What They Are & How to Use Them

What Is an A Href Link?

An “a href link” (or “href link”) is HTML code that uses an <a> tag and href attribute to create a clickable hyperlink.

For example, this href link creates the hyperlink “Semrush”:

<ahref="https://www.semrush.com/">Semrush</a>

There are other types of HTML links (e.g., the <link> tag). And other ways to create hyperlinks (e.g., with JavaScript). But most links are created using <a> tags, also known as anchor tags or anchor elements.

Anchor elements are defined by the start tag <a> and the end tag </a>.

The href attribute (hypertext reference attribute) defines the link destination or target. This is often a webpage URL. But there are other possible values.

Anchor tags should also include anchor content—the content that the link is attached to. In many cases, this is anchor text (e.g., “Semrush”). But it can be an HTML element, such as an image.

Your content management system (CMS) might have tools that eliminate the need to code a href links manually. But it’s helpful to understand how they work behind the scenes.

Tip: Check for link issues and other technical problems on your site with Semrush’s Site Audit tool. You can crawl up to 100 URLs for free.

Why Are Href Links Important?

Href links are important because they’re the most commonly used way to create hyperlinks. And hyperlinks help users and web crawlers to navigate the internet and access digital resources.

There are two main types of hyperlinks...