• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
UT Shield

College of Fine Arts Web Instruction | College of Fine Arts | University of Texas At Austin

College of Fine Arts Web instruction

University of Texas At Austin

  • Welcome
  • About Us
    • WordPress & Drupal
    • Find a Content Owner
  • Getting Started
    • Learn Best Practices for Web
    • Vocabulary Terms
    • Do you need a website?
    • Ways to Get a Website
      • Website Options On Campus
      • Initiate a Project with the Web Team
      • Outsource or DIY
    • Know Your Audience
    • Navigation & Menu Items
  • Requirements
    • Americans with Disabilities Legal Obligations
      • Alternate Text
      • Use of Color & Contrast
      • Link Text & Appearance
        • Non-Visible Link Context
      • PDF Files
      • Software Plug-in Link
      • Captions, Audio Description & Transcripts
        • webVTT Caption File
        • Caption Using Amara
        • Writing Captions & Audio Description
        • Video & Remote Communications
      • Additional ADA Issues
        • Accessible Social Media
        • Video & Remote Communications
    • UT Web Accessibility Policy
    • UT Web Privacy Policy
    • Records Retention – Backups, Archives and Revisions
    • College of Fine Arts Brand
    • UT Brand Guidelines
    • Information Security Office Policies
  • Best Practices
    • College of Fine Arts Communications Written Style Guide
    • Using a Rich Text Editor
      • Using an External HTML Editor
    • Links & URLs
      • Link Text & Appearance
        • Non-Visible Link Context
      • Absolute vs. Relative Paths
      • HTTP vs HTTPS
      • Anchor Links
      • Changing URLs
      • Shorten a URL for Marketing
    • Images
      • JPG vs PNG
      • Image Editing and Troubleshooting
    • Web Forms & Surveys
    • Standards & Structure
      • Hierarchical Headers
      • Computer File Names
      • URL address names
        • UT Short Links Service
      • HTML
        • Common HTML Errors
        • Multiple Rows with Floated Images
        • Responsive Word Wrapping
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Test & Evaluate
    • Wikipedia
    • Social Media & Networking
      • Accessible Social Media
    • RSS & Feeds
    • UT Austin Web Publishing Guidelines
  • Site Performance
    • Page Load Time
      • Fonts
    • Respond to a Variety of Devices
      • Telephone Numbers on Smart Phones
    • Analytics & Visitor Data
      • Outreach Campaign Link Tracking
        • Campaign URL Builder
        • Campaign Link Tracking Worksheet
    • Page Not Found Traffic
    • Tips to Increase Traffic
    • Optimize for AI Chat and Search
  • Site Specific Instructions
    • COFA/UT WordPress Instruction
    • COFA Drupal Instruction
    • UT Drupal Kit Managed

Non-Visible Link Context

It’s a general best practice and it’s required for accessibility to have contextually relevant links that set a clear expectation of where the link will go. It is also critical that the link text is unique. In other words, duplicate link text (clickable text on a page using the same words), should never point to different URL Web addresses.

The rule is: clickable text on your page should be unique and relevant to the context and clearly identify the target of the link.

Extra BenefitGoogle and other search engines rank pages higher in search results that have contextual links.

But…

For one reason or another, instances occur when adding context to a link just doesn’t work. Perhaps it seems redundant, the text just doesn’t fit, or the designer really wants tons of “Read More” buttons.

How to Add Non-Visible Link Context

The solution for each of our content management systems is a little different. Following, are links to site specific instructions:

  • the college web team’s Drupal,
  • UT Blogs WordPress (studio sites).

Demo

Experience how a screen reader provides the non-visible link context in the below video.  As the website visitor, using Apple’s VoiceOver screen reader, navigates the page to the “Read more” link, they hear the words  “Read more about the cutest kittens on the Internet.”

Watch our hidden link context demo on YouTube.

Learn More

Accessibility expert, Jim Thatcher, provides in-depth information about the barrier non-contextual links pose to users of assistive technology.

Primary Sidebar

Open Office / Co-Working Sessions

Second Monday of the month:

11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Fourth Thursday of the month:

2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Email us for the Zoom link.

College of Fine Arts WordPress Instruction
College of Fine Arts Drupal Instruction
Subscribe to our email list to receive periodic tips and resources for generating great digital content

Contact Us

The COFA Web team can be reached by emailing us at cofawebmaster@austin.utexas.edu


To view some links on this page you may need to download Acrobat Reader.

UT Home | Emergency Information | Site Policies | Web Accessibility | Web Privacy | Adobe Reader

© The University of Texas at Austin 2025