Should You Worry About URLs with Anchors (#:~:text=) in Search Console?

Google now uses special anchors in certain URLs, particularly with the #:~:text= syntax that allows pointing to a specific text fragment on a page. These URLs may appear in Google Search Console reports, which sometimes worries SEO practitioners.

John Mueller clarifies that this presence is completely normal and represents no danger to the indexing of your pages. These anchors are used by Google to improve user experience by directing them directly to the relevant part of the content.

He also specifies an important technical point: certain Search Console reports display the canonical URL even if Google doesn't actually index the page with these anchors. It's simply a matter of presentation in the reports.

• URLs with #:~:text= anchors in Search Console are normal
• They don't affect the indexing of your pages
• Google sometimes displays the canonical URL in reports even if the anchor is not indexed
• These anchors serve to improve user experience by pointing to specific content

This clarification from Mueller is consistent with field observations. Since Google's introduction of "Text Fragments," we have indeed been seeing these URLs in Analytics and Search Console data without negative impact on organic performance.

An important nuance to add: although these anchors don't impact indexing, they can create some confusion in data analysis. You might see the same page appear multiple times with different anchors in your reports, which complicates the grouping of metrics.

In practice, this feature mainly shows that Google is becoming increasingly granular in its content understanding. It's no longer content with simply indexing entire pages, but identifies and targets specific passages answering precise queries.

• Don't panic if you see URLs with #:~:text= appearing in your Search Console reports - this is normal behavior
• Don't block these URLs via robots.txt or other technical methods, they're part of Google's standard functioning
• Group your analytics data by removing anchor parameters to get a consolidated view of performance by actual page
• Optimize your long-form content by structuring it with clear subheadings, as Google can now point directly to specific sections
• Check your canonicals to ensure they're working properly across all your pages, independently of these anchors
• Monitor your actual HTML anchors (#section) to avoid duplicate content issues which remain relevant
• Leverage this granularity by creating structured content that answers specific questions within comprehensive pages