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Links and navigation: Writing good link text
Writing good link text – the text between the anchor tags – is sometimes compared to an art form. This is probably because it is done incorrectly so often. However, it is not that difficult at all.
"Clearly identify the target of each link."
Write texts as if there are no links
Write texts that are nice to read. Links do not need to be announced beforehand. Nor is there any need to describe the mechanism behind following a link.
Do not describe the mechanism behind following a link.
Guideline R-pd.8.1
Good example: fluent, clear text
Without hyperlinks, the World Wide Web would never have become so successful.
Bad example: mentioning the mechanism
Click here for more information.
This is better:
Write clear, descriptive text for links.
Text with keywords is preferred. Often, visitors do not read the text on a site, but look for noticeable highlighted keywords. In principle, it should be easy to understand the link text outside the context of the surrounding text, after all people simply do not read the context.
Write clear, descriptive text for links.
Guideline R-pd.8.2
Good example: link text with clear keywords
This was shown in a survey conducted by TNO among more than five hundred employees.
Bad example: context must be obtained from the surrounding text
The City of Arnhem’s website has been updated.
This is better:
The City of Arnhem’s website has been updated.
"Link text should be meaningful enough to make sense when read out of context - either on its own or as part of a sequence of links."
There is a limit to the length of link text
The examples above show there is nothing wrong with using longer texts for links. However, beware the link text does not become too long. Try to keep the minimum needed to understand where the link leads.
Use the minimum amount of text needed to understand where the link leads.
Guideline R-pd.8.3
Bad example: too much information, link destination unclear
This is better:
The SP refers to statements which the mayor made in March.
Prevent unpleasant surprises
Visitors can be unpleasantly surprised if, when following a link, they are suddenly confronted with a new browser window or a large file that starts downloading. Provide sufficient clues on what the visitor can expect. See also Inform and instruct the visitor.
Provide sufficient information on the destination of a link to prevent unpleasant surprises for the visitor.
Guideline R-pd.8.4
Good example: the type of document the visitor can expect
Download the 2003 Annual Report (PDF, 650Kb)
Descriptive link texts for links outside of context
The text browser Lynx can display all the links on a page as a list. Such functions are also practical for people who depend on a speech browser; otherwise they will have to wait for pieces of text on the page to be read before they can decide to follow a link. For this purpose being able to understand a link outside its context is essential.
Search spiders likewise follow the links on a page and attach importance to links that adequately describe what they refer to. A link saying ‘Click here’ does not convey much about the document it refers to. Consequently, this document may decline in value for search spiders. Good indexing by search spiders plays an important role in the findability of information.
Unique link text for unique destinations
Links that refer to different documents but nonetheless have the same link text tend to get confusing out of context.
Take, for instance, links like "Read more…", "Continue…" or "Archived…". Not only do these links, when read out of context, provide little information about where they lead, they are often used in several places on the page, each with a different destination. In list form such links will look the same, even though they are not. Try to avoid such link texts as much as possible.
If you cannot avoid this, clarify a link, for instance by means of the title attribute:
Clarification of links by means of the title attribute (HTML)
<a href="/buildingfund/"
title="Government makes decision on building inspection department">
Read more...
</a>
"In addition to clear link text, content developers may further clarify the target of a link with an informative link title (e.g., in HTML, the
titleattribute)."
Such links often occur in short text fragments which are preceded by a title. This title usually makes a perfectly suitable link. If a descriptive link (the title for instance) already refers to information, a less descriptive link (like "Read more…") referring to the same information is less harmful.
The advantage of links like "Read more…" is that people like following them once they have read the preceding text. This applies mainly to people who use speech browsers; they can follow the link once the text has been read to them. This makes this type of link suitable within the context of the text, while the linked titles are better suitable out of context.
