Link purpose
Help users understand the purpose of each link so they can decide whether to follow it. Meaningful link text also benefits users who navigate by tabbing from link to link, providing clarity and ease of use.
Avoid using phases that contain:
- "click here" or "click"
- "here"
- "more" or "more..."
- "details" or "more details"
- "link"
- "this page"
- "continue", "continue reading" or "read more"
- "button"
Avoid using URL as links as screen reader users will hear, "h-t-t-p-s-colon-forward-slash-forward-slash…" In addition to this, using the URL for the link text makes it difficult for sighted users and for search engines to understand the link's purpose.
When writing link text, think about how you would naturally describe the link's purpose to someone in a conversation. Use clear, concise language that directly conveys what the user can expect by following the link.
A good example would be: Was this page helpful? Please give any feedback on our form.
This example has 'Please give any feedback on our form' as the link text which clearly informs the user what they'll be doing once they have clicked the link.
The table below shows additional examples. The wording in bold represents the link.
| Bad example | Good example |
|---|---|
| Click here to check your balance | Check your balance |
| If you want to unsubscribe click here | Unsubscribe from our newsletter |
| I uploaded a video about mental health on YouTube | I uploaded a video about mental health on YouTube |
| You can manage your settings here | Manage your account settings |
This achieves WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 2.4.4 Link Purpose (In Context) (Level A).