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Free Content tool

Anchor Text Checker

The Anchor Text Checker joins a Google Search Console export with a Screaming Frog All Inlinks crawl to show whether your internal links use the keywords each page is trying to rank for. Every target page gets a health bar of keyword, neutral and generic anchors, and you can export the exact links to fix.

  • 100% free
  • No sign-up
  • Runs in your browser
How to get your export data
Step 1

The Keyword Data (GSC)

We need to know what keywords your pages *should* be ranking for.

  1. Install the free Search Analytics for Sheets extension in Google Sheets.
  2. Select your website and desired date range (e.g., Last 90 Days).
  3. Under "Group By", select exactly two options: Query and Page.
  4. Click "Request Data", download as a CSV, and upload it to the blue box below.
Step 2

The Link Data (Screaming Frog)

We need to know how your internal pages are currently linking to each other.

  1. Run a standard crawl of your website using Screaming Frog SEO Spider.
  2. In the top menu, go to Bulk Export -> Links -> All Inlinks.
  3. Save the CSV file and upload it to the amber box below.
  4. Note: The tool automatically looks for columns named "From/Source", "To/Destination", and "Anchor Text".

1. Upload GSC Data

Pending

2. Upload Crawl Data

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Target Page Top Target Keyword Inlinks Anchor Text Breakdown
Upload both CSV files and click Run Analysis.

How it works

How to use the Anchor Text Checker

  1. Export from Search Console

    Download a Performance export with query and page data so the tool knows each page’s target keywords.

  2. Export your inlinks

    In Screaming Frog, use Bulk Export → Links → All Inlinks.

  3. Upload both files

    The tool matches source, destination and anchor columns automatically.

  4. Review page health

    Find pages where most internal links use generic or off-topic anchors.

  5. Export the fix list

    Download every generic link with its source page, current anchor and a suggested replacement.

Why anchor text still matters

Anchor text is one of the clearest clues Google has about what a page covers. On most sites, though, internal links accumulate over years from different writers, and a surprising share end up as "click here", "find out more" or a button reading "learn more". Each of those is a missed chance to reinforce what the destination page should rank for.

Fixing internal anchors is low-risk, quick to implement and entirely within your control. That makes it a natural companion to striking distance work: a page sitting at position 12 with weak internal anchors is a prime candidate.

How to read the results

  • Keyword-matched anchors contain or closely match a query the page gets impressions for. These are what you want more of.
  • Neutral anchors are descriptive but not keyword-focused, such as a product name. They are fine in moderation.
  • Generic anchors carry no meaning and are the first ones to rewrite.

Fixing anchors without over-optimising

Do not swap every anchor for the same exact-match phrase. Aim for a natural mix of the primary keyword, close variants and descriptive phrases that read well in the sentence. Prioritise links from pages with plenty of traffic or authority, and fix links in the body copy before those in navigation or footers.

Questions

Anchor Text Checker FAQs

Why does it need two exports?

Search Console shows which keywords each page ranks for. The crawl shows how your site currently links to that page. Only the combination answers whether internal anchors support the page’s target keywords.

Which Screaming Frog columns does it use?

The source ("From"), destination ("To") and anchor text columns from the All Inlinks export, using Screaming Frog’s standard column names.

What counts as a generic anchor?

Phrases with no topical meaning, such as "click here", "read more", "learn more" and "here".

What is the difference between the two exports?

The Summary View gives one row per target page with its anchor statistics. The Action Fix List gives one row per generic link to edit, with the source URL and a suggested anchor.

Is my data uploaded?

No. Both files are parsed and joined in your browser.

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