Anchor Text or Anchor Tags Are Key to Search Engine Optimization and Web Usability
Anchor text or anchor tags within your web page copy are important for SEO and website usability for a number of reasons. First, however, we need to define anchor tags: anchor text or anchor tag is a word or phrase within your page copy that is a link to more information.
One of the biggest reasons to use these internal links within your copy is because there’s no guarantee people will read all the way to the end of your page.
Don’t count on them reaching the end of the page
People don’t always read online copy the way they would read a page in a book or a letter. If your copy is so brilliant and enticing that they absolutely can’t tear their eyes away from it, maybe they'll read it all but I wouldn't count on it. Website visitors simply don't have the time.
Odds are they will scan the page for what interests them and read only that. If the only links on the page are off to the side in your navigation or at the bottom of the page, the risk is that they won't pay attention to them. They may just read what interests them and then move on to a competitor’s site. Anchor text is the cure.
Pull them deeper into your site
If there is a link in the text they are reading leading to more information specific to the product or service they are interested in, chances are they will stay on your site, follow the link, and complete a transaction.
Be the boss
Keeping control of visitors to your site is no different than keeping control of the conversation during a sales pitch. You can’t afford to assume they will go where you want them to go or do what you want them to do.
Just because you put a link somewhere on the page leading to a form or email or “contact us”, doesn’t mean they are going to take the time to search for it.
You can either make certain you control things by putting plenty of anchor text links or anchor tags right under their nose or you can leave it in their hands. You can also use embedded commands to encourage your visitors to do what you want. These are subliminal commands embedded in the text.
Search Engine Nirvana
Search engines love “anchor text”. Anchor tags are text within the copy that links to another page with more relevant information. Search engines believe this means that if they send people to your site, visitors are more likely to find the quality information they are looking for.
I can't emphasize this enough. You must regularly add relevant content for the search engines to send people to you. And as people or websites link to your quality content, this will increase your external links that drive additional traffic to your website. I have a some great tricks on how to easily create content for your website.
Ergo, you're creating multiple sources of targeted traffic.
Make the sale
Sometimes people are ready to buy from you or contact you or fill out your form before they get to the end of the page. Make it easy for them. Tell them to "fill out my easy contact form" or "call me at..." if they’d like to order now.
Put it right in your copy. Don’t make them search all over the page to figure out how to contact you or place an order or get a quote.
Wow Bob! I see what you're all about! I wouldn't think I would need a different “tack”. How, what, and why would I change your approach? Thanks, Harry Fitz III |
Don’t frustrate your visitors.
I have actually visited sites where I couldn’t figure out how to contact them. Haven’t you? What did you do? You probably went to a competitor’s site. Just like I did.
Put contact information and links at the top of every page, at the bottom of every page, within the copy, and on the sides of the page.
Staying power
Want to know how effective your site is at keeping people engaged and interested? Look at your site statistics and see what pages they spend the most time on and how long people actually stay on your site.
If they are popping on and then popping off in less than a minute, you can be pretty sure your site is ineffective.
The longer people stay on your site and the deeper into it they go, the more likely they are to buy. And links within your helpful articles to more information is a powerful method to keep them there.
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