What is the Difference Between a Hyperlink and Anchor Text?

Anchor text is more like the visible ‘text’ on the web page, while the corresponding link (hyperlink) may connect to another web page, an email address (i.e., mailto:test@example.com), or some other target on the web. 

Note that anchor text is clickable because it is connected to a hyperlink and will open in a new tab or window depending on browser settings, but the visible text of the link itself (called ‘the anchor’) does not change.

Hyperlink

A hyperlink is a word or text that initiates a clickable link to an external URL. When the user clicks on this hyperlink, it will open in a new tab/window depending on browser settings. 

Hyperlinks are mainly used to connect major discussion topics within the primary copy of an article or content page. 

For example, A common hyperlink in an article is the words “Click here,” which will open in a new tab or window when clicked.

Click here is not keyword-rich, and therefore would be an improper use of anchor text.

Anchor Text

Anchor text is also used to initiate external links to other pages, but it does not look like standard text. Instead, it’s usually highlighted in some way, such as a color change or underline. 

Anchor text is often clicked on when the reader wants to link back to a particular page within the website they are currently visiting.

A blogger can use anchor text in articles in the form of internal linking. Anchor text is generally used to link two articles or pages on the same site together. 

For example, suppose you were reading an article about fire safety, and you wanted to link back to another article on the same site about smoke detectors. In that case, you could use the anchor text “smoke detectors” instead of a hyperlink.

Hyperlinks and anchor text can be used independently or together, depending on what your readers need from your content. Literacy levels, preferences, and technical limitations should be considered when deciding how to initiate links to external sites.