Current speculation is that using varied anchor text is important in the recent Google algorithm update. Whether or not the speculation is true, it is always a good idea to have a mixture of anchor text, for a couple of reasons.
- Varied anchor text lends a naturalness to your backlinks, which gives legitimacy to the votes that your site is receiving.
- A mix of anchor text enables you to target several keyword phrases
If you are entering your site information into directory forms, you generally have to stick to a specified format (title, url, description). However, if you are asking for a link from another webmaster, you do not have to stick to that format. Try using a more natural format occasionally, such as a sentence or short paragraph, with your link and anchor text flowing naturally within the sentence. For example, let's say you sell blue widgets at a very affordable price.
Rather than the standard format of:
Blue Widgets - Acme Widgets has the largest supply of discount blue widgets
Try a natural sentence such as:
Acme Widgets has the largest supply of blue widgets at prices that are cheaper than any of the discount retail outlets. We will beat any advertised price.
In addition, on your Link To Us page, give users a choice of several different link formats, with each one using different anchor texts or varied wording and/or structure. If you have 5 - 10 different choices, you will get a nice mix of backlinks to your site.