When it comes to SEO, one of the most misunderstood — yet vital — factors is anchor text distribution in backlink profiles. Google and other search engines use anchor text to help determine the relevance of a linked page. A natural and balanced anchor profile can boost your rankings, while an over-optimized or unnatural anchor distribution can lead to penalties.
In this article, we will explore the concept of anchor text distribution, break down types of anchor texts, show real-world examples, and offer insights into what a healthy backlink anchor profile looks like.
What Is Anchor Text?
Anchor text is the clickable text in a hyperlink. Ideally, it tells the reader (and the search engine) what the linked page is about.
For example, in the sentence:
Learn more about our SEO consulting services.
“SEO consulting services” is the anchor text.
Search engines use anchor text as a ranking signal — but they also use it to identify manipulation. That’s why the distribution and variety of anchor text types is key.
Types of Anchor Text
Understanding different types of anchor texts is essential before analyzing their distribution.
1. Branded Anchors
Anchor includes your brand name.
Example: “Visit Ahrefs for backlink analysis.”
2. Naked URL Anchors
Anchor is a plain URL.
Example: “Check out this tool: https://ahrefs.com.”
3. Generic Anchors
Common phrases like “click here,” “visit this page,” etc.
Example: “For more information, click here.”
4. Exact Match Anchors
Anchor is an exact match of the target keyword.
Example: “Our guide on backlink building.”
5. Partial Match Anchors
Anchor contains the target keyword along with other words.
Example: “Learn the best practices for white hat backlink building.”
6. LSI or Related Anchors
Anchor contains semantically related terms to the keyword.
Example: “Master your link acquisition strategy.”
7. Image Anchors
When an image is hyperlinked, the ALT text serves as the anchor.
What Is Anchor Text Distribution?
Anchor text distribution refers to the variety and frequency of anchor text types in your backlink profile. A natural anchor profile mixes different anchor types to avoid triggering Google’s spam filters.
For example, if 80% of your backlinks use exact match anchor text like “buy cheap watches,” that’s a red flag. A natural profile would include more branded, URL, and generic anchors.
Examples of Anchor Distribution from Real Sites
Example 1: SaaS Website (Ahrefs.com)
From Ahrefs’ own backlink profile data (as observed in their tool):
- Branded anchors: ~40%
- “Ahrefs,” “Ahrefs.com”
- Naked URLs: ~20%
- “https://ahrefs.com”
- Generic anchors: ~10%
- “click here,” “this site”
- Exact match: ~10%
- “backlink checker,” “SEO tools”
- Partial match: ~15%
- “Ahrefs keyword tool,” “Ahrefs backlink index”
- Image anchors: ~5%
This is a very balanced and natural anchor profile. The high presence of branded and naked URLs suggests an authoritative and reputable website.
Example 2: Niche Affiliate Site (hypothetical example)
- Exact match anchors: 50%
- “best tactical flashlight,” “cheap tactical flashlight”
- Branded: 5%
- “TacticalGearReviews”
- Naked URL: 15%
- “https://tacticalgearreviews.com”
- Generic: 10%
- “learn more,” “click here”
- Partial match: 20%
This profile is clearly over-optimized. The exact match anchors exceed safe limits (usually recommended \<10-15%). It may raise a red flag with Google and lead to a manual review or algorithmic penalty.
Example 3: Corporate Blog (e.g., HubSpot)
- Branded: 45%
- “HubSpot,” “HubSpot CRM”
- Naked URL: 20%
- “https://hubspot.com”
- Generic: 10%
- “read more,” “learn more”
- Partial match: 15%
- Exact match: 5%
- Image anchors: 5%
This is another healthy and diverse anchor distribution, with a strong emphasis on branded links and a small percentage of exact match phrases — ideal for a high-authority domain.
1. E-commerce Site (Shoes Brand)
Anchor Distribution:
- Branded: 30% — “StepForward,” “StepForward.com”
- Naked URL: 15%
- Generic: 5% — “shop now,” “click here”
- Exact Match: 30% — “running shoes,” “best hiking boots”
- Partial Match: 15% — “waterproof running shoes,” “StepForward sneakers”
- Image/ALT: 5%
Analysis:
🔴 Over-optimized — 30% exact match is risky. Google may flag this as manipulative, especially if links come from low-quality blogs or forums.
2. Legal Services Firm Website
Anchor Distribution:
- Branded: 50% — “Smith & Gray Law,” “SmithLaw.com”
- Naked URL: 20%
- Generic: 10% — “visit website,” “see here”
- Exact Match: 5% — “car accident lawyer NYC”
- Partial Match: 10%
- Image/ALT: 5%
Analysis:
✅ Very natural and trust-focused. This distribution builds authority without over-optimizing keywords.
3. Cryptocurrency Blog
Anchor Distribution:
- Branded: 10%
- Naked URL: 25%
- Generic: 15%
- Exact Match: 20% — “buy bitcoin with credit card,” “best crypto wallets”
- Partial Match: 25%
- Image/ALT: 5%
Analysis:
⚠️ Moderately risky. While naked URLs help, the high mix of exact and partial match anchors could appear manipulative if links aren’t editorial.
4. Local Bakery Site
Anchor Distribution:
- Branded: 40% — “SweetHeaven Bakery”
- Naked URL: 15%
- Generic: 25% — “order now,” “see more”
- Exact Match: 5% — “bakery in Brooklyn”
- Partial Match: 10%
- Image/ALT: 5%
Analysis:
✅ Strong and natural. Heavy use of branded and generic anchors shows real-world linking behavior.
5. Tech Startup (AI SaaS Product)
Anchor Distribution:
- Branded: 45% — “NeuralDash,” “NeuralDash.com”
- Naked URL: 10%
- Generic: 5% — “learn more,” “this tool”
- Exact Match: 10% — “AI data platform”
- Partial Match: 25%
- Image/ALT: 5%
Analysis:
✅ Well-balanced. Emphasizes branding while still pushing some keyword relevance through partial match anchors.
6. Real Estate Listing Platform
Anchor Distribution:
- Branded: 20%
- Naked URL: 15%
- Generic: 10%
- Exact Match: 30% — “homes for sale in Dallas,” “buy property Cyprus”
- Partial Match: 20%
- Image/ALT: 5%
Analysis:
🔴 Over-optimized. Too many exact matches in a commercial niche — Google might see this as an unnatural linking pattern.
7. Nonprofit Organization
Anchor Distribution:
- Branded: 60% — “Water4All”
- Naked URL: 20%
- Generic: 10% — “donate here,” “learn more”
- Exact Match: 2%
- Partial Match: 5%
- Image/ALT: 3%
Analysis:
✅ Extremely natural. Heavy use of branded and generic anchors is common for nonprofit press coverage, blog mentions, and citations.
8. Fashion Blog
Anchor Distribution:
- Branded: 25%
- Naked URL: 10%
- Generic: 15% — “read more,” “shop now”
- Exact Match: 15% — “summer dress trends,” “best jeans for men”
- Partial Match: 30%
- Image/ALT: 5%
Analysis:
⚠️ Leaning toward over-optimization. The high number of partial/exact matches is common in affiliate blogging but must be monitored.
9. Affiliate Comparison Site
Anchor Distribution:
- Branded: 5%
- Naked URL: 10%
- Generic: 10%
- Exact Match: 50% — “best VPN for Netflix,” “cheap web hosting”
- Partial Match: 20%
- Image/ALT: 5%
Analysis:
🔴 Highly over-optimized. This profile almost guarantees a penalty if the links are from low-authority or spammy domains.
10. Educational Institution Website
Anchor Distribution:
- Branded: 55% — “Greenfield University,” “GreenfieldU.edu”
- Naked URL: 15%
- Generic: 10% — “apply now,” “read more”
- Exact Match: 5% — “engineering degree program”
- Partial Match: 10%
- Image/ALT: 5%
Analysis:
✅ Excellent. Naturally reflects how universities are cited by media, students, blogs, and academic sources.
Ideal Anchor Text Distribution by Type
While there is no “one-size-fits-all” formula, most SEO experts agree on a safe and natural distribution framework:
- Branded anchors: 30–50%
- Naked URLs: 10–25%
- Generic anchors: 5–15%
- Exact match: 1–10%
- Partial match: 10–20%
- Image anchors (ALT text): 5–10%
Why Balanced Anchor Text Matters
1. Avoiding Google Penalties
Google’s Penguin algorithm targets unnatural link patterns, especially when exact match keywords are overused.
2. Signaling Trust and Relevance
Branded and generic anchors often reflect genuine linking behavior. This tells search engines your site is trusted and naturally referenced.
3. Optimizing for Semantic Search
Using partial match and LSI-related anchors allows you to cover related keywords and improve your topical relevance.
How to Analyze Anchor Distribution
To examine your current backlink anchor profile, use tools such as:
- Ahrefs: “Anchors” tab
- SEMrush: Backlink Audit > Anchors
- Majestic: Anchor Text chart
- Moz: Link Explorer > Anchor Text
- Google Search Console: Links > Top linking text
Look for red flags such as:
- Excessive use of exact match
- Almost no branded mentions
- Irrelevant or spammy anchor texts
Best Practices for Anchor Distribution
1. Start with Branded and Naked Links
These are safest and most natural. Use them in early link-building phases to build trust.
2. Use Partial Match Sparingly
Partial matches give you keyword relevance without looking manipulative. Rotate variations of your core keyword.
3. Limit Exact Match to High-Authority Sites
Only use exact match anchors on editorially placed links from trusted websites. Avoid low-quality directories or spammy guest posts.
4. Avoid Sitewide Footer Links
Especially with keyword-rich anchors — they can trigger spam signals.
5. Monitor Competitors
Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush allow you to audit your competitors’ anchor distributions. Use that as a benchmark.
Anchor Distribution for Different Strategies
A. Guest Posting
- Use partial match or branded anchors.
- Avoid exact match unless the site is highly authoritative.
B. Press Releases
- Prefer branded anchors or naked URLs.
- Keep keyword use minimal.
C. Niche Edits (Link Insertions)
- Blend with existing content using partial match or generic anchors.
D. HARO or Digital PR
- These typically result in branded anchors, which are excellent for trust.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Over-using exact match anchors across multiple domains
- Using irrelevant or misleading anchors
- Stuffing too many keywords in one anchor
- Building too many links in a short time
- Buying backlinks with unnatural anchor texts
Final Thoughts
Your backlink strategy is only as strong as your anchor text distribution. Google has evolved to reward natural, diverse, and contextually relevant link profiles. While anchor text is just one of many SEO ranking factors, its misuse can quickly derail your campaign.
Here’s a quick takeaway:
When in doubt, use branded anchors. When optimizing, use partial match sparingly. When trying to rank, avoid shortcuts like exact match stuffing.
By analyzing anchor distribution and continuously refining your approach, you’ll build a stronger, more future-proof SEO presence.