As seo professionals, whenever a client comes to us, we repeat the same thing again and again, and that being: if you want a backlink profile that looks earned, then always start with your brand name. Branded anchor text is one of the most reliable types of anchor text out there because it echoes your brand name. In this digital copy, we would like to show you what branded anchor text is, how to get a healthy profile, and ways you can get more
The definition of branded anchor text
Branded anchor text is one that uses the company name; it has no hidden agenda, and that’s why it looks so natural. For instance, if a blog links to us saying “ Fastlinky builds genuine backlinks” and links Fastlinky, then “Fastlinky” gets treated as a branded anchor. It has no target keyword, and that’s why it looks so natural.
Why branded anchor text matters
1. They are natural linking behaviour; when people want to recommend a service business, they usually make sure that they mention the brand name, rather than using a commercial keyword. According to the insights of SEO sherpa, more than 70 % of websites linking to Ahrefs use “Ahrefs” as their anchor text.
2. Branded anchor text helps you diversify your portfolio. Let’s assume that our company has gained a lot of backlinks from websites using commercial anchor text, which can be treated as Google spam. When you diversify, it looks natural, and you can avoid the penalty
3. Brand mentions and backlinks are not the same. If several websites mention your brand, then it can tell the AI system that you are reliable and can get cited. If the company added your link, then it also acts as a vote of confidence. When backlinks and brand mention anchor text are tagged together, your probability of getting cited increases.
4. According to SEO.CO , they describe branded anchor text as one of the safest options that can be used inside content. Since they are low risk and super useful in outreach campaigns.
The limits of branded anchor text
As we researched, we found out that there are certain limitations to branded anchor text. Branded anchor text might be useful, but it cannot be used randomly in content. The branded anchor must be relevant to fit inside the content. So the goal is to fit it naturally rather than following an anchor text ratio.
Sounding too salesy in a guest post can also be a problem. Publishers might reject your work if your content contains too many branded anchors that disrupt the article flow. As per reports from SEO.CO branded anchor text works best when there is a reason to mention your business. For instance, a website owner might use branded anchor text to quote your research and add value to the readers.
How to earn your branded anchors
PR and coverage
One of the easiest ways that your business can earn anchors is by using a PR strategy. This can involve backlinks from publications and news websites. If you create genuinely link-worthy content, then they can easily mention your homepage or product page. According to the sources of firstpage digital press coverage usually have branded anchors for promotion. So don’t miss the opportunity to share expert insights and connect with journalists.
Bylines and author bios
Guest posts, which generally involve your company bio or the author link. The publisher usually allows branded anchors inside the content if your digital copy usually provides value to the readers. Please note that generating guest posts just to manufacture backlinks can be treated as Google spam and can result in penalties; the best way is to make sure that your piece is aligned with Google and publisher policies.
Industry listing
If you get connected with local directories, relevant business profiles, and industry listings, you would get to see that they often use brand mentions and the company URL. These links can be helpful for readers to find your company details. This digital anchor text guide says that one of the common ways of citations is naked URLs and anchors. Make sure that you target relevant directories to your niche rather than submitting your profile to a large number of profiles and earning low-quality backlinks.
Brand mentions
Earlier, backlinks were treated as the only metric to determine if the website is trustworthy; now, with AI in the picture, it’s just one of the metrics. When backlinks are combined with brand mentions, then you have the probability of getting cited in AI.
During your backlink audit, if you notice that the publisher has mentioned your brand name but does not link back to you, then you can politely ask the publisher if they would be interested in linking to your relevant page. The responses may vary, and not every publisher would be interested in linking back. For information, read our guide on brand mentions vs backlinks for AI.
Updating anchors
During the backlink audit, if you notice that the publisher has used an awkward anchor text that looks overly promotional, consider asking the publisher if your suggested branded anchor would suit them better. 90% of the time, they’ll choose to update the overly promotional anchor text. This would improve accuracy, clarity, and the user experience.
Link-worthy work
When you make content that uses industry surveys, detailed guides, and original research, other websites might have a reason to reference you. Your article might act as a resource page, and backlinks would follow naturally.
Tools to measure your branded anchor
To our knowledge, one of the finest tools that you can use to measure branded anchor is known as SEMrush. When you use the backlink feature of this tool, you would have the ability to enter about 10 variations of your branded anchor so that you can use it naturally inside your content. In addition, make sure that you list every spelling and misspelling while finding your branded anchor.
Mistakes in branded anchor
- Not able to track brand variations
- Using the keyword as your branded anchor
- Using exact matches of your branded anchor
- Inconsistently naming your brand
In closure
There is no denying that a branded anchor is the foundation of your natural profile. When they are made through bylines, digital PR, citations, and reclamation of unlinked brand mentions, they become powerful and add value to the reader. To top it off, add exact and partial matches.
