Google deranks pages with keyword-rich anchor texts

I've been observing lately that once I build links with a partial-match anchor, even if it's just 3 backlinks, Google will derank the page in SERP.

I've noticed this partner for quite some time now, be it guest post, PBN, web 2.0 or any kind of link. Also, volume doesn't matter.

Building links to a page can trigger the Google dance, which Google tries to recalculate the page's authority and position, but such a page usually bounces back.

In this case, the page doesn't, and I now want to ask. Are exact match and partial match anchor texts still safe at all?

It seems I will be using only generic and brand anchors henceforth.

Three links should not move a page unless it was already sitting on the edge. I would look at the ratio before blaming the anchor type -> if the page has 12 links total and 3 are partial match, that is 25% commercial anchor on a page that earned none of it on its own. Same three links pointed at a page with 200 references would not register.

Other thing worth ruling out: what else changed in that window? A core or spam update landing mid-test looks exactly like an anchor penalty from the outside, and most of what Google does to links now is quiet devaluation, not a visible derank with a notice attached.

Generic and brand only is a safe default, but it is also how pages end up ranking for nothing commercial. Better habit is one page at a time, one anchor change at a time, and give it two or three weeks before you call it.

split it in GSC first, impressions vs position for that page over the two weeks around the links. if impressions held and only position slid its a re evaluation and it usually comes back. if impressions dropped too the page lost something else at the same time and the 3 links are taking the blame. Three links only move a page that has almost nothing pointing at it, so the ratio point above is the real one. what i do now is keep partial and exact anchors off the money page and put them on the buffer pages that link to it, generic and brand only on the money page. havent had the drop since

I'd avoid relying on exact-match anchors too heavily, but a drop after just a few links doesn't prove the anchors caused it. Check indexing, link quality and other ranking changes before switching entirely to branded and generic anchors.

Google deranks pages with keyword-rich anchor texts

while its not definate, its always a possibilty

Has anyone tested this on a newer domain vs an aged one? We run a few sites in the same niche and the aged ones seem to tolerate exact match anchors much better. On fresh domains we keep exact match low for the first few months.