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Avoid creating generic link text.
Creating generic link text, such as "click here" or "read more," can create accessibility barriers for users with disabilities. This is because generic link text does not provide any context or information about the content of the page being linked to.
When a user navigates through a website using a screen reader, the screen reader announces the link text. If the link text is generic, the user may not be able to understand the context of the link or determine whether or not they want to click on it.
Additionally, using generic link text can make it difficult for users who rely on keyboard navigation or other assistive technologies to quickly scan a page and find the information they need.
To improve web accessibility, it's important to use descriptive link text that accurately describes the content of the page being linked to. This can help all users understand the context of the link and make informed decisions about whether or not to click on it.
For Example:
- Subscribe to The Turner Newsletter
- Student Research Scholarship application
- Sign-up for the volunteer event
This provides users with clear information about what they can expect to find when they click on the link and helps improve the overall accessibility of the website.
Bad practice example:
URLs should not be used as link text
URLs should not be used as link text because they are often long, complex, and difficult to read and understand for users who rely on screen readers and other assistive technologies.
When a user navigates through a website using a screen reader, the screen reader announces the text description of the link. If the link text is a long URL, it can be difficult for the user to understand the context of the link and determine whether or not they want to click on it.
Using URLs as link text can also create confusion for users who have difficulty remembering or typing long URLs. It's important to provide descriptive link text that accurately describes the content of the page being linked to.
Additionally, URLs often contain special characters, such as % and &, that can be difficult for some users to read and understand. Using descriptive link text can help avoid these issues and improve the accessibility of the website.
Overall, it's best to use descriptive link text that accurately reflects the content of the page being linked to, rather than relying on the URL itself. This can help ensure that all users can easily navigate and access the information on the website.
Bad practice example:
Same text description for different URL locations is bad practice
Using the same text description for different URL locations is considered a bad practice because it can create confusion for users who rely on screen readers and other assistive technologies.
When a user navigates through a website using a screen reader, the screen reader announces the text description of the link. If multiple links have the same text description, the user may not be able to determine which link they want to select based on the text description alone.
To improve web accessibility, it's important to provide unique and descriptive text descriptions for each link on a website. This allows users to easily navigate through the site and find the information they need.
Bad practice example:
