Definition:
Anchor text is the visible text in a hyperlink.
In this HTML code sample, "Expert guidance from real people" is the anchor text of the link.
<a href="http://about.com">Expert guidance from real people</a>
Anchor text is important to SEO
Anchor text is important to SEO because it is a concise description of the linked webpage. (See How to Rank Higher in Search Engines: Top 10 Search Engine Ranking Factors.)
When you're marketing your site (ie., asking other sites for links), always provide anchor text that they can just copy-and-paste. It makes it easier for them, and you get an inbound link
Also Known As: link anchor, backlink anchor, link text, anchor text