Clicking links is the main interaction visitors have with websites. Clickable elements need to be obvious and visitors should not have to ponder their meaning.
Clickable text on your page should be relevant to the context and clearly identify the target of the link. Duplicate link text (clickable text on a page using the same words), should never point to different URL Web addresses. In other words, the text that is clickable should be unique for each link. It is okay to link to the same page with different text. This can be helpful if visitors with different perceived goals need to go to the same page. Remember, that not all visitors to your web page are experiencing the content in the same order.
Example Text
Good:
Find out more about pandas.
Bad:
For more information on pandas, click here.
For more information on ducks, click here.
Contextually relevant links are critical to accessibility. There are many devices for accessing the Web. Some of them allow the visitor to see or hear a list of the links on a page or use the keyboard to tab through the links. A list of “click here” and “next” links are not helpful. If you are struggling to give your links context you may be able to add non-visible link context.
Google and other search engines rank pages higher in search results that have contextual links.
Appearance
The way clickable elements are designed to display on the website should make them obvious. Traditionally, the cue for a link is a blue underline and buttons are square and appear slightly 3-D. The signifiers are evolving but weigh the cost to benefits carefully if you diverge from these conventions. Most importantly, don’t forget the issue of color blindness.
Learn More
Nielsen Norman Group can help you do better than “Learn More” links. Get some advice on productive link text choices from the usability experts at UX Movements. Accessibility expert Jim Thatcher provides in-depth information about the barrier non-contextual links pose to users of assistive technology. For some design ideas read Beyond Blue Links: Making Clickable Elements Recognizable from the Nielsen Norman Group. The technical WCAG guideline success criterion.
