Only Using Generic Anchor Text?

I saw something recently, regarding a new update with Google, where it actually is now putting generic anchor texts over keyworded anchor text.

So if this is the case, shouldn't we just start only using generic anchors?

Thoughts on this? Anyone else know what I'm referring to?

You can do especially if they are powerful links, just make sure they are contextual and the text is relevant to the page you are linking to. Make sure your on-page is on point as this will govern relevancy for ranking.

You still need anchor text with your keywords but keep their usage minimal. You will be doing your site a disservice by using only generic anchor texts.

Use many variations of your raw URL, brandname, money keywords and generic anchor text, ideally you want at least 1 different anchor text for every 2 referring domains, i.e....if you have 1,000 domains pointing at your site, you should have at least 500 different anchor text to help it look natural...

Jouster said:

Use many variations of your raw URL, brandname, money keywords and generic anchor text, ideally you want at least 1 different anchor text for every 2 referring domains, i.e....if you have 1,000 domains pointing at your site, you should have at least 500 different anchor text to help it look natural...

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Agree - you really need to be careful with anchor text and optimization in general these days. I'd bet most non-SEO'd sites that still rank well in the search engines have an extremely low amount of anchor links. Still, OP, you shouldn't be TOO afraid either. Personally I'd say use anchor links less than 10% of the time, and "non optimized" anchors for the rest, with emphasis on URL/brand name.

You definitely need to use branded/naked URL links nowadays, but going "only" with generic anchors will not be very effective in terms of ranking for your target keywords. You still very much need keyword anchors, just with a lower percentage than what it used to be. One logical way to go about it is to use keyword anchors with the strongest links and then dilute the ratio with branded/generic anchors from weaker sources.

Don't repeat anchor texts. Make sure they all are different. Also like mein said do about 90% URL and brand links. This is what I do to avoid over optimization with anchor texts.

Say your anchor is "buy widget".

1. Buy widget
2. buy widget here
3. buy widget on sale
3. purchase widget
4. pay for widget
5. buy widget brand name
and so on....

Google understands you are saying the same thing but it looks believable. (Also this is a great way to tag more keywords). Its realistic to think 3 out of 10 links have the same anchor text right? That is 30% but if you look on a larger scale lets say 300 out of 1,000 links have the same anchor text which is still 30% is a big red flag. That is totally unbelievable that 300 has the same exact anchors. That when you get slammed by Google. So the safest bet is to make them all different. Just think about what looks real and what is realistic in a natural link profile.

Recently got rank page 1 with a medium competitive keyword and I did not use any anchor text but just url or brand name for the backlinks. What more important is the good on page seo like title, header and description that is keywords in them.

Links with generic anchor text should be one third of all links to your money site

ostap said:

Links with generic anchor text should be one third of all links to your money site

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Thanks for enlightening us.

Where did you buy the account from?

Resolution10

What account? It is my account here on BHW

Using generic keywords are always safe for long term.

Few of our Aussies clients use generic keywords in 2012 and they are still
ranking for main keywords.

Anyone had experience with changing anchor text on a powerful link after it's indexed? I just learnt the hard way and dropped 4 pages in 4 days :/ Hopin it will come back

Yankin Deez said:

I saw something recently, regarding a new update with Google, where it actually is now putting generic anchor texts over keyworded anchor text.

So if this is the case, shouldn't we just start only using generic anchors?

Thoughts on this? Anyone else know what I'm referring to?

Click to expand...

Man... You sound like fucking niel patel..

Generic anchors are fine and dandy... until you wake up months later and wonder why you're still sitting between the top 50-100 praying for G traffic.

I agree that "anchor text" has to be used sparingly, but if you look at the ONLY THING THAT MATTERS... which are the SERPS you will see what is working, what is not working and what has worked in the past.

IF you listen to every person who tells you something you're not going to learn anything. Niel patel has been spouting this bull shit lately as well as a lot of other shit slinging SEO bloggers who can't figure anything out.

Realizing the importance varying anchors, keeping %'s under certain thresholds is and will be important as long as those filters are in place by G.

I have yet to find anything wrong with going between 5-10% of a handful of your larger anchors while keeping your brand/url/generic keywords as 50% or so of your link profile.

You run into a world of trouble when you start using anchors only and popping your %'s over 15-20% in SOME niche specific algos.
I just analyzed the top competitors in one of my niches that I've been banking in since October. The top 5 sites have between 25-30% anchor text and have for the last 8 months or so. The only person to outrank me in that niche over the last 12 months was touching 67% anchors for the biggest keyword in the niche.

So my guide to you - check your niche, check how long they've been ranking in those niches and you'll have a much better idea of what will and won't be okay in your niche.

Good Luck

-RD

bla bla bla
Choose your way

You wont rank just with generic anchors, you do need to have some links with your main keywords.

shakeitout said:

Man... You sound like fucking niel patel..

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Great post and spot on. I agree with looking at the competition to better understand the anchor text ratio breakdowns.

I'm always looking at ways to automate my diversity, and then focus on the quality high PR links with anchor text. From my experience it helps keep over-optimization issues under the table while achieving top rankings.

The biggest problem I'm seeing noobies do is that they just build optimized anchor text links and wonder why they got slapped by an algorithm update.

I feel this USED TO be true and the right way but I got punished hard for doing just that in a certain niche, so it's dependent. If that same core keyword is used somewhere in too many anchors you're toast.

dealhunter said:

Don't repeat anchor texts. Make sure they all are different. Also like mein said do about 90% URL and brand links. This is what I do to avoid over optimization with anchor texts.

Say your anchor is "buy widget".

1. Buy widget
2. buy widget here
3. buy widget on sale
3. purchase widget
4. pay for widget
5. buy widget brand name
and so on....

Google understands you are saying the same thing but it looks believable. (Also this is a great way to tag more keywords). Its realistic to think 3 out of 10 links have the same anchor text right? That is 30% but if you look on a larger scale lets say 300 out of 1,000 links have the same anchor text which is still 30% is a big red flag. That is totally unbelievable that 300 has the same exact anchors. That when you get slammed by Google. So the safest bet is to make them all different. Just think about what looks real and what is realistic in a natural link profile.

Click to expand...

Yankin Deez said:

I saw something recently, regarding a new update with Google, where it actually is now putting generic anchor texts over keyworded anchor text.

So if this is the case, shouldn't we just start only using generic anchors?

Thoughts on this? Anyone else know what I'm referring to?

Click to expand...

I of course lost the link, but I juts watched a Google video talking about how generic anchors are not good. Now I focus 98% on branded and URLs, and never repeat the same money anchor more than once.

Generic anchors would be good if they are relevant to your page content and may well rank you for low competition keywords. But you are going to need exact anchors as well, but keep them below 5%.