Link Building
Exact Match Anchor Text
Exact match anchor text is a type of anchor text where the hyperlink's visible text is identical to the target keyword the linked page is trying to rank for — for example, using "cheap running shoes" as anchor text for a page targeting that keyword. While it sends a strong relevance signal to Google, over-use can trigger Penguin algorithm penalties.
Exact match anchor text distribution is monitored using Ahrefs' Anchors report, SEMrush's Backlink Analytics, and Moz Link Explorer. SEOs aim to keep exact match anchors to a small percentage of total anchors (typically under 1–5%) to maintain a natural-looking profile and avoid over-optimization flags.
Authority Links
Related Terms
Link Building
Anchor Text
Anchor text refers to the hyperlinks that are used to direct users to another page.
Link Building
Brand Anchor Text
Hyperlinks that are brand names and direct users to the brand website are called brand anchor texts.
Link Building
Compound Anchor Text
Compound anchor texts are hyperlinks that possess the characteristics of different types of anchor texts.
Link Building
Money Anchor Text
Money anchor texts are hyperlinks that contain keywords which the website getting the backlink uses to achieve sales.

