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Links

Do all links have properly descriptive text?

Why it’s important: Jerry is blind and uses a screen reader to navigate the web. He often uses the tab key to quickly scan a page by reading out only the text links without the surrounding copy.

Steps to take

  • Make sure the voice and tone of your link text match those of the rest of the content to create a more continuous user experience. Folks using screen readers and those reading page copy won’t be jarred from their experience if all text reflects the same voice and tone guidelines.
  • Create link text that’s as specific as possible. For example, instead of using Click here (which may not make sense for folks using screen readers), consider instead something like Download the full report. Descriptive links provide all users more information about an action they may undertake.
  • Include information about what a link leads to; this is especially important for folks who use mobile devices. If you’re linking to a PDF, say so.

WCAG 2.0 references

Next

Contact: Questions or comments? Please file a GitHub issue or email g-accessibility@gsa.gov.