Link Text That Makes Sense

Links should clearly communicate their purpose — without needing extra context around them. Why? Because screen readers can pull up a list of all links on the page, often read out of context. If they all say “Click here” or “Learn more,” the user gets zero useful information.

Instead, links should be short, descriptive, and unique.

Good Practice

A good link tells users what to expect when they follow it.

• Use action-oriented, descriptive text:

  • [Download the annual report]
  • [Explore pricing plans]
  • [Contact customer support]

• Use consistent text for identical destinations.

• Avoid vague or duplicated phrases.

Examples:

Bad:

<p>To view our accessibility guide, <a href="/accessibility">click here</a>.</p>

Better:

<p><a href="/accessibility">Read the Accessibility Guide</a></p>

Or event more action-oriented:

<p><a href="/accessibility">Explore our Accessibility Guide</a></p>

Watch Out For

• Links that say “here,” “more,” “this,” or “click.”
• Repeating the same vague link text multiple times for different destinations.
• Relying on surrounding context that screen readers might skip.

Vague examples to avoid are “Click here”, “Learn more”, “More info” or “This link”.

Pro Tip

Try using a screen reader or browser extension that lists all links on the page (like WAVE). Scan the list: can you tell where each link goes just from the text? If not, improve it.

Do this today: Open one of your site’s pages and list all the links. Ask yourself: would I know where each link leads if I heard it out of context? Update any vague ones with clearer, more descriptive text.