How many times have you created an email or a document with the words “click here” or “visit website” in the body? We’ve all done it before! However, link text should clearly describe where the link goes. Assistive technology can scan content using links, which means the user could hear the link text out of context, resulting in the words “click here” or “visit website” being spoken over and over, with no context to understand the links.
Accessible links provide context and convey the relationship between the link and the information surrounding it. When links are descriptive, they help users better understand the relevance of the linked content.
Best practices:
- The link text should be concise and meaningful.
- Displaying a full URL will help convey where a link will send a reader, but please note that it will also be read by assistive technology in its entirety.
- Avoid vague phrases, such as "click here," "learn more," "read about it here," etc. Also, avoid using full sentences as a link:
Instead of…
“Click here to sign up for our event.”
Use…
“Sign up for our event happening next Saturday.”
- Visually differentiate links from the rest of the text by using color and underline. Do not rely on color alone to distinguish link text from regular paragraph text.
Union College takes digital security very seriously. It is a good security practice, whenever possible, to copy/paste links into your browser’s address bar instead of clicking on links in an email. Providing the full link to a website allows recipients to copy/paste it into a browser, instead of clicking out of context.
Remember, guidelines are best practices, but even with using best practices, there are no guarantees that your email or web page will always display exactly as you intend. Users can adjust their browser or software preferences to meet their needs which can affect how everything is displayed. Using our tips can help ensure the most flexibility for all recipients.