How does a hyperlink look like?

A hyperlink is a word, phrase, or image that you can click on to jump to a new document or a new section within the current document. Hyperlinks are found in nearly all Web pages, allowing users to click their way from page to page. Text hyperlinks are often blue and underlined, but don't have to be. When you move the cursor over a hyperlink, whether it is text or an image, the arrow should change to a small hand pointing at the link. When you click it, a new page or place in the current page will open.

Hyperlinks, often referred to as just "links," are common in Web pages, but can be found in other hypertext documents. These include certain encyclopedias, glossaries, dictionaries, and other references that use hyperlinks. The links act the same way as they do on the Web, allowing the user to jump from page to page. Basically, hyperlinks allow people to browse information at hyperspeed.

is a text or an icon that you can click on to get to another website. The link, which is usually in blue and is underlined, serves as a reference point that connects a particular page to other pages over the web. The linked text is what’s known as the anchor text. For instance, when you click on the phrase “anchor text” in the previous sentence, it directs you to a page containing the definition of an anchor text.

Aside from opening new pages, a hyperlink can bring the reader to a particular section within the same page. This is especially useful for helping readers navigate a page with long content, like comprehensive guides or longer articles. These links are usually found in the table of contents. 

Considered as the backbone of the web, the hyperlink is used everywhere. It’s crucial for improving a website’s SEO, along with its backlink profile.  


Hyperlinks can be generally divided into two: internal and external hyperlinks

An internal hyperlink is a link that connects the different subpages of one domain. It’s usually organized in a web that’s known as a link structure. It’s also used to direct a website’s visitors through its content in a particular fashion known as a click path. 

A link structure has four classic forms: linear, tree, star, and network, with each one having varying click path controls. 

An external hyperlink connects users to a different domain. It can be classified either as an outbound or an incoming hyperlink

An outbound hyperlink is when you connect your domain to another. This link is mainly used for references or for recommendations. 

Inbound hyperlinks or backlinks, on the other hand, are links from other domains that lead to your own website. All of these inbound links contribute to a website’s backlink profile and is a crucial component in SEO. Backlinks from other websites are a signal to search engines that your website has reputable and valuable content. This can influence your ranking on a SERP and can positively affect your website’s visibility.

Aside from the internal and external types, you can also categorize hyperlinks as:

  • Text links

The text hyperlink is one of the most common types of links. It’s a clickable text that’s used to go to another page or resource.

An image link is a hyperlink in image form. One of the most common examples of image links is the banner ads on various websites.

Not to be confused with anchor text, anchor links bring the reader from one place in a document to a different section of the same document, like in a table of contents.

  • Fat links

A fat link or an extended link is one link that has multiple destinations. 


All the above mentioned links, complemented by quality content, are important in improving a website’s SEO, particularly when they’re done organically or naturally. 

To rank in search engines like Google, a website should be properly built using relevant SEO techniques. Another factor is that it should come across as trustworthy and as an authoritative source. 

This can be achieved through link building or the process of having other websites link back to your website, which gives you a backlink. As previously mentioned, a site’s backlink profile is an essential ranking factor for Google, along with relevant and quality content. 

Hyperlinks are advantageous if used correctly. If implemented otherwise, they can potentially hurt a website’s rankings. 

When dealing with hyperlinks, it’s important to avoid artificial inbound links from spammy websites, as these can affect a website’s scores. Additionally, external links to your content should point to high-quality and relevant sites to benefit both you and your readers. The number of links also plays a part in rankings. Having too many outbound links can put a website at risk of looking spammy.  

Aside from improving SEO, links can increase a website’s traffic and credibility. This helps in building connections within a particular web community, which then paves the way for link building. Links are also useful when used in conjunction with

Hyperlinks have two basic parts: the address (URL) of the webpage and the display text. For example, the address could be http://www.popsci.com, and the display text could be Popular Science Magazine.
Unicode Character “🔗” (U+1F517).
Text hyperlink – Uses a word or phrase to take visitors to another page, file or document. Image hyperlink – Uses an image to take visitors to another page, file or document. Bookmark hyperlink – Uses text or an image to take visitors to another part of a web page.
Hyperlinks and URLs. A hyperlink is a certain kind of "clickable" text or graphic, which the Web browser generally responds by loading a new Web page. A uniform resource locator (URL) is a special address that uniquely identifies a Web page on the Web.