Using a Mouse to Click

Digital Marketing

Why You Should Never Title Your Links “Click Here”

Using a Mouse to Click

Click here to read more about link titling. A very common phrase for linking on the web, where only the word “here” would be turned into a link. Recognize yourself? You’ll be pleased to know that you’re not alone.

Deciding on how to title a link can be harder than one first thinks. Sometimes seemingly nothing feels good, and the urge to just write “Click here” presents itself.

Hindering Accessibility

There has always been an accessibility movement both off- and online. For people with certain disabilities, using the web is extremely difficult. We can do better to help.

Titling our links properly will have considerable impact for accessibility, as screen readers and assistive devices can parse the content—and understand it—better. It’s one of these very small changes you can do, that will have immediate and great impact.

It’s not just about clicking anymore.

Sometimes we click. Other times we tap. Or we do any number of other ways of interacting with our web pages on any number of devices that we have today, or will have in the future.

Even the actual verb click is now turning factually incorrect, which is just another (albeit minor) reason to stop using it for links.

So, instead of saying “Click here to download the e-book”, why not just title the link “Download the e-book” and let the markup (for screen readers) and visual elements show it clearly as a link.

As a general rule, all links should always describe what they are, and “click here” or “here” isn’t really that descriptive of the actual link target. On the other hand, “download the e-book” is.

Much of the work toward better links starts with just thinking about it when working. As proper link titles will have effects on accessibility, user experience and SEO, it shouldn’t be taken lightly.

  • Here is a small checklist for how to write a good link title:
  • Calls attention to the action the user will be doing.
  • Describes what the user is clicking to.
  • Prefers the use of nouns, with the addition of verbs when relevant.
  • Uses specific words, and not general ones.

You are now equipped to start thinking more about your links, and help rid the web of the pesky “Click Here” links.