Is a backlink useless without the right anchor text

I think getting backlinks without using anchor text is still helpful for your site provided that it came from relevant sites but it will be more helpful if you use your targeted keywords to increase your rankings in serp.

 

Probably I think its both good but the advantage of having an anchor text as your targeted keyword is the possible indexing of search engines? Right?

 

Totally agree with Sipltech' s words!

 

No, not useless but a little less useful. It will still contribute to your backlinks (hence improve your page rank) ... but it won't affect your SERP positioning for your keywords ... if you want your site to rank higher for some particular keywords ... use that keyword in your anchor text.

 

agreed... any links a good link due to PR and it's effect, however little it is, it has to have some effect on the algorithm for SERPs, see eduals example of dp. Anyways, any links good but one with keywords is best because the keyword will be 1 vote for your site with those keywords. No keywords, then its just a ballet with your url. You probably get some pr effects but little keyword effect, maybe just that a post for "noodles" linked your post on "noodles" which probably also has some effect in googles algorithm for SERPs as well, who knows...

Just my view of how i think the google machine works

*EDIT* Didn't realize how old this thread was (meh, a week but..), my apologies...

 

Not useless, still passes on juice which helps. A backlink is a backlink, some just weigh more than others