This factor counts the links on a page whose entire visible anchor text exactly equals one of your keyword variations, returning a whole-anchor variation match count. Any extra word inside the link prevents a match, and the number reflects how you already link — it relates to position within a measured result set, it does not make a page rank.
| Factor ID | RG-KWD-091 |
|---|---|
| Family | Keyword Usage & Density |
| Measurement | Whole-anchor variation match count |
| Measured zone | Anchor text |
What it measures
This factor counts links whose entire visible anchor text equals one keyword variation. Only a link whose anchor is nothing more than a single variation qualifies. A link whose anchor contains a variation plus additional words — or only part of a variation — is not counted.
How RankGear measures it
RankGear parses the visible anchor text of each link and tests it against a case-insensitive regular expression built from the sorted list of variation alternatives, anchored at both ends. Because the pattern is anchored with ^ and $, the anchor must equal a variation in full rather than merely contain it. Every link that matches is tallied.
What RankGear looks for
<a href="/pricing">keyword variation</a> → counts (anchor is a whole variation)
<a href="/pricing">see keyword variation</a> → no match (extra word in the anchor)
# Case-insensitive, anchored at both ends, alternatives sorted:
^(variation a|variation b|variation c)$How to optimize it
Use concise, variation-only anchors when they accurately describe the destination and fit naturally in context. Treat this as an observation of how your links already read, not a target to chase: padding an anchor with extra words breaks the match, and forcing variation-only anchors everywhere hurts readability. Avoid repetitive exact-style anchor patterns.
Important considerations
- Extra anchor words prevent a match — the visible text must be a variation in full, nothing more.
- Repeated links count separately — the same qualifying anchor used twice adds two to the count.
- Variation alternatives are not regex-escaped, so any special characters in a variation are interpreted as regular-expression syntax.
- Avoid repetitive exact-style anchor patterns; over-optimized anchors read unnaturally to people and search engines alike.
- This is a correlation-based prioritization signal, not a lever — a higher count relates to position within a measured result set and does not guarantee or cause a ranking.
Related factors
Part of the Factors reference · how RankGear measures · glossary.