What Is an Anchor Tag and Why Should You Use It?

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When you’re just starting with SEO, the terminologies can be a bit confusing.

For instance, what exactly is an anchor tag? And, does it mean the same thing as an anchor text?

The answer is no. These are two different elements of on-page SEO.

Basically, the anchor tag is finally being mastered by many small enterprises. It’s a clickable link that takes you directly to a specific area of a page. In addition to the SEO advantages, this is an excellent method for improving navigation and citing other sources.

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But, if you’re unsure how to add an anchor tag in HTML, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Keep on reading for our full breakdown of everything you need to know about the anchor tag.

Anchor Tag 101: Understanding the Basics

The more features you provide in a clickable element on your website, the more useful it is. A tag is a coding term for the collection of all those characteristics. Using the term “anchor tag,” we’re referring to the clickable element (a link) on your website and all of its related characteristics.

The word “clickable element” – not “URL” – was used. This is because a URL isn’t required for anything that may be clicked on. It’s possible to include pictures that may be clicked on, as well as hashes (#) that take you farther down a page.

You may talk about clickable element attributes by referencing the different text on a link (anchor text), a link ID (anchor tag ID), and the link’s destination (href).

What Are the IDs for Anchor Tags?

When learning about Google Tag Manager or any other fundamentals of web development, you may come into the subject of IDs for anchor tags. Click monitoring increases the likelihood of conversions (tracking clicks throughout your website).

Anchor tag IDs may be used to provide the unique identity of an element (such as a link). Even though you may use the same ID throughout the site, you can only have one of each ID on a single page.

Although “a id” is a frequent abbreviation for anchor tag IDs, this is incorrect. Nearly nine out of ten web developers wouldn’t understand a word you say. Also, it gives the impression that you have no in-depth knowledge about the topic. It’s recommended to use “a id” as an anchor tag id to indicate it. It is possible to use any of these terms interchangeably.

In certain cases, it may seem those anchor tag IDs are a common part of web design or that tracking clicks is difficult without them, depending on the content. Because they are not essential for tracking clicks, you may get away without them.

How the Anchor Tag Works

The anchor tag is similar to an internal or external link in that it may be attached to a word or phrase, but instead of taking readers to another website, it directs them to a different area of the page.

When you use this tag, you’re basically generating a new URL on the same page. Any of the “contents” box headers may be clicked on to bring you straight down to that area without you ever leaving the page or scrolling down.

The Advantages of Using the Anchor Tag

When it comes to the anchor tag, there are three key advantages.

First, there will be no scrolling. The main advantage of the anchor tag is that it doesn’t need your visitors to browse through a lot of content in order to access a certain piece of your content. When there is so much stuff on a single page, it might be difficult to identify a certain part of information.

Next, we have better organization and structure to your page. This makes it easier for webmasters to keep track of stuff. You don’t have to create many websites or break up a document to maintain all of your information in one place.

Finally, it’s great for the search engine. Google may utilize this tag to direct a visitor to a certain portion of your website, making it simpler for them to find what they’re looking for.

Using the Anchor Tag: A Quick Guide

As it turns out, the anchor tag is really rather straightforward to implement. Use a set of HTML codes that may seem familiar to you if you’ve ever used the usual HTML linking tag. The following are the steps:

Decide where you want to put the name anchor tag in your text editor. You may do this anywhere—a heading (the most popular), a word, a sentence, etc.

When you want to connect to a specific piece of text, use the anchor tag to do so (the same way you would any type of link). The following is an example of the source code:

  • <a name=”title of the section”></a>

It’s important to connect to the anchor tag URL after you’ve constructed it around a certain word, phrase, or header.

Instead of a # sign, the tag is preceded by a character similar to what you’re accustomed to seeing in code. The following tag should be inserted into your HTML content once it has been opened:

  • <a href=”#title of the section”>text</a>

It’s as simple as that. There’s no needs to overcomplicate things when it comes to clean HTML code.

Anchor Element and Anchor Tags: Explained

A startup may overlook the anchor tag since it’s less well-known than other sorts of linking, but it’s an excellent tool for making navigation as simple as possible for your site’s visitors.

It’s simple to get started, and there’s never a bad time to start. Hopefully, our guide has shed some light on the benefits of adding an anchor tag to your page. Next, you’ll want to check out our marketing section for more tips and SEO strategies that you can implement today.