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Back on The First Anchor Text Counting

I really enjoy threads that get into the details of such small details, which in reality, can have a huge impact on your SEO efforts. The topic is which anchor text counts, the first found on the page, all found on the page or some found on the page. We covered the topic twice in the past:

• Does The First Anchor Text Link Only Count in Google?
• SEO Debate Over 1st Anchor Text is What Matters to Google

In short, if you have two identical links found on the same page. The first link uses anchor text A and the second link uses anchor text B, some are of the opinion that only the first link’s anchor text (anchor text A) will be used by Google.

Branko, aka the SEO Scientist (who I have great respect for), rebunked the topic, claiming that based on his tests, Google does in fact only use the first anchor text for that link on a page.

His study can be summarized by these illustrations. In short he tested placing a pair of anchor text pointing to the same URL, but using different anchor text, on the same page. An by flipping the position of the anchor texts, it also flipped how Google ranked that page that was being linked to. Here are those illustrations:

So, is this rebunked? How about Branko’s nofollow theory. I.e slapping on the nofollow seems to have no effect on the above. Is that a time thing as Michael VanDeMar said or not?

Forum discussion at Sphinn.

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