Empty Anchor Text: The Secret SEO Signal You’re Ignoring

Welcome to the world of empty anchor text.

Most SEO professionals skim past it. Some mistakenly call it “broken.” Others confuse it with naked links or image alt text. But here is the truth: empty anchor text is a distinct, legitimate, and increasingly valuable SEO asset.

In an era where Google penalizes over-optimization and rewards natural language patterns, the empty anchor is the ultimate signal of editorial trust.

This guide—over 8,800 words—will take you deep into the mechanics, strategy, and implementation of empty anchor text. You will learn:

• What empty anchor text actually is (and what it is not)

• Why Google treats empty anchors differently than generic anchors

• The hidden history of the title attribute and empty links

• How to use empty anchors for accessibility, design, and SEO

• The fine line between “empty” and “spammy” (and how to stay safe)

• Case studies, technical implementations, and future predictions

By the end, you will see the invisible. And you will never look at a hyperlink the same way again.

 1: What is Empty Anchor Text? (The Definitive Definition) {#chapter1}

Let us start with absolute clarity.

Empty anchor text is a hyperlink that contains no visible, clickable text between the opening <a> and closing </a> tags.

In raw HTML, it looks like this:

<a href="https://www.example.com"></a>

To the human eye, there is nothing to click. There is no blue, underlined phrase. No “click here.” No keyword. No brand name.

But the link is still there.

This creates a fascinating paradox: a functional hyperlink with zero visible anchor text.

 Where Do You Actually See Empty Anchors?

You might be thinking, “I’ve never seen a link with nothing to click.”

But you have. You just didn’t realize it.

1. Icon-Only Navigation Menus

• A shopping cart icon that links to the checkout page.

• A magnifying glass icon that triggers search.

• A settings cog that opens preferences.

Behind the icon? An empty anchor. The icon itself is the visual affordance, but the anchor text field is blank.

2. Logo Links

• Many websites wrap their header logo in an <a> tag linking to the homepage.

• Often, the HTML looks like: <a href="/"><img src="logo.png"></a>.

• There is no text inside the anchor. It is empty.

3. Decorative Image Links

• A “print this page” icon.

• A social media icon linking to a profile.

• A “close” X icon in a modal window.

4. CSS Background Image Links

• Sometimes developers place links over background images using CSS. The anchor contains no text because the visual is handled entirely by styling.

5. Legacy or CMS-Generated Code

• Certain content management systems occasionally generate empty anchors due to plugin conflicts or human error.

 The “Invisible Anchor” Confusion

The original article from SEO.co lists “Invisible Anchors” as a separate category (#9) and describes it as using <a>no text</a> or linking images.

This is technically not an empty anchor. It is an anchor containing the text “no text”—which is visible.

True empty anchors contain zero characters. Not a space. Not a period. Not a placeholder word. Nothing.

This distinction matters because Google’s crawlers process empty anchors differently than anchors with stop words, generic text, or placeholder content.

Chapter 2: Empty Anchor vs. Naked Link vs. Generic Anchor {#chapter2}

One of the biggest hurdles in mastering empty anchor text is terminology overlap.

Let us build a clear comparison table so you never confuse these terms again.

Key Insight: Empty anchors are the only type that deliberately hides textual anchor information from the user while remaining technically functional.

 Why This Confusion Hurts SEO Strategy

Many site owners audit their backlink profiles, see a link with no visible text, and panic.

“Someone linked to me with an empty anchor! Is this a negative SEO attack?”

Often, it is not.

It is likely:

• A forum signature with a missing text placeholder.

• A CMS glitch.

• A designer who linked an icon without adding alt text or hidden span text.

Empty anchor text is not inherently bad. But misidentifying it can lead to wasted time, unnecessary disavow files, or missed optimization opportunities.

Chapter 3: Why Does Empty Anchor Text Matter for SEO in 2025? {#chapter3}

You might assume that since empty anchors contain no keywords, they carry zero SEO value.

That assumption is outdated.

In 2025, Google’s ranking systems have evolved far beyond simple keyword matching. The rise of entity-based search, natural language processing (NLP), and user interaction signals has changed how anchor-less links are interpreted.

 Reason #1: Google Uses Surrounding Text, Not Just the Anchor

Google’s patent “Contextual Input of Hypertext Link Anchor Text” (US 20050076033 A1) describes how the search engine analyzes words around a link to understand its context.

If a sentence reads:

“For more information on sustainable packaging, [empty anchor linking to a PDF] download our 2025 report.”

Google understands:

• Entity: Sustainable packaging

• Action: Download

• Format: Report/PDF

• Destination: The linked page

The empty anchor becomes a conduit for contextual relevance, not a source of keywords itself.

 Reason #2: User Interaction Signals (CTR and Pogo-sticking)

If a user clicks on a visible icon or image that wraps an empty anchor, Google tracks that click.

High click-through rates + low bounce rates signal to Google that the destination page satisfied the user’s intent—regardless of whether the anchor contained text.

Empty anchors on well-designed buttons or intuitive icons can actually outperform text links in user engagement.

 Reason #3: Avoiding Over-Optimization Penalties

Since the Google Penguin update, exact-match anchor text profiles have been heavily scrutinized.

If 70% of your backlinks say “best VoIP software,” you are waving a red flag at Google.

Empty anchors and image links act as natural diversifiers.

A healthy anchor profile includes:

• Branded (40-60%)

• Generic (10-20%)

• Naked URLs (5-10%)

• Empty / Image (5-15%)

• Partial match (10-20%)

• Exact match (0-5%)

Empty anchors help you achieve the “randomness” Google expects from organic linking behavior.

 Reason #4: Accessibility and Core Web Vitals

Google’s Page Experience update includes signals related to accessibility.

Empty anchors used improperly harm accessibility. But empty anchors used correctly (with descriptive alt text on images or with ARIA labels) improve accessibility.

Google can crawl aria-label attributes within anchor tags. This gives you a stealth SEO opportunity: provide keyword context to Google without stuffing visible anchor text.

Example:

<a href="product-page" aria-label="Buy organic coffee beans online"></a>

Users see nothing. Screen readers announce the ARIA label. Google crawls it.

 Chapter 4: The Technical Anatomy of an Empty Anchor {#chapter4}

To truly master empty anchor text, you must understand how browsers, crawlers, and assistive technologies interpret it.

 The Basic Structure

Minimal empty anchor:

<a href="https://example.com"></a>

This is valid HTML5. It will not break your page. However, without any inner content (text, image, or element), the link will have no hit area. Users cannot click it unless CSS adds pseudo-content or dimensions.

 Empty Anchor + Image

The most common legitimate implementation:

<a href="checkout" class="cart-icon">
    <img src="cart.svg" alt="Shopping Cart">
</a>

Technically: The anchor is empty. The image is the child element.
Visually: The user sees the cart icon.
SEO: The alt text (“Shopping Cart”) serves as the anchor context.

 Empty Anchor + CSS Pseudo-element

Sometimes developers avoid image files by using CSS:

<a href="profile" class="user-profile"></a>

.user-profile::before {
    content: url('user-icon.svg');
    display: inline-block;
}

Result: The anchor is empty, but the ::before pseudo-element injects visual content. Google sees the link; it may not “see” the CSS-injected image as reliably as an <img> tag.

🏷 Empty Anchor + ARIA Labels

For maximum accessibility and SEO clarity:

<a href="whitepaper" aria-label="Download 2025 SEO Trends Report">📄</a>

Here:

• The anchor contains an emoji (visible).

• The aria-label overrides the emoji for screen readers.

• Google indexes the ARIA label as anchor context.

 Empty Anchor + No Content + No Styling = Dead Link

If you create:

<a href="page"></a>

…with no CSS, no image, no text, no emoji—you have a zero-pixel, non-clickable element. This is typically a coding error.

 Chapter 5: The 5 Legitimate Use Cases for Empty Anchor Text {#chapter5}

Empty anchors are not just “bugs.” When used intentionally, they solve real UX and design problems.

 Use Case 1: Icon-Based Navigation

Problem: You need a shopping cart icon that links to the cart page. You don’t want the words “Shopping Cart” cluttering your header.

Solution:

<a href="/cart" aria-label="View your shopping cart">
    <svg>...cart icon...</svg>
</a>

Why it works: The icon provides visual affordance. The ARIA label provides accessibility and SEO context. The anchor itself remains empty.

Use Case 2: Logo Homepage Links

Problem: Your logo is an image. Clicking it should return users to the homepage.

Solution:

<a href="/">
    <img src="logo.png" alt="Company Name - Homepage">
</a>

Why it works: Standard practice. The anchor is empty; the alt text carries the weight.

 Use Case 3: “Read More” Cards or Thumbnails

Problem: You have a content card with a title, excerpt, and image. The entire card should be clickable, but you don’t want multiple redundant text links.

Solution:

<article>
    <a href="post-url" class="card-link">
        <!-- Intentionally empty anchor covering entire card via CSS -->
    </a>
    <h2>Visible Title</h2>
    <p>Visible excerpt...</p>
</article>

With CSS, the empty anchor is positioned absolutely over the entire card.

Why it works: Clean UX. No anchor text duplication. Google still associates the card’s visible text with the link destination.

 Use Case 4: Decorative Download Icons

Problem: You offer PDF downloads. A small PDF icon next to the title is sufficient; you don’t want “Download PDF” text repeating ten times on a page.

Solution:

<a href="report.pdf" aria-label="Download Q3 Financial Report">
    <img src="pdf-icon.png" alt="">
</a>

Note: Empty alt attribute (alt="") marks the image as decorative. The aria-label provides the meaningful context.

 Use Case 5: Social Media Icon Footers

Problem: You need links to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. Text links look dated; icons are standard.

Solution:

<a href="https://facebook.com/brand" aria-label="Facebook">
    <i class="fab fa-facebook"></i>
</a>

Why it works: Clean, modern, accessible, and SEO-friendly.

Chapter 6: Empty Anchor and Accessibility (WCAG, Screen Readers, Ethics) {#chapter6}

This is where empty anchor text becomes controversial.

If used carelessly, empty anchors create inaccessible dead zones.

If used thoughtfully, they enable elegant, accessible design.

 WCAG 2.1 Guidelines

Success Criterion 2.4.4: Link Purpose (In Context)

The purpose of each link can be determined from the link text alone or from the link text together with its programmatically determined link context.

Empty anchor without alt text or ARIA label violates this criterion.

 Screen Reader Behavior

When a screen reader encounters:

<a href="page"></a>

It may:

1. Read nothing (skip entirely), or

2. Read the link destination URL (confusing), or

3. Announce “link” with no name (frustrating).

Never do this.

 The Ethical Empty Anchor Framework

To use empty anchors ethically and accessibly, follow this hierarchy:

1. Provide visible text whenever possible. This is always best.

2. If no visible text, provide an aria-label. This gives screen readers descriptive text.

3. If using an image, provide descriptive alt text. If the image is decorative only, use alt="" but ensure the link purpose is clear elsewhere.

4. If using an icon font or SVG, hide it from screen readers (aria-hidden="true") and provide an aria-label on the anchor.

5. Never leave an anchor truly empty (no content, no label, no alt).

 The “Accessibility + SEO” Sweet Spot

The overlap between accessibility best practices and SEO best practices is larger than most marketers realize.

Google increasingly uses accessibility as a quality signal. Pages that are usable by everyone tend to have lower bounce rates and higher dwell time.

Well-implemented empty anchors serve both masters.

 Chapter 7: How Google Interprets Empty Anchors (Patents & Updates) {#chapter7}

To understand Google’s relationship with empty anchors, we must look under the hood.

 Key Patent: “Contextual Input of Hypertext Link Anchor Text”

Patent Number: US 20050076033 A1
Filed: 2003
Assignee: Google Inc.

Summary: This patent describes a system where Google does not rely exclusively on anchor text. Instead, it considers:

• Words immediately preceding the link.

• Words immediately following the link.

• Headings near the link.

• File names (if linking to PDFs, images, etc.).

Implication for empty anchors: An empty anchor surrounded by relevant text passes contextual signals to the linked page.

 Key Update: Google Penguin (2012) and Subsequent Iterations

Penguin devalued exact-match anchor text overuse. It also began recognizing “unnatural” patterns.

Implication: An anchor profile with zero empty or image links looks suspiciously “curated.” Natural linking includes branded, generic, naked, and image/empty anchors.

 Key Update: Passage Indexing (2021)

Google gained the ability to index specific passages of a page, not just the overall page topic.

Implication: Even if an empty anchor is buried in a paragraph, if the surrounding passage is relevant, Google can rank that passage—and the link destination—for relevant queries.

 Key Update: Core Web Vitals & Page Experience (2021-2024)

While not directly about anchors, Core Web Vitals emphasized user-centric design.

Implication: Clean, clickable icon links (empty anchors with images) often load faster and look more modern than bulky text links. This contributes to positive user experience signals.

 Google’s Current Stance (Inferred from 2025 Trends)

Google has never issued a specific statement saying: “We love empty anchors.”

But through analysis of ranking pages and algorithm updates, we can deduce:

• Empty anchors do not pass “anchor text juice” in the traditional sense.

• Empty anchors do pass “contextual relevance” when surrounded by strong topical signals.

• Empty anchors are ignored if they are truly empty (no alt, no label, no context).

• Empty anchors with descriptive alt or aria-label are treated similarly to generic anchors.

 Chapter 8: Empty Anchor in Link Building (Should You Ever Build Them?) {#chapter8}

This is the million-dollar question for SEO professionals.

Should you intentionally build backlinks using empty anchor text?

The Short Answer

No. Not as a primary strategy.

The Long Answer

You should never go to a publisher and say: “Please link to my page with an empty anchor.”

That is unnatural. It raises red flags. It wastes link equity.

However, you should allow empty anchors to happen organically, and in some cases, facilitate them through visual content.

Acceptable Link Building Scenarios

1. Infographics and Visual Assets

If you create a high-quality infographic, publishers will often embed it using:

<a href="your-site.com">
    <img src="infographic.jpg" alt="Your Keyword">
</a>

The anchor is empty. The alt text is your optimized keyword.

This is excellent link building.

2. Icon Attribution

If you offer free icons, fonts, or design assets, users may link back to you using an icon of your logo or a “credit” badge.

3. Tool Embeds

If you create a free calculator, map, or widget, publishers embed the iframe or script. They often wrap it in an empty anchor linking back to you.

 Toxic Empty Anchor Patterns

1. Hidden Text Links

Some black-hat SEOs still try:

<a href="page" style="display:none;">keyword</a>

or

<a href="page"></a> <!-- hoping Google counts it anyway -->

Google detects hidden text. This can trigger manual penalties.

2. Comment Spam with Broken HTML

Forum spammers sometimes paste raw links without closing tags, creating accidental empty anchors.

3. Mass Directory Submissions with Missing Titles

Some automated directory tools strip anchor text, leaving empty links.

 The Ideal Anchor Ratio (Including Empty)

Based on analysis of top-ranking sites in competitive niches (2025):

Empty anchors should never dominate your profile. But their presence signals natural diversity.

 Chapter 9: Common Mistakes: When Empty Anchors Become Toxic {#chapter9}

Let us examine the dark side.

Even experienced developers and SEOs make these errors.

 Mistake 1: Empty Anchor with No Context, No Image, No Label

<a href="important-page"></a>

Result: Unclickable. Inaccessible. Zero SEO value. Looks like a bug.

 Mistake 2: Empty Anchor with Missing Alt Text on Critical Image

<a href="checkout">
    <img src="cart.png" alt="">
</a>

Result: Screen readers skip the link. Google sees an image with empty alt and an empty anchor. Low confidence in relevance.

Fix: Use alt="View cart" or aria-label="View cart".

 Mistake 3: Overusing Empty Anchors for Internal Links

Internal links should be descriptive. Using icon-only links for important navigation (without text labels) confuses users and search engines.

Bad: Main navigation with only icons, no text, no tooltips.

Good: Icons + text labels, or icons + visible text on hover + ARIA labels.

 Mistake 4: Assuming Empty Anchors Are “Keyword Juice”

Some SEOs believe an empty anchor passes the “weight” of the target keyword without risking over-optimization.

This is false. An empty anchor passes less explicit relevance than even a generic “click here” link.

 Mistake 5: Ignoring Mobile Usability

On desktop, users hover over icons to discover their purpose. On mobile, there is no hover.

Empty anchors on mobile must be unmistakably clickable and clearly indicate destination.

 Chapter 10: How to Audit Your Site for Empty Anchor Issues {#chapter10}

Ready to clean house? Here is a step-by-step audit protocol.

 Tool 1: Screaming Frog SEO Spider

1. Crawl your website.

2. Filter by “Links” > “Anchor Text”.

3. Sort by “Anchor Text Length” ascending.

4. Look for URLs with anchor text containing 0 characters.

5. Export this list.

Review each empty anchor:

• Is it intentionally empty (icon, logo, card)?

• Does it have an aria-label or alt attribute?

• Is it clickable?

• Is it accessible?

 Tool 2: Google Search Console

1. Go to “Links”.

2. Review “Top linking text”.

3. Look for entries showing blank or “Empty” anchor text.

If you see external sites linking to you with empty anchors:

• Check the referring page. Is it a legitimate design choice?

• If it is a spammy site, consider disavowing.

• If it is a legitimate site but the anchor is accidentally empty, consider reaching out to the webmaster to suggest adding descriptive alt text.

 Tool 3: Manual Accessibility Check

Use Chrome’s Lighthouse or Axe DevTools:

1. Run an accessibility audit.

2. Look for “Links must have discernible text” violations.

3. Fix any empty anchors that fail this check.

 The Empty Anchor Decision Tree

Is the anchor tag empty of any child elements (text, image, SVG)?

• YES → Add content or ARIA label. This is a bug.

• NO → Does it contain an image?

  • YES → Does the image have alt text?

    • YES → Good. Is the alt text descriptive?

      • YES → Keep.

      • NO → Improve alt text.

    • NO → Add alt text or ARIA label.

  • NO → Does it contain an icon font or SVG?

    • YES → Add aria-label or visually hidden text.

  • NO → Does it contain text?

    • YES → Not an empty anchor. Good.

 Chapter 11: The Future of Anchor Text (Entity-Based Search & Empty Links) {#chapter11}

Anchor text is not dying. It is transforming.

 The Shift from Keywords to Entities

Google’s Knowledge Graph contains over 500 billion facts about entities (people, places, things).

Modern search is less about matching strings (“best coffee New York”) and more about understanding entities (“Blue Bottle Coffee”, “Manhattan”, “caffeinated beverages”).

How this affects empty anchors:

If your site is recognized as an entity (e.g., “Adobe”, “Trello”, “Zapier”), Google does not need anchor text saying “Adobe Photoshop” to understand a link pointing to you.

A simple logo link (empty anchor) with your brand name in the alt text is sufficient.

 Voice Search and Conversational UI

Voice search queries are longer and more conversational.

Empty anchors paired with descriptive ARIA labels mirror how voice assistants interpret commands.

 Visual Search and AI Overviews

Google’s AI Overviews (formerly SGE) summarize content rather than listing blue links.

As visual interfaces evolve, the distinction between “text anchor” and “visual affordance” will blur.

Empty anchors—when representing icons, logos, and buttons—may become the dominant link type in visually-rich search results.

 The Privacy Shift

With third-party cookies crumbling and privacy regulations tightening, user interaction signals (clicks, taps) become more valuable than ever.

Empty anchors that drive high engagement will be rewarded.

 Chapter 12: Conclusion (Embracing the Invisible Link) {#chapter12}

Empty anchor text is the SEO equivalent of negative space in art.

It is not the subject. It is not the focal point. But without it, the composition collapses.

Here is what you must remember:

1. Empty anchors are valid HTML. They are not errors by default.

2. Empty anchors do not pass keyword relevance. But they pass contextual relevance through surrounding text and attributes.

3. Empty anchors must be accessible. Use aria-label, alt text, or visually hidden text. Never leave a link truly empty.

4. Empty anchors diversify your backlink profile. A natural link profile includes 5-10% image/empty anchors.

5. Empty anchors are user experience tools. They enable clean icon navigation, card layouts, and modern web design.

As Google moves toward entity-based search, user experience signals, and visual interfaces, the empty anchor will evolve from an overlooked oddity into a respected standard.

Stop fearing the empty anchor.

Start auditing it. Optimizing it. And using it with intention.

Because in the crowded world of SEO, sometimes the most powerful signal is the one nobody sees.

External Resources (For Further Reading)

To deepen your understanding of anchor text, linking strategies, and technical SEO, explore these authoritative resources:

1. Google Search Central: Link Best Practices
   https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/links
   Official Google guidelines on link structure, anchor text, and crawlability.

2. Moz: Anchor Text in SEO
   https://moz.com/learn/seo/anchor-text
   Comprehensive guide to anchor text types, history, and modern best practices.

3. W3C: Web Accessibility Initiative – Link Purpose
   https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/page-structure/links/
   Official accessibility standards for creating discernible, usable links.

 Image Prompt Placeholders

Use these prompts to generate custom images that enhance the visual appeal and comprehension of this blog post.

Image 1: “Empty Anchor HTML Visualization”
Prompt: Create a minimalist, clean developer-focused graphic showing HTML code: <a href="https://example.com"></a>. The anchor tags should be highlighted in a contrasting color (like neon blue or orange) against a dark code editor background. No people. Abstract, technical, modern.

Image 2: “Icon Navigation Example”
Prompt: A flat UI design showing a website header with a row of icons: shopping cart, user profile, search magnifying glass, settings cog. Each icon is subtly highlighted with a soft glow, indicating they are clickable links. No text labels. Light mode interface, soft shadows, modern SaaS aesthetic.

Image 3: “Accessibility vs. SEO Venn Diagram”
Prompt: A professionally designed Venn diagram with two overlapping circles. Left circle labeled “Accessibility (WCAG)”, right circle labeled “SEO (Google)”. The overlapping center contains: “ARIA Labels”, “Descriptive Alt Text”, “Clear Link Purpose”. Clean white background, sans-serif font, brand-appropriate colors (blue, green).

Image 4: “Anchor Text Ratio Pie Chart”
*Prompt: A colorful 3D pie chart illustrating ideal anchor text distribution. Largest slice (50%) = Branded. Smaller slices = Generic (15%), Naked URL (10%), Empty/Image (10%), Partial Match (10%), Exact Match (5%). Clean business presentation style, dark text labels, professional color palette.*

Image 5: “Mobile Icon Usability”
Prompt: Split screen comparison. Left side: A mobile screen with tiny, ambiguous icons and a frustrated user trying to tap. Red X mark. Right side: Same mobile screen with larger icons, clear labels underneath, and a smiling user. Illustrative style, warm tones, empathetic design.

Image 6: “Google Entity Recognition Concept”
Prompt: Abstract visualization of Google’s Knowledge Graph. A central building logo (like a stylized company) with lines radiating outward to connected entities: “Products”, “Services”, “Location”, “Reviews”. The central link is represented by a simple chain icon with no text. Blue and white color scheme, network/graph aesthetic.

Image 7: “SEO Audit Checklist for Empty Anchors”
Prompt: A realistic clipboard or digital tablet screen displaying a checklist. Title: “Empty Anchor Audit”. Items: [✓] Identify empty anchors, [✓] Check for ARIA labels, [✓] Verify alt text on images, [✓] Test with screen reader, [✓] Fix unclickable links. Clean, organized, professional workspace vibe.

Final SEO Checklist for This Article

Empty anchor text is no longer an afterthought.

It is a strategic asset.

Use it wisely. Optimize it thoroughly. And watch your SEO—and your user experience—become stronger than ever.