Just got a link with no anchor text from a big publication

Understanding the SEO Impact of Unlabeled Links from Major Publications

In the realm of digital marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO), backlinks from reputable sources play a vital role in boosting a website’s authority and visibility. Recently, I encountered a scenario that prompted me to revisit some SEO fundamentals: a prominent publication included a hyperlink to my website, but notably, the link lacked any anchor text.

The Situation

The link in question was embedded within a sentence, similar to:

“`HTML

Some sentence, end of sentence.

“`

As you can see, the anchor tag contains no visible text, only attributes. This could be due to an editing oversight or a deliberate design choice, but it raises important questions about SEO implications.

Does an Empty Anchor Tag Affect SEO?

From an SEO perspective, the significance of link attributes is well-documented:

• Anchor Text: Typically, anchor text is the clickable text that provides context to both users and search engines about the linked content. When anchor text is meaningful and relevant, it helps search engines understand the relationship between pages and can influence rankings for specific keywords.

• Empty or Unlabeled links: An anchor tag without visible or descriptive text—sometimes called a “naked” or “blank” link—does not provide any descriptive signal to search engines. Consequently, it is unlikely to pass link equity (or “link juice”) effectively, as there is no keyword relevance conveyed.

• Accessibility Considerations: Beyond SEO, accessible web design recommends descriptive link text for users relying on screen readers. Using empty links can create confusion or accessibility barriers.

Does the Link Pass Authority or Link Juice?

In most cases, links need some form of anchor text to pass link equity meaningfully. An empty anchor tag, as in this scenario, typically does not pass substantial link juice because:

• Search engines may ignore or devalue links with no descriptive anchor text.
• The presence of attributes like aria-label helps with accessibility but does not contribute to SEO value in terms of keyword relevance.

That said, backlinks from authoritative sites like prominent publications can still provide some value—such as referral traffic, brand visibility, and the indirect benefits associated with an endorsement. However, the SEO benefit in terms of link juice transfer is likely minimal in this case.

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