What Makes Great Anchor Text in 2024? 24 Alternatives to ‘Click Here’

The phrase “click here” is presumptuous, suboptimal, and uninspired. If you want to make your anchor text great, you need to stop using it for good. However, bad habits are hard to break. With these alternatives, you can make the switch easier. 

Why You Should Stop Using ‘Click Here’ for Good

How many times have you used “click here” on your website? Any number over zero is too high. That may sound harsh, but that phrase ensures you have suboptimal search engine optimization (SEO), subpar accessibility, and frustrated website visitors.

Suboptimal SEO

Anchor text is the visible text of a link that helps Google understand what the page you’re linking to is about, which can raise your website’s ranking on the search engine results page. The first result has a 27.5% click-through rate on average if that is any incentive. 

According to Google, anchor text should be descriptive, relevant, and concise — everything that “click here” isn’t. In fact, that phrase is the page’s first example of anchor text that is “too generic.” Changing your wording can improve site navigation and your website’s ranking. 

Inadequate Accessibility 

People who are visually impaired use screen readers to navigate the internet. When they go through the links on your page, context and specificity are essential. Using “click here” will only make navigation more challenging, adversely affecting your website’s user experience for a considerable portion of visitors. 

Insufficient Context

Where is “here?” Your readers have no way of knowing. Even within the context of surrounding sentences, it may still be unclear. The call to action (CTA) “Our customer service team is best-in-class. Click here to learn more” is a good example. Will it show them metrics? Reviews? If the result isn’t what users expect, they will quickly leave — and trust your website less. 

Moreover, how do people differentiate multiple instances of the same anchor text? The only way to do so is to hover over or follow each one, which is counterintuitive. Instead of heeding the CTA, they linger to find something that points to what they’re looking for. Since site visitors typically read just 20% to 28% of a page, they will dislike being forced to hunt for context. 

What Great Anchor Text Looks Like 

The internet as we know it today began in the 1980s. In other words, it has been around long enough for people to understand what will happen if they click a link. Instead of hand-holding site visitors by giving them obvious directions, let them know what page they could navigate to — and give them a compelling reason to visit it. 

Linking over task-related verbs is an excellent option to direct people to take a specific action. Imagine all of your copy disappeared except for the anchor text. Having multiple instances of “keep reading,” learn more,” and “click now” do not indicate what your page could be about. Phrases like “buy a product here” or “try the trial today” are much better. 

Many people prefer to link over nouns because it gives readers a better idea of what they’re clicking on. Those who know exactly what they’re looking for will have an easier time finding it. It can seem promotional, but that does not matter when you’re crafting CTAs. 

Of course, context matters. Linking over “chicken parmesan recipe” in the sentence “My chicken parmesan recipe was so good it made my guests light fireworks” leads the reader to think they will see a recipe. Alternatively, linking over “made my guests light fireworks” may convince them they’ll see a story-based blog post. This example isn’t CTA-related, but it gets the point across. 

Frankly, the “click here” phrase’s worst offense is that it’s boring — it’s been done a million times. There’s simply no way to make it interesting anymore. Besides, according to a HubSpot analysis of more than 330,000 CTAs over a six-month period, a personalized CTA performs over 200% better than a basic one. You should strive for creativity.

Alternatives to ‘Click Here’ You Should Start Using

Your anchor text should be descriptive, concise and self-explanatory. Readers who have only skimmed your copy should be able to tell what page they will end up on. Some of the best alternatives to “click here” start on action words. Replace “click” with verbs like “buy,” “sample,” “shop,” “view,” “download,” or “sign up.”

Replacing “here” is a little more complicated. How you word your anchor text depends on whether you direct site visitors to a contact, product, blog, home, or frequently-asked questions page. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself, “Click here to do what?” Your answer will help you narrow down the possibilities. 

When in doubt, use nouns. If you link over “seven-day trial” or “marketing webinar,” your readers will understand. Moreover, this approach allows you to link over the same phrase multiple times without confusing anyone. While it’s generally better to avoid repeating yourself and linking to the same source repeatedly, it gives you more flexibility. 

Examples of Great Anchor Text CTAs

Here are some excellent examples of alternative anchor text. To be clear, the bolded words are what you’d link over.

Selling Products

These examples of anchor text for CTAs cover situations where you’re trying to sell products.

• For more great deals, visit our product page. 

• Our 50% off sale ends today. Shop sale items now to save. 

• Shop home decor here for every style, budget, and season. 

• If you still need convincing, test it out for free today.

• Claim your free samples today to see which model is right for you.

Selling Services

Descriptive task-related verbs should be your go-to option if you’re selling services. 

• Our no-commitment trial lets you join free for one month. 

• View our list of services for more information. 

• Book a free assessment to find out where you stand. 

• Our limited-time class is nearly at capacity. Save your seat by the end of July. 

• Start a subscription today to receive 15% off your first month.

Compelling Readers

Inspiring website visitors to read on is easy if you give them a compelling reason within the anchor text. 

• This merger has huge implications. Get the full story here to figure out what they are.

• Explore insider tips on industry best practices. 

• We’ve accomplished a lot this year. Who can forget the time we won the sustainability award or planted millions of trees? 

Informing Visitors 

Whether you want to boost brand recognition or inform potential customers, you should use these examples of alternatives to “click here.”

• You can find more information on our About Us page.

• See who we are and what we offer to know more.

• Download our whitepaper for the latest insights into industry trends. 

• See behind the scenes of our latest sustainability efforts.

• Get a free copy of our brand’s environmental, social, and governance plan. 

Pushing Marketing 

Quality anchor text CTAs go a long way wherever your customers are in the marketing funnel.

• Sign up and save with our limited-time 20% off code for new subscribers.

• Have something to say? Send us your feedback about your experience.

• Visit our Instagram to engage with other community members.

• For the latest industry updates, subscribe to our newsletter.

• Join our mailing list for the latest tips, tricks, and industry gossip. 

• Share your story with the hashtag #brandhashtag to receive 15% off your next order.

Never Use “Click Here” Again if You Can Help It

There are endless interesting, descriptive options you can use to get readers to complete a task-specific action — it’s time to retire the phrase “click here” for good. If you’ve used it before, consider revisiting your copy to swap it out for something better.