Link uses generic anchor text — the fix
One or more links use generic, non-descriptive anchor text such as "click here", "read more", "learn more", or "here". Generic anchors miss the opportunity to provide keyword-rich context.
Where this fits: internal linking in SEO
Internal links are how authority and discoverability flow through your site. They tell crawlers which pages exist, tell ranking systems which pages you consider important, and give users paths deeper into your content. Orphan pages (no internal links pointing to them) are nearly invisible to search engines regardless of quality. A deliberate internal-linking structure is one of the highest-leverage, fully-in-your-control SEO instruments.
Why link uses generic anchor text hurts your rankings
Descriptive anchor text helps search engines understand the topic of the linked page. Generic text like 'click here' provides no topical signal and reduces the SEO value of the internal link. Google specifically recommends using descriptive anchor text that gives users and search engines context about the destination page.
This is a low-severity issue: a polish item. Fix it in batches during scheduled maintenance; the win is cumulative quality, not a step change.
How to fix it
Replace generic anchor text with descriptive text that indicates what the user will find on the linked page. Include relevant keywords naturally in the anchor text.
<!-- Before -->
<a href="/seo-guide/">Click here</a>
<!-- After -->
<a href="/seo-guide/">Read our complete SEO guide</a>Internal linking best practices
- Link every new page from at least two existing relevant pages the day it ships.
- Use descriptive anchor text — 'pricing for agencies', never 'click here'.
- Fix broken internal links weekly; every 404 wastes both crawl budget and user trust.
- Build hub pages for your main topics and spoke out to detail pages.
- Keep orphan-page count at zero — if nothing links to it, neither will Google.
The full library: SEO best practices, by category.
Frequently asked questions
What does "Link uses generic anchor text" mean?
One or more links use generic, non-descriptive anchor text such as "click here", "read more", "learn more", or "here". Generic anchors miss the opportunity to provide keyword-rich context.
Why does link uses generic anchor text matter for SEO?
Descriptive anchor text helps search engines understand the topic of the linked page. Generic text like 'click here' provides no topical signal and reduces the SEO value of the internal link. Google specifically recommends using descriptive anchor text that gives users and search engines context about the destination page.
How do I fix link uses generic anchor text?
Replace generic anchor text with descriptive text that indicates what the user will find on the linked page. Include relevant keywords naturally in the anchor text.
How serious is this issue?
This is a low-severity issue: a polish item. Fix it in batches during scheduled maintenance; the win is cumulative quality, not a step change. It belongs to the internal linking family of checks.
How do I find every page affected by this on my site?
Run a free Dr Urls audit: it crawls your site, detects link uses generic anchor text on every affected page, shows example URLs, and generates a ready-to-use fix task. Re-scan after fixing to verify the issue is gone.
Does your site have this issue?
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