Anchor text optimization can be defined as a process of anchor text optimization using the keywords so that we get higher ranks for same keywords in SERPs. Generally any anchor text optimization campaign would involve using keywords to link to pages having related content. All major search engines give great importance to anchor texts as compared to mere links.
When we put hyperlinks on keywords and make them linking with relevant web-pages the searchbot takes this as additional value to the web-page. For example, when the anchor text optimization for search engines is utilized to link with a web-page that contains information on SEO, the searchbot will then consider this as an extra indication that the web-page is to-the-point. Anchor Text can enhance the relevance of the target webpage.
It is beyond doubt that the keyword in Anchor Text enhances the relevance of the target page concerned to the keywords put. Although, the relevancy of the webpage that contains the anchor text can also be enhanced up to certain level (since relevant keywords do appear on the same page), target page URL is a real gainer. You can use this strategy for building the relevance of every webpage of your website through Anchor text optimization that contains important keywords those have relevancy with the theme of web-pages and also with web-pages that your website has from other sources.
You might get amazed knowing that 370 million pages get reported on the SERP and approximately 152 million pages for the SERP of them are very commercial and competitive (cutthroat competition). The reason websites rank higher for those SERPs are because of the power of Anchor Text. With hundreds of thousands of webpages that link to the homepages with many that use the Anchor Text, it’s sufficient to rank higher without any on page optimization! You can now imagine where they stand with just a little onsite optimization!
It is not a secret anymore that Anchor Text is almost always a crucial factor in any sort of SEO strategies. A website can perform passable with good on site optimization, but it drastically performs under expectation when there is improper use of anchor text/few links. On the other hand, a website can perform quite well having good placement of Anchor Text/links but improper on-site optimization. When the website is markedly optimized (plenty of keyword rich stuffs) and proper use of anchor text from sensible PageRank (PR) web-pages there runs to be very well on SERP.
Basically, there are two major types of Anchor Text Optimization mentioned below:-
The Internal Anchor Text Optimization
Internal anchor text optimization can be defined as the optimization that is within the website. For example, if a webpage is hyperlinked to another webpage then rather than using link text in the form of generic words (Anchor Text) the SEO expert makes use of specific and related keyword.
External Anchor Text optimization
External anchor text optimization includes optimization of the Anchor Text in the inbound links that the website gets. External Anchor Text Optimization can be attained by the techniques mentioned below:
1) Link Exchange
You can do it by having a Link Exchange with related websites. Here, you require making use of proper Anchor Text on inbound links so that it turns to be the best way for optimizing the Anchor Text. A link from relevant website with anchor texts that are again relevant to the desired page is thought to be very essential by all search engines.
2) Directory and Article submission
It is always a potential way to submit your website in directories for having quality incoming links. SEO experts believe that links coming from directories are usually given much importance by searchbots since they are crawled quite often. Some good directories that you can bank upon include the Yahoo! directory, Dmoz, Ezine, Isnare and LookSmart etc. In a same way, article submission can also be a great way to do SEO with least efforts but excellent results.
3) Taking part in forums and blogs
To participate in forums and blogs by putting keyword rich weblinks is considered to be very potential method of Anchor Text Optimization. However, it is important not to spam forum/blog as it can create worse impression of the website and undoubtedly, such links are not entertained and will not be there anymore.