Branded and Naked Url Anchors: Build a Natural Link Profile Without Losing Context

Branded and naked URL anchors are often treated as the safest link-building options because they look natural, resist over-optimisation, and help search engines understand who is being referenced. That is broadly true, but the real question is more complicated: how do you use branded and URL anchor text without weakening topical relevance, creating keyword cannibalisation, or producing a backlink profile that says very little about the linked page?

A natural link profile is not simply a random mixture of brand names, URLs, generic phrases, and exact-match keywords. It is a pattern that reflects how real publishers cite useful resources. Anchor text should fit the surrounding sentence, match the destination page, support the reader’s next action, and sit within a wider content architecture.

This matters when you are publishing at scale. If your website has multiple pages targeting similar terms, a link using “SEO content strategy” could reinforce the wrong URL. A naked URL might look safer, but it can still point authority towards a page that competes with another article. The anchor is only one part of the signal.

SEO Letters helps you manage the wider system, from keyword research and topical authority clusters to internal linking, content production, competitor gap analysis and scheduled publishing. You can use SEO Letters as your AI blog writer to create structured articles that include headings, links, schema and images while keeping each page assigned to a clear search intent.

What Are Branded and Naked URL Anchors?

Anchor text is the clickable wording used in a hyperlink. It gives readers and search engines a short description of the destination, although its meaning depends heavily on the surrounding copy and the page being linked to.

Branded anchor text

A branded anchor uses a company, product, website, author or publication name. Examples include:

SEO Letters
Google Search Console
Ahrefs
The Guardian
HubSpot
Nike
app.seoletters.com

Branded anchors can include a partial brand phrase, such as:

SEO Letters content platform
the SEO Letters workflow
the Ahrefs blog
Google’s documentation

These variations are useful because natural publishers do not always cite a brand in exactly the same way. One person may write “SEO Letters”, another may use “the SEO Letters platform”, and someone else may mention the product URL.

Naked URL anchor text

A naked URL anchor displays the web address itself. It may include the protocol or appear without it:

https://app.seoletters.com/
app.seoletters.com
www.example.com
example.com/resources/technical-seo

Naked URLs are common in forums, resource lists, newsletters, source references, press coverage and informal recommendations. They can appear less editorially descriptive than keyword-rich anchors, but that is part of their value. A backlink profile made up entirely of carefully optimised phrases can look manufactured.

Branded and naked URL anchors compared

Anchor type	Example	Main strength	Main limitation	Typical use
Branded	SEO Letters	Builds entity recognition and trust	May provide limited topical description alone	Brand mentions, reviews, citations
Naked URL	app.seoletters.com	Looks natural and reduces anchor over-optimisation	Offers little readable context	Resources, tools, references
Exact match	SEO content tool	Strong topical relevance	Higher manipulation risk	Selective editorial links
Partial match	AI content workflow	Balances relevance and variation	Requires careful destination mapping	Contextual editorial content
Generic	click here	Natural in some formats	Weak topical clarity	Calls to action, instructions
Image link	Logo or screenshot	Often reflects real-world citation behaviour	Depends on alt text and nearby copy	Product mentions and badges

The strongest link profile usually contains all of these categories in proportions that reflect how people actually reference your business. There is no universal percentage split that works for every site. Industry, authority, brand visibility, content format and link acquisition history all affect the baseline.

Why Branded and Naked Anchors Matter for Natural Link Profiles

Search engines can assess patterns across a domain’s referring pages, anchor phrases, destinations, link placement and surrounding language. This does not mean a branded link automatically earns trust, or that an exact-match anchor is automatically dangerous. The broader pattern is what matters.

A branded anchor tends to support several signals at once:

Entity recognition: it connects the website with the organisation or product name.
Brand demand: it reflects people referring to your business directly.
Anchor diversity: it reduces dependence on commercial keyword phrases.
Link plausibility: it resembles press mentions, reviews and citations.
Navigation clarity: it tells readers which company or resource they will reach.

A naked URL works slightly differently. It can suggest that the publisher copied or cited a resource without rewriting the website’s description. That is normal on a resource page, in a discussion thread or within a source list. Basically, the URL itself becomes part of the citation.

The problem appears when marketers use branded and naked anchors as a shortcut. They may avoid keyword anchors entirely, then expect every backlink to rank a commercial page for a competitive term. That approach can leave the profile looking safe but contextually weak. Search engines still need to understand the relationship between the linking page, the linked URL and the target topic.

Anchor Text Is Contextual, Not Isolated

Anchor text should never be assessed without reviewing the sentence, paragraph, heading, page topic and link destination. A branded link to a highly relevant page can carry more useful context than a keyword-rich link placed in an unrelated article.

Compare these examples:

Many publishers use SEO Letters to plan articles, build topical clusters and automate WordPress publishing.

The brand is clear, but the sentence also explains what the platform does. The destination is the app, and the surrounding wording supplies commercial and topical context.

Now consider:

Learn more from SEO Letters.

This is not necessarily bad. It is simply less informative. The reader does not know whether the link leads to a blog post, pricing page, writing tool or account login.

A naked URL can work in the same way:

The campaign was planned and published through https://app.seoletters.com/, with the workflow handling research, drafting and scheduled distribution.

The URL offers little semantic information by itself, but the surrounding clause explains the destination’s role. That context matters.

A practical contextual relevance test

Before approving a link, ask:

What topic does the linking page cover?
What is the primary purpose of the destination URL?
Does the surrounding sentence explain why the destination is relevant?
Would a reader reasonably expect the link to be there?
Could the same link be moved into a random paragraph without changing the meaning?
Is the anchor pointing to the correct page for the query and intent?
Does the link support the page’s role in the internal linking strategy?

If the link only makes sense because a keyword was inserted, it needs revision. This whole thing is about usefulness, not just anchor variation.

The Relationship Between Anchor Text and Keyword Cannibalisation

Keyword cannibalisation occurs when several pages on the same site target the same or substantially overlapping search intent. The result may be unstable rankings, diluted internal authority, inconsistent click-through rates and unclear page selection in search results.

Anchor text can contribute to the problem in several ways.

1. Similar anchors point to competing pages

Imagine a website with these URLs:

/seo-content-strategy/
/seo-content-planning/
/seo-content-workflow/

If internal links across the site repeatedly use “SEO content strategy” for all three pages, the site is sending mixed relevance signals. One page might be the intended commercial guide, but the internal linking pattern suggests that the other pages are equally relevant.

2. Branded anchors hide a destination mismatch

A branded anchor is often considered neutral. Yet if “SEO Letters” links to a general blog article in one section and to a product page elsewhere, the brand phrase alone does not distinguish the URLs. Readers may understand the brand but not the page purpose.

You can solve this with descriptive surrounding text:

SEO Letters’ guide to keyword clustering
the SEO Letters content planning workflow
the SEO Letters publishing platform

The branded element remains, while the page role becomes clearer.

3. Duplicate keyword targeting creates diluted authority

When multiple articles target “best AI blog writer”, “AI blog writing tool” and “automated blog writer” without a clear intent map, external links can distribute authority across several pages. A branded or naked URL does not correct the architecture if the destination pages are substantially duplicates.

The first task is a keyword cannibalisation audit. Review rankings, impressions, clicks, backlinks, internal links, page purpose and content overlap before changing anchor text.

How to Run a Keyword Cannibalisation Audit Before Building Links

A link-building campaign should not begin with anchor selection. It should begin with page and intent classification.

Step 1: Export ranking and traffic data

Use Google Search Console, an SEO platform or a structured spreadsheet to collect:

Ranking queries
Average position
Impressions
Clicks
Click-through rate
Landing page
Search intent
Number of referring domains
Internal links
Conversion data

Group queries by meaning rather than by exact wording. “AI blog writer”, “AI article writer” and “automated blog writing software” may represent related but different intents, depending on the SERPs.

Step 2: Map every URL to one primary intent

Use categories such as:

Intent category	Page purpose	Example query
Informational	Explains a problem or process	how to use branded anchor text
Commercial investigation	Compares solutions or methods	best AI blog writer
Transactional	Encourages an action or purchase	AI content platform
Navigational	Finds a known brand or product	SEO Letters
Support or reference	Helps an existing user	SEO Letters WordPress publishing

Each important URL should have one primary job. It may rank for related queries, but it should not compete with another page for the same core intent.

Step 3: Identify content overlap

Compare page titles, H1s, introductions, subtopics, examples, FAQs and backlinks. A basic overlap score can help prioritise the review:

Content overlap score = shared target terms + shared subtopics + shared intent indicators

This is not a Google metric. It is an operational method for finding pages that appear to answer the same question.

Look for:

Multiple pages with almost identical title structures
Several URLs using the same primary keyword
Articles that repeat the same definitions and examples
Product pages competing with blog guides
Category pages ranking instead of the intended article
Internal links using one commercial phrase across unrelated destinations

Step 4: Choose a canonical page for each topic

You may decide to:

Consolidate overlapping articles
Redirect a weaker page
Change one page to target a narrower subtopic
Add unique supporting sections
Use canonicalisation where appropriate
Rebuild the internal linking structure
Adjust external outreach targets

Do not simply change every anchor to the brand. That can hide the problem while leaving the site architecture confused.

Step 5: Create an anchor-to-URL map

A useful map includes:

Destination URL	Primary intent	Preferred context	Suitable anchor examples	Avoid
`/branded-url-anchors/`	Informational guide	Natural backlink education	branded anchors, naked URL anchors, this anchor text guide	best branded URL anchors in every link
`/ai-blog-writer/`	Commercial	Product evaluation	SEO Letters AI blog writer, automated blog writing platform	generic “here” on every commercial link
`/keyword-clusters/`	Informational	Topic planning	topical authority clusters, keyword clustering workflow	using the same anchor as another guide
`/pricing/`	Transactional	Product selection	SEO Letters pricing, view plans	exact-match informational phrases

This document becomes an editorial control layer. It also makes outreach safer because different publishers can use natural variations without pointing authority to the wrong URL.

Link source or campaign	Branded	Naked URL	Partial or topical	Exact match	Generic or other
Digital PR and press mentions	High	Medium	Low to medium	Low	Medium
Resource page outreach	Medium	Medium to high	Medium	Low	Medium
Guest contributions	Medium	Low to medium	Medium to high	Low to medium	Medium
Product reviews	Medium to high	Medium	High	Low	Low to medium
Organic editorial citations	Variable	Variable	Variable	Low to medium	Variable
Internal links	Medium	Low	High	Controlled	Low

How to Use Branded Anchors Without Losing Topical Relevance

Branded anchors work best when the sentence tells the reader what the brand does or why it is being cited. This is especially important for newer products that do not yet have strong entity recognition.

Strong branded anchor patterns

Use the brand with a descriptive modifier when the destination has a specific role:

SEO Letters’ AI blog writing platform
the SEO Letters content workflow
SEO Letters for WordPress publishing
the SEO Letters keyword research process
SEO Letters’ content refresh campaigns

Use the plain brand when the context already explains the destination:

The team used SEO Letters to research the topic, produce the draft and publish it to WordPress.

Avoid making every brand link commercial. Natural references might include:

SEO Letters
the SEO Letters team
SEO Letters’ documentation
this SEO Letters example
the platform

That variation is ordinary. People do not follow a pre-approved anchor ratio when they cite a useful product.

How to Use Naked URLs Without Creating Thin Context

Naked URLs are useful, but they should not become an excuse for vague linking. A URL can be placed naturally in a sentence that identifies the resource, its function or its audience.

Good naked URL examples

You can create a scheduled content campaign at app.seoletters.com and connect it to a WordPress or Shopify destination.

The full workflow is available at https://app.seoletters.com/, including keyword research, article generation and publishing automation.

Teams testing multi-language content can access the platform through app.seoletters.com.

Each example gives the URL a clear job. The linked page is not floating without explanation.

When a naked URL is particularly natural

Use a naked URL when:

The page is being cited as a source
A forum or community requires direct URLs
The website address is part of the product reference
The link appears in a tools or resources list
A newsletter uses visible URLs for clarity
The page is being shared in a technical context
A publisher wants readers to copy the address

Do not use a naked URL simply to avoid thinking about relevance. The destination still needs to match the paragraph.

Internal Linking: Where Anchor Control Has the Greatest Value

You have more control over internal anchors than external anchors, which makes internal linking a powerful way to prevent keyword cannibalisation. It also means mistakes can be repeated across hundreds of pages if your publishing workflow uses an unchecked template.

A sensible internal linking strategy should define:

The primary destination for each topic
Supporting pages and their relationship
Preferred anchor families
Maximum repetition for prominent commercial terms
Links from high-authority pages
Contextual placement within the article
Orphan page priorities
Pages that should not receive additional links

A three-layer internal linking model

Layer 1: Hub pages

A hub page covers a broad subject and links to narrower supporting pages.

Example:

SEO content strategy
Keyword research
Topical authority
Internal linking
Content refreshes

The hub may use broad branded or topical anchors, depending on the destination.

Layer 2: Supporting guides

Supporting pages answer a specific question, such as branded and naked URL anchors. They should link back to the hub using varied but relevant phrases:

SEO content strategy guide
building a content-led SEO system
the wider content planning framework

Layer 3: Commercial pages

Commercial pages should receive links from relevant guides, comparison pages and use-case content. Avoid forcing exact-match commercial anchors into every article. A branded product reference with clear context can be more natural and useful.

Internal anchor variation matrix

Destination	Anchor variation 1	Anchor variation 2	Branded option	Naked URL option
AI blog writer	AI blog writing tool	automated article platform	SEO Letters AI writer	app.seoletters.com
Keyword research	keyword research workflow	SEO keyword analysis	SEO Letters keyword research	relevant tool URL
Content refresh	content refresh campaign	update existing pages	SEO Letters content refreshes	app.seoletters.com
Topical clusters	topical authority clusters	content cluster planning	SEO Letters topic planning	relevant product URL

This does not mean every anchor must be different. Repetition is normal when a page genuinely deserves repeated references. The goal is to prevent automated duplication and destination confusion.

SEO Content Overlap and External Link Signals

SEO content overlap is usually discussed as an on-page issue, but external links can expose the same structural weakness. If two articles cover the same subject and both attract links using similar anchors, authority may be split across the duplicate pages.

Consider a website with:

A guide called “How to Build a Natural Link Profile”
An article called “Branded and Naked URL Anchors”
A third page called “Anchor Text Best Practices”

All three may be useful, but they need distinct jobs. The branded and naked anchor article should focus on anchor categories, context and profile diversity. The broader guide might explain link acquisition and risk assessment. The best practices page could cover link types, accessibility and editorial placement.

Signals of likely overlap

Two pages receive impressions for the same high-value query
Search Console alternates the ranking URL
External backlinks are split between similar pages
Internal links use identical anchors for both pages
Meta titles promise the same outcome
Each page contains the same definitions and examples
Neither page has a clear unique angle

When overlap is confirmed, fix the content architecture before scaling link acquisition. More links can make the situation noisier.

A Repeatable Process for Building a Natural Anchor Profile

Use this six-stage process for new campaigns and existing backlink clean-ups.

1. Establish the page’s role

Write one sentence describing the destination:

This page explains how branded and naked URL anchors support a natural backlink profile while reducing contextual ambiguity.

If you cannot describe the page clearly, the anchor strategy will also be unclear.

2. Classify the search intent

Decide whether the page is:

Informational
Commercial investigation
Transactional
Navigational
Reference or support

Then check the search results. Search intent mapping should be based on what ranks, not only on what the keyword appears to mean.

3. Build anchor families

Create groups rather than one rigid phrase:

Brand: SEO Letters, the SEO Letters platform
Naked URL: app.seoletters.com, https://app.seoletters.com/
Topical: branded URL anchors, natural anchor text
Partial match: anchor text for link building, branded anchor strategy
Generic: this guide, the platform, this resource

4. Match anchors to publishing formats

A press release, guest article, product review, directory profile and academic citation will not use the same language. Let the format influence the anchor.

For example:

A review may use “SEO Letters AI blog writer”
A source citation may use the naked URL
A media article may use “SEO Letters”
A tutorial may use “content publishing workflow”
A forum answer may use “this guide”

5. Review the destination after placement

Check that the link leads to the intended URL and that the page still matches the anchor’s context. Redirects, product changes and URL migrations can gradually create mismatches.

6. Measure over time

Track:

Referring domains
New links by anchor category
Topical relevance
Link destination distribution
Rankings for the destination page
Query-level impressions
Organic conversions
Changes in competing URLs
Manual action or spam indicators
Lost links and changed anchors

Do not expect anchor changes to create immediate ranking movement. Links interact with content quality, authority, technical accessibility and intent alignment.

Case Study: Fixing a Confused Content Cluster

Suppose a SaaS company has three pages:

“Best AI Blog Writing Tools”
“AI Blog Writer Software”
“How to Automate Blog Publishing”

The first page is a commercial comparison. The second is a product-led landing page. The third is an informational workflow guide. All three currently receive links using “AI blog writer”.

That is a duplicate keyword targeting problem.

Audit findings

The comparison page ranks for “best AI blog writer”.
The product page ranks inconsistently for “AI blog writing software”.
The workflow guide receives backlinks but converts poorly.
Internal links point to all three pages with similar anchors.
Two pages have overlapping sections about article generation and publishing.

Recommended correction

Keep the comparison page focused on evaluation criteria and alternatives.
Make the product page clearly transactional, with features, workflows and calls to action.
Expand the workflow guide around research, scheduling, CMS publishing and measurement.
Consolidate duplicate sections.
Change internal anchors so each page has a distinct phrase family.
Use branded and naked URL links for the product page in external references.
Use descriptive topical anchors for the guide.
Direct comparison references to the comparison page.

SEO Letters can support this workflow by creating topic clusters, generating article briefs around different intents and scheduling content refresh campaigns. Open SEO Letters when you need an AI blog writer that connects research, drafting, linking and publishing rather than producing isolated text files.

The outcome is a cleaner information architecture. The anchor profile becomes more natural because the pages themselves have clearer purposes.

Accessibility and Anchor Text Best Practices

Anchor text also affects accessibility. Screen-reader users often navigate by links, so “click here” provides little meaning when removed from the surrounding sentence. A branded anchor may be accessible if the brand is the expected destination, but a descriptive modifier can improve clarity.

Better accessibility patterns

Use:

“Read the guide to branded and naked URL anchors”
“View the SEO Letters publishing workflow”
“Compare AI blog writing platforms”
“Open the keyword cannibalisation audit template”

Avoid relying on:

Click here
Read more
Visit this site
More information
The full URL in every sentence

Generic anchors are not forbidden. They simply need support from the surrounding copy, and they should not be the only way readers can understand the destination.

For image links, use meaningful alt text where the image conveys the link’s purpose. A logo linked to a homepage may use the brand name as alt text. A screenshot linked to a product workflow should describe the relevant function rather than repeat “image”.

Common Mistakes With Branded and Naked URL Anchors

Mistake 1: Treating anchor ratios as a fixed formula

A profile with 60% branded anchors is not automatically safer than one with 40%. Artificially creating a ratio can itself produce an unnatural pattern.

Better approach: compare your profile with relevant competitors, review link sources, and assess whether the anchor distribution matches genuine publishing behaviour.

Mistake 2: Using branded anchors for irrelevant pages

A brand mention linking to a thin doorway page, unrelated category or low-quality advertorial remains weak. Brand safety comes from relevance and editorial credibility, not the wording alone.

Mistake 3: Repeating the naked homepage URL

If every external link points to the homepage, the site may struggle to build authority for useful deep pages. Natural citations can include product pages, research, tools, guides and case studies.

Mistake 4: Ignoring internal anchor duplication

External links may be varied while internal links repeat the same commercial phrase across every article. This can create a stronger cannibalisation problem than the backlink profile itself.

Mistake 5: Building links before fixing content overlap

If two pages compete for the same intent, additional links may strengthen the wrong URL. Complete the keyword cannibalisation audit first.

Mistake 6: Using exact-match anchors in manufactured placements

Exact-match links are not inherently harmful, but a cluster of identical commercial anchors from unrelated or low-quality websites can look engineered. Editorial links should be earned through useful content, original data, expert commentary, partnerships or genuinely relevant resources.

How SEO Letters Supports Anchor-Aware Content Operations

Producing one good article is useful. Maintaining a coherent publishing system is harder.

SEO Letters is built for publishers, SEOs, agencies and business teams that need to move from a keyword to a complete live article without copying content between disconnected tools. Its workflow can help you manage:

Keyword research with difficulty ratings
Search intent and topic planning
Topical authority clusters
Competitor site-gap analysis
Article briefs and structured drafts
Internal link recommendations
Schema and image generation
WordPress and Shopify publishing
Webhook-based distribution
Multi-language content across 21 languages
Content performance monitoring
Scheduled publishing campaigns
Existing-page refresh campaigns
Product-aware affiliate and ecommerce content

The important point is operational consistency. Anchor text decisions should sit beside keyword maps, destination URLs and content briefs, not in a separate spreadsheet that nobody updates.

A useful content brief field set

Add these fields to every article brief:

Primary keyword
Secondary keywords
Search intent
Canonical URL
Target audience
Main conversion action
Pages to link to
Approved anchor families
Pages not to compete with
Supporting evidence or sources
Refresh date
Performance KPI

This process helps reduce accidental duplicate keyword targeting. It also allows content teams to review whether a new article is strengthening the intended cluster or creating another overlapping page.

Measuring Whether Your Anchor Strategy Is Working

Anchor text is not a standalone KPI. Measure it alongside rankings, links, engagement and conversions.

Core backlink metrics

Number of referring domains
Relevant referring domains
New links by month
Lost links by month
Followed and nofollowed link mix
Brand versus non-brand anchor distribution
Destination URL distribution
Link placement type
Referring page traffic

Content and search metrics

Impressions for the mapped topic
Average position by URL
Click-through rate
Organic sessions
Assisted conversions
Engagement by landing page
Ranking URL stability
Number of competing URLs
Internal links to the priority page

A useful diagnostic is ranking URL stability. If Google Search Console repeatedly shows different pages ranking for the same query, review intent overlap, internal anchors, canonical signals and external link destinations.

Simple quarterly scoring rubric

Area	1 point	3 points	5 points
Brand anchor diversity	Almost none	Some natural variation	Consistent, credible brand references
URL anchor usage	Forced or absent	Present in suitable placements	Used naturally across citation formats
Contextual relevance	Weak	Mixed	Strong alignment between source and destination
Internal linking	Repetitive or unclear	Partially mapped	Intent-led and destination-specific
Cannibalisation control	Multiple competing pages	Some overlap	Clear canonical topic ownership
Link quality	Low relevance	Mixed quality	Editorial, relevant and credible
Measurement	No baseline	Basic tracking	Query, URL and link-level reporting

A score under 18 suggests that the problem is structural rather than cosmetic. Changing a few anchors will not address it.

Should You Disavow Unnatural Anchors?

Disavowal should be handled cautiously. A strange anchor alone does not prove that a link is harmful, and many legitimate websites use odd, shortened or automatically generated anchor text.

Investigate the source before taking action:

Is the referring domain clearly part of a link network?
Is the page unrelated, thin or auto-generated?
Are there hundreds of similar outbound links?
Was the link created through a paid or manipulative campaign?
Can you request removal or a rel attribute change?
Is there a manual action or a clear history of deliberate manipulation?

Do not disavow every exact-match link or every foreign-language link. Real websites often receive unexpected references. The relevant question is whether the overall pattern suggests deliberate manipulation and whether the links create a meaningful risk.

Key Takeaway: Context Beats Cosmetic Anchor Diversity

Branded and naked URL anchors are valuable because they reflect ordinary citation behaviour and reduce dependence on commercial keyword phrases. They are not magic controls, though. A naked URL pointing to the wrong page still supports the wrong page, and a branded anchor on an irrelevant placement still lacks editorial value.

Your process should be:

Audit keyword cannibalisation and SEO content overlap.
Map each URL to one primary search intent.
Assign a clear role to every destination page.
Build anchor families rather than fixed phrases.
Match anchor types to link formats and publisher context.
Use descriptive surrounding copy for branded and naked URL links.
Align internal linking with the topic architecture.
Monitor rankings, destinations, anchors and conversions over time.
Refresh or consolidate overlapping content when the data points to confusion.

If you are publishing regularly, the challenge is maintaining these decisions as your site grows. That is where a connected workflow becomes useful.

Build a Safer Publishing Workflow With SEO Letters

A natural link profile starts with useful pages, clear intent and a site architecture that gives every URL a job. Anchor text then reinforces that system, helping readers and search engines understand the relationship between the source and destination.

SEO Letters gives you a practical way to manage the work between the initial keyword and the published page. Research the topic, identify gaps, create structured articles, add internal links, generate supporting assets and publish on schedule through one workflow.

If you’re trying to scale organic content without creating keyword cannibalisation, inconsistent anchors or disconnected articles, start with SEO Letters. For campaign planning, workflow advice or a more specific setup, use the rightbar as the contact path and build a publishing process that can be measured, reviewed and improved.