anchor text

what is it?

[Gert_Jan]

Hello everyone,

I am new on this forum. My name is Gert Jan, I am from Holland. My interrests are next to SEO fishing and biking, pretty much enjoying nature :)

I had one question ( for now ) what do you guys exactly mean by anchor text?

Thank you i hope i can contribute a lot to this forum!

[AWildman]

Welcome Gert_Jan!
In general, for help with terms, try using the glossary, the link to which is at the top of the page.
That said, I didn't see anchor text in there. <a href = "www.mydomain.com"> this text is the anchor text </a>

[Gert_Jan]

Okey so I assume it's just a normal link text :)

[Mohamed_E]

Welcome to WebmasterWorld, Gert_Jan!

The reason you read so much about anchor text is that Google currently gives it a lot of weight in their ranking algorithm.

Since you are new you may well want to read Brett's excellent Successful Site in 12 Months with Google Alone [webmasterworld.com] post as well as look into the Google Forum's library [webmasterworld.com].

[Gert_Jan]

Thank you all I've read it and I learned a lot more! Great site! Keep up the good work guys, but is keeping your site between 5 and 10k still relevant?

[AWildman]

Its always good to limit your page size, although 5 - 10k is rather restrictive. I prefer to use a document weight checker, such as the one available with Homesite v 4.5. It tells me how much time (approximately) at different connections speeds that it will take to download the page. That takes into account all the pictures on the page. And, it breaks down nicely the weight of each page element (images, sounds, etc.) so that you can see which ones may need to be tweaked or removed.

<added>I guess it would help to say that I try to keep my pages to 3 - 6 secs to load on a 56.6k connections. I know over 3 seconds is pushing it, but sometimes we webmasters have no choice.</added>

[Gert_Jan]

Okey my sites have an average of 25k, but nowadays you can't furfill all demands. In a couple of years i think almost everyone has a broadband internet connection. And still 25k loads pretty fast on my 56k testing machine :)

[Mohamed_E]

In a couple of years i think almost everyone has a broadband internet connection.

How many years ago did I first hear this being predicted with great confidence?

[sidyadav]

Yeah, they say: After a few days/years a new Internet connection is gonna come out for free, full speed surfing and yada yada yada... but since when are they saying this? i've readi n books that were authored in 1998, etc.

Wonder when its gonna come out...

Sid

[Gert_Jan]

mhh in holland they're allready handing out free internet connections.

[RonPK]

Gert Jan, wake up: there is no such thing as 'free Internet'. In the end, you pay.

[Gert_Jan]

The government hands it out to schools and other public places, there are even tests in some city's to give it through the normal electronic cable. So it's free there.