Fix One Thing: Meaningful Link Text
Make your library's website more accessible (and usable) one fix at a time.
“Click here.”
For years, I have been telling people that that phrase makes me want to drink. Here’s why.
First, some backstory. In the early days of the web, everyone was learning how to use it. Nobody knew what a hyperlink looked like. The blue link text with underlining was just beginning to be acknowledged as the normal indicator and we were all figuring it out together. Often, web page creators helpfully included the text “Click here,” just in case someone hadn’t gotten the memo about what a hyperlink was.
But, here’s the thing: we’re about thirty-odd years out from the advent of the graphic internet. People who don’t know what a hyperlink is are now the outliers, not the norm.
When people write link text using that phrase, they’re not helping anyone. In fact, using it negatively affects both usability and accessibility:
Think about how most people read a webpage; they don’t! They scan the page for things that stand out, like hyperlinks. When a link only says “click here,” it tells the user nothing about where the link goes or what it will do. To understand it, they have to stop scanning and go back to read the surrounding text for context.
This is an even bigger barrier for people using assistive technology, which may present links out of context. That is why WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 2.4.4: Link Purpose (In Context) requires link text to identify its purpose. Think “click here” versus a link that says “More bestsellers.” The second one tells you very clearly what the end result will be if you click it.
We no longer need to teach people how to use a hyperlink. Your library may still offer “Learn the Internet” classes, and those can be valuable. But using “click here” in everyday web content does not support that goal. The rest of the web has largely moved beyond that phrasing. People who are still learning to use the internet benefit from links that clearly describe where they lead or what they will do. Making library links less descriptive only creates another obstacle.
At a minimum, “click here” can be considered ableist. It assumes that everyone is using a mouse, which is not the case. Many people navigate with a keyboard, voice controls, switches, or other assistive technology rather than clicking.
It is also not especially accurate. On a touchscreen, such as a phone or tablet, people tap a link rather than click it.
So the next time you are tempted to write “click here,” stop and ask yourself: what is someone actually going to find when they activate this link? Put that in the link text instead. Your users will have a clearer, faster, and more accessible experience. And I may be able to put down the drink.