Unique and descriptive link text

Explanation

Providing meaningful link text has several advantages. It makes web content more accessible for users with disabilities, such as those using screen readers, by clearly indicating the purpose of each link. This helps them navigate without needing extra context. For all users, clear link text improves the overall experience by making it easier to understand where each link will take them.

Search engines also benefit from meaningful link text, as it helps them understand the content of the linked page, which can improve your site’s search engine ranking. For users with cognitive limitations, clear link text reduces confusion and helps them make better decisions about which links to follow. Additionally, users who navigate using a keyboard can more easily tab through links and understand their purpose, which is especially helpful for those with mobility impairments.

Success Criterion 2.4.4 includes hyperlinked images. It requires that the purpose of each link, including those created with images, can be determined from the link text alone or from the link text together with its context. For images, this means providing appropriate alternative text that describes the purpose of the link.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 require that the purpose of the link can be determined. This WCAG Success Criterion (SC 2.4.4) requires that "the purpose of each link can be determined from the link text alone or from the link text together with its programmatically determined link context, except where the purpose of the link would be ambiguous to users in general." Learn more about SC 2.4.4 at

Demonstration

In the demonstration videos below, the user is searching for a link in a document by jumping from link to link using NVDA's single-key navigation. Since they are only listening to links, they won't hear the context provided by the surrounding text. In the first video (Screen reader demonstration: Unique and descriptive link names (BAD), 0:41), links lack descriptive names or titles. The 'Click here to read more' links are not unique and require the user to navigate to the surrounding content to understand the meaning. The second video (Screen reader demonstration: Unique and descriptive link names (GOOD), 0:44) shows the same text but with unique and descriptive link text. It's more user-friendly for both assistive technology users and for those without disabilities.

Techniques

Include techniques for fixing the problem. If it's general, just spell it out here. If it's application-specific, use Medium headings for each software type. Stick to groups as much as possible (Microsoft 365, Google Workspaces, on the Web) rather than individual software. If it's worth discussing a specific application feature, it's worth including a screenshot.

Where applicable, provide more than one option for addressing the issue. Try to include a range of effort levels. Reference/cross reference standards and include links when necessary.

Learn more

Include either a bulleted list of external links and resources (internal ones should be linked in context above) or Medium headings that include a description as well as the link. Links should have unique and descriptive names.

Hi! I'm a link.