Has One Or More Outgoing Followed Links With Non Descriptive Anchor Text: How to Fix This Technical SEO Issue

Understanding Non-Descriptive Anchor Text

What is anchor text

Anchor text is the visible, clickable text within a hyperlink that users see and interact with. It serves three key purposes: helping users understand where a link leads before clicking, enabling screen readers to properly convey link destinations to visually impaired users, and signaling to search engines what the linked page is about.

Effective anchor text clearly describes the linked page’s content rather than using generic phrases like ‘click here’ or ‘read more.’ This descriptive text helps both human visitors quickly scan for relevant links and search engines understand relationships between pages. The text should be concise – typically just a few words that accurately preview the destination content^[1].

Search engines use anchor text as a ranking signal, analyzing the words to determine what linked pages are about and how they relate topically to the source page. This makes anchor text an important factor in how Google and other search engines evaluate site structure and content relevance^[2].

Identifying non-descriptive anchor text

Non-descriptive anchor text includes generic phrases like ‘click here’, ‘read more’, ‘go’, ‘here’, ‘this’, ‘start’, ‘right here’, and ‘more’ that fail to indicate where a link leads. These vague link texts create three key problems: they force users to rely on surrounding context to understand link destinations, prevent screen readers from effectively communicating link purposes, and limit search engines’ ability to understand site structure.

To identify problematic anchor text, look for single-word links, directional language (‘click’, ‘here’), and generic action phrases (‘learn more’, ‘read more’) that could apply to any destination. Links should instead use specific, descriptive phrases that preview the linked content’s topic or purpose. For example, rather than ‘click here to see our rates’, the anchor text should simply be ‘service rates’ or ‘pricing plans’.

Impact on SEO and user experience

Non-descriptive anchor text significantly impacts both search engine rankings and user experience in three key ways. First, it reduces search engines’ ability to understand page relationships and context, weakening the SEO value of internal linking structures. Second, vague link text degrades accessibility and usability by forcing users to rely on surrounding content to understand link destinations. This creates additional cognitive load and friction in the user journey, particularly for visitors using screen readers or scanning content quickly. Third, non-descriptive anchors miss opportunities to reinforce keyword relevance and topical authority.

The cumulative effect is reduced search visibility, compromised user experience, and missed opportunities to strengthen topical authority through internal linking. By implementing descriptive anchor text, businesses can improve their search rankings while providing a smoother navigation experience for users.

Common Issues with Non-Descriptive Links

Generic anchor text examples

Non-descriptive anchor text commonly appears in several problematic forms that weaken both SEO and usability. The most prevalent examples include ‘click here’ links that provide no destination context, standalone directional words like ‘here’ or ‘this’, and generic action phrases such as ‘read more’ or ‘learn more’. Navigation elements often contain vague terms like ‘start’, ‘go’, and ‘more info’ that fail to indicate the linked content.

Even seemingly helpful phrases like ‘view details’ or ‘continue reading’ offer minimal value since they could apply to any destination. These generic anchors force users to rely on surrounding text to understand link purposes while providing search engines little context about page relationships. Instead of ‘click here to see pricing’, the anchor should simply be ‘pricing plans’. Rather than ‘read more about our process’, use ‘our consulting process’.

Navigation and menu link problems

Navigation menus and internal links serve as critical wayfinding tools, but common menu link problems can severely impact both SEO and user experience. Poor menu structure often manifests through generic labels like ‘start’, ‘browse’, or ‘more’ that fail to describe destination content. Main navigation should use descriptive terms that clearly indicate what users will find – for example, ‘Product Catalog’ instead of just ‘Browse’, or ‘Customer Support’ rather than ‘Help’.

Menu items also need consistent labeling across the site to avoid confusing visitors. Dropdown menus require special attention, as excessive nesting can bury important pages too deep in the site hierarchy. Additionally, mobile menus need clear, tappable labels that work well on small screens. Beyond basic navigation, sites often struggle with footer menu links that use vague terms like ‘Resources’ or ‘Information’ rather than specific descriptors of the content.

Content body link issues

Content body links require special attention since they appear within paragraphs and articles rather than navigation menus. Common issues include embedding generic phrases like ‘read more’ at the end of excerpts, using pronouns like ‘this’ or ‘here’ as link text, and linking single words without context. These in-content links are particularly important for SEO and accessibility since they help establish topical relationships between pages.

Rather than ending a paragraph with ‘click here to learn about our process’, the entire relevant phrase should be linked, like ‘our consulting methodology includes five key phases’. Similarly, instead of ‘studies show this improves conversion rates’, use descriptive text like ‘A/B testing increased conversions by 28%’. Links within body content should also avoid splitting across multiple segments of text, as this creates confusion about the actual destination. The link text should form a complete, standalone phrase that clearly indicates the linked content’s topic and purpose^[3].

Best Practices for Descriptive Anchor Text

Writing effective anchor text

Writing effective anchor text requires balancing descriptiveness with conciseness. The text should clearly indicate the destination content while remaining brief – ideally 5 words or less. Instead of generic phrases like ‘click here to see our pricing,’ use specific descriptors like ‘service pricing plans.’ The anchor text should form a complete, standalone phrase that makes sense even when read out of context.

For example, replace ‘learn more about our process’ with ‘our five-step consulting methodology.’ When linking to internal pages, use relevant keywords naturally without forcing them. Rather than ‘click to read about SEO services,’ simply use ‘SEO optimization services.’ For external links, provide enough context about the destination while maintaining brevity – ‘Swiss cheese aging study results’ rather than ‘click here to read the full research paper about cheese aging.’

The text should also align with both the source page’s content and the linked page’s topic to maintain topical relevance. Screen readers and search engines rely on descriptive anchor text to understand relationships between pages, so each link should clearly communicate its destination without requiring additional context^[4].

Contextual relevance guidelines

Contextual relevance requires anchor text to meaningfully connect source and destination pages through topic alignment. The anchor text should reflect both the context of the current page and accurately preview the linked content. For example, when linking to financial aid information from an academic program page, use anchor text like ‘program-specific scholarship details’ rather than just ‘financial aid.’ This contextual connection helps search engines understand topical relationships between pages while giving users clear expectations.

The surrounding content should also support and enhance the link’s relevance – avoid placing links in unrelated sections or forcing connections that don’t serve users. When linking between related topics, vary anchor text naturally while maintaining topical focus. Rather than repeatedly using the same keyword-focused anchor text, incorporate relevant variations that still preserve context, like alternating between ‘transfer admission requirements,’ ‘transfer student guidelines,’ and ‘transfer application process’ when linking to transfer content. This natural variation paired with strong contextual alignment helps search engines build a complete understanding of page relationships while maintaining an intuitive user experience.

Accessibility considerations

Accessible link text is crucial for users who rely on screen readers and other assistive technologies. Screen reader users often navigate by listening to a list of links without surrounding context, making descriptive anchor text essential for understanding destinations. The text must be meaningful when read in isolation, avoiding vague terms like ‘click here’ or ‘read more’ that provide no standalone value^[5].

Beyond screen readers, descriptive links help users with cognitive disabilities who need clear context to understand navigation options, and keyboard-only users who tab through content without visual scanning. Color contrast between link text and background must maintain at least a 4.5:1 ratio to support low vision users, while underlines should distinguish links from regular text.

ARIA labels can provide additional context for assistive technologies, but should be used sparingly and only when native HTML elements cannot provide sufficient description. The labels should complement rather than duplicate visible link text – for example, expanding ‘Learn More’ to ‘Learn More about Accessibility Features’ in the ARIA attribute.

Fixing Non-Descriptive Link Issues

Auditing existing links

Conducting a thorough link audit requires systematically reviewing all hyperlinks across your website to identify non-descriptive anchor text. Start by using automated tools like Lighthouse or Chrome DevTools to generate reports flagging generic link text like ‘click here’, ‘read more’, and ‘learn more’. Beyond automated scanning, manually review navigation menus, content body links, and footer sections to identify vague terms like ‘start’, ‘go’, and ‘this’ that fail to describe destinations.

Pay special attention to internal links between related content pages, as these connections significantly impact both SEO and user navigation patterns. Document all instances of non-descriptive text in a spreadsheet, noting the current anchor text, link location, and destination URL. This inventory becomes your roadmap for implementing more descriptive alternatives that clearly indicate linked content. For large sites, prioritize fixing anchor text on high-traffic pages and critical conversion paths first. The audit should also examine mobile navigation elements separately, as link text may display differently on smaller screens.

Implementation strategies

Implementing descriptive anchor text requires a systematic approach across your website. Start by creating clear guidelines for writing link text that preview destination content – for example, changing ‘click here to see rates’ to ‘service pricing plans.’ Next, establish a consistent internal linking structure where navigation items use descriptive labels like ‘Product Catalog’ instead of ‘Browse.’ For content body links, incorporate relevant keywords naturally into complete phrases that make sense standalone, such as ‘our five-step consulting methodology’ rather than ‘learn more about our process.’

Technical implementation involves optimizing both the HTML structure and user experience. Use proper heading hierarchies (H1-H6) to organize content sections, implement breadcrumb navigation to show page relationships, and ensure consistent URL structures that reflect content hierarchy. Regular testing should validate that links work properly across devices while maintaining descriptive anchor text that aids both users and search engines.

For existing websites, take a phased approach by first auditing current link text and prioritizing updates on high-traffic pages and critical conversion paths. Create a content map outlining the relationships between pages to guide internal linking decisions. This helps maintain thematic relevance while implementing more descriptive anchor text throughout the site architecture. Monitor analytics to measure the impact of improved link text on user engagement and conversion metrics.

Monitoring and maintenance

Regular monitoring and maintenance ensures anchor text remains effective over time. Key monitoring tasks include tracking anchor text ratios across the site to maintain natural diversity, auditing for broken or outdated links that need updating, and analyzing click-through rates to identify underperforming anchor text. Tools like Google Search Console and site crawlers can identify technical issues like empty anchors or non-descriptive text.

For ongoing maintenance, establish a process to review anchor text quarterly, update outdated references, and refine anchor text based on user behavior data. Pay special attention to high-traffic pages and critical conversion paths, prioritizing fixes for any generic or unclear anchor text discovered. Track metrics like bounce rates and time-on-page to gauge how well anchor text guides users to relevant content. When updating anchor text, maintain contextual relevance while incorporating natural keyword variations that align with current SEO best practices.

Technical Implementation Guidelines

HTML best practices

Proper HTML implementation starts with using semantic anchor elements (<a>) with href attributes that Google can reliably crawl. The anchor element should contain descriptive text between the opening and closing tags, avoiding empty links. For images used as links, include descriptive alt text since Google uses this as the anchor text. The HTML structure should be:

<a href=”url”>descriptive anchor text</a>

For accessibility and SEO, ensure anchor elements have:

• Visible text styling (underlined/different color) to distinguish links
• Sufficient color contrast (4.5:1 ratio minimum)
• Proper heading hierarchy surrounding link context
• ARIA labels only when native HTML cannot provide sufficient description

Avoid problematic implementations like:

• Empty anchor elements without text
• JavaScript-based navigation without proper HTML fallbacks
• Links triggered only through onClick events
• Anchor elements without href attributes
• Multiple adjacent links to the same destination

When using JavaScript to insert links dynamically, maintain proper HTML structure and verify the rendered output contains descriptive anchor text. Test links across devices to ensure consistent display and functionality while preserving semantic markup.

SEO optimization techniques

SEO optimization for anchor text requires balancing keyword relevance with natural language patterns. Rather than stuffing exact-match keywords, incorporate relevant terms naturally while varying anchor text across similar links. For internal linking, use descriptive phrases that align with target page topics while maintaining a diverse anchor text profile – Google’s algorithms now evaluate contextual relevance beyond just keyword matching.

Keep anchor text keyword density moderate by using synonyms and related terms rather than repeating the same phrases. For example, a page about coffee brewing could use varied anchors like ‘pour-over techniques’, ‘manual brewing methods’, and ‘coffee preparation guides’ rather than repeatedly targeting ‘coffee brewing’ exactly. Track anchor text distribution across your site to maintain natural ratios – typically 30-40% branded terms, 20-30% partial match variations, and less than 10% exact match keywords.

This approach helps avoid over-optimization penalties while still maintaining topical relevance. When optimizing for local SEO, incorporate location-specific terms naturally into anchor text where relevant, but avoid forcing geographic keywords into every link. The key is making anchor text helpful for users while sending consistent topical signals to search engines.

Testing and validation methods

Validating descriptive anchor text requires both automated and manual testing approaches. Automated tools like Lighthouse can scan for generic terms like ‘click here’ and ‘read more’, while browser developer tools help inspect link structures and ARIA implementations. Manual testing should verify that anchor text makes sense when read out of context, particularly for screen reader users who navigate by jumping between links.

Test links across different viewport sizes to ensure anchor text remains readable and descriptive on mobile devices. Regular accessibility audits should check color contrast ratios between link text and backgrounds (minimum 4.5:1), verify proper HTML markup with href attributes, and validate that dynamically inserted links maintain descriptive text. For international sites, test anchor text across language versions to confirm translations preserve meaningful context.

Monitor analytics data to identify links with low click-through rates that may need more descriptive text. When testing new implementations, verify that JavaScript-based navigation includes proper HTML fallbacks with descriptive anchors that Google can crawl reliably.