Glossary · Off-site
Anchor text.
The visible, clickable words in a link. They tell both the reader and the search engine what to expect on the other side.
Why it matters.
Descriptive is better than “click here”, and natural variation is better than the same exact phrase repeated everywhere — a site whose incoming links all read “best plumber Toronto” looks manufactured, because it is. The same applies internally: link with the words that describe the destination.
How to check it yourself.
Read the links on your own site out of context. If most of them say "here" or "read more", both your readers and search engines are being told nothing about the destination.
Questions
Before you ask.
How do I check anchor text on my own site?
Read the links on your own site out of context. If most of them say "here" or "read more", both your readers and search engines are being told nothing about the destination.
Your turn
Same check,
run on your site.
The check behind this page is the one we ran on every business above. Put your own address in and it will load your site on a phone screen, look at the certificate and the page age, and tell you what a visitor meets. No email, nothing stored.
Start with a
straight answer.
Describe the business and where it works. We come back with what we would change, what it would cost and how long it takes — or with a reason not to bother.