterworth but you tried.Seems that some of my anchor text are keywordish.
  • Chris Butterworth: If you're talking about your anchor text in some kind of link review tool (WMT, Majestic, Open Site Explorer), the likelihood is that someone doing your SEO may have used your target keywords in the anchor text of the link to help your site rank better. This can be good or bad depending on how they've done it. ;
  • Luke Ciciliano: +Chris Butterworth  ;is right that it can be "good or bad." Your anchor text helps the search engines know what the page being linked to is about. For example, if your link just says "click here" then Google is told that the page is about "click here," which obviously has no useful meaning. By making your anchor text the subject matter for which you wish to rank you help your site.

    It is important, however, that your anchor text be an accurate representation of what your site is about. The search engines will think you are playing games if you try to pass a long a meaning that is not represented on the page.

    I hope this helps.

View original question in the Dumb SEO Questions community on Facebook, 10/29/2013).

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