What Is an Anchor in Website Building?

Builders of websites often use anchor links, or hyperlinks depicted as descriptive keywords rather than URL listings, to stimulate incoming traffic from visitors. Webmasters place these links on a variety of online forums, blogs and other highly visible locations.

Description

An anchor link substitutes a link written in colloquial language for a reproduction of the hyperlink itself, according to Wordpress Website Builder. A webmaster can link to an online forum discussion, for instance, by simply tagging the link as "This discussion" rather than listing a clumsy, hard-to-remember URL.

Function

Webmasters often place anchor links to their own websites on other websites they visit to encourage new incoming traffic. A comment on a blog, for instance, would include an anchor link to the commentator's home website in the hopes that other readers would click on it out of curiosity inspired by the comment.

Uses and Limitations

In addition to blog comments, website owners commonly post anchor links in discussions forums, link directories or other high-traffic public areas. Some websites, however, do not include any provisions for posting anchor links, while "spammed" or overused anchor links can result in user bans.

References

• Wordpress Website Builder: How to Make Anchor Text Links