Short answer: An anchor link takes the reader to a section of a page instead of its top. Give the section an id, then link to it with # and that id, from the same page or from another URL. Google may also show “Read more” links to sections in your snippet. Its best practices are visible content, no forced scroll to the top on load and keeping the # in the address.
What an anchor link is
The <a> element can link to web pages, files and email addresses, and also to locations in the same page. MDN calls the last part of a URL, starting with the #, the fragment. It identifies a specific part of the resource, such as a section of a document.
The fragment isn’t sent to the server when the page is requested. The browser processes it, and when it matches an element’s id, the browser scrolls to that element.
| Link | Where it takes the reader | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| href="#pricing" | The element with id="pricing", without leaving the page | Chapter lists and links within a long page |
| href="/guide/#pricing" | The same section, opened from another page | Links from other pages and from emails |
| href="#top" or href="#" | The top of the current page | A link back to the top |
| A shared URL that ends in #pricing | That section, when someone opens the link | Messages, emails and social posts |
From MDN’s pages on the <a> element and URI fragments, read November 4, 2026.
Anchor links in Google Search
Google sometimes adds “Read more” deep links to a snippet: links that lead to a specific section of the page. It lists three best practices to make them more likely.
Make the content visible right away, not hidden behind an expandable section or tabs. Don’t use JavaScript to force the scroll position to the top on page load. And if your page changes the address on load, don’t remove the # fragment, because that breaks deep linking.
Our internal links guide covers linking between your pages, and our anchor text guide covers the words you link.
When a sticky header gets in the way
A header that stays fixed at the top of the screen can end up over the heading the link points to. The page moves to the right section, but the reader sees the paragraph under it and not its title.
Leave room above your targets so each heading lands below the header. Test it on a phone too, where headers often take a bigger share of the screen.
How to add anchor links, step by step
- Give each section heading a short, stable id, such as pricing or steps.
- Link to it from the same page with # and the id.
- Add a chapter list at the top of long pages, linking to every section.
- From other pages, add the same # and id to the end of the full URL.
- Keep the content visible, not hidden behind tabs or accordions.
- Don’t force the scroll to the top on load or strip the # from the address.
- Open each link in a new tab and check the heading shows below the header.
How our own guides handle anchor links
On November 4, 2026, we tested 6 of our guides, 3 in English and 3 in Spanish, on a desktop screen and on a phone. Each one starts with a chapter list that links to its sections.
Opened from a link ending in #our-case, every page kept the # in its address and scrolled to that section, with no jump back to the top. The heading showed below our sticky header, which ends a little over 70 pixels from the top of the screen.
Clicking an entry in the chapter list did the same in all 12 runs: the address took the new #, the page moved to that section, and nothing covered its heading.
Before you publish
- Every section you link to has a unique id.
- Links use # and the exact id, with the same spelling.
- The page keeps the # in its address after it loads.
- Nothing forces the scroll back to the top.
- The target heading shows below any sticky header.
- The sections are visible without opening a tab or an accordion.
RememberAn anchor link is only as good as the place it lands. Test it from a new tab, on a phone too, and check that the reader sees the heading it promised.
Clean page structure and how Google reads it are part of our technical SEO service.
Quick answers about anchor links
What is an anchor link?
A link to one section of a page. Opening it shows that section instead of the top, so readers skip the scrolling. The chapter lists at the top of long guides are anchor links, one for each section.
How do I link to a specific part of a page?
Give the heading or element an id, then link to it with # and that id. From another page, add the same # and id to the end of the full URL. Test it in a new tab to check it lands on the right section.
Does Google show links to sections of my page?
Sometimes. Google calls them “Read more” deep links in your snippet. Its best practices are content that is visible right away, no script that forces the scroll to the top on load, and keeping the # part in the URL.
Why does my anchor link land under the header?
A sticky header stays at the top of the screen, so the browser can scroll the section right under it. Leave enough space above your targets so each heading shows below the header after the jump.
Is the part after the # sent to the server?
No. MDN notes that the fragment, the last part of the URL starting with #, isn’t sent to the server. The browser handles it and scrolls to the matching part of the page.
Sources
Read on November 4, 2026. MDN Web Docs: <a> HTML anchor element and URI fragment. Google Search Central: Control your snippets in search results. Our case: our own guides, tested in a browser on November 4, 2026.