This translation has not been editorially reviewed yet. The German version is authoritative. Deutsche Fassung →
Accessibility
How do you recognise a good link text?
A good link text is one that names its destination: "Download price list" instead of "click here". Blind users often have all the links on a page read out as a list — detached from the surrounding text. In that list, ten instances of "more" and "here" can't be told apart; "price list", "directions", and "contact form", on the other hand, can. WCAG criterion 2.4.4 requires that the purpose of every link be apparent from the link text together with its context.
Link texts are signposts — for people and search engines
A link is a promise: the text says what's waiting behind the click. "Book an appointment now" keeps that promise, "here" breaks it. Screen readers offer a link list as quick navigation — there, every link text stands on its own and must be understandable on its own. Everyone else benefits too: visitors skim pages and their eyes catch on meaningful links. And search engines read link texts as a clue to what the destination page is about — "roofing price list" tells Google more than "download". So a precise link text improves usability and findability with the same move.
How the audit service checks link texts
The measurement counts generic texts: links whose entire text reads "here" or "more" count as a violation — such texts are meaningless out of any link list, whatever the surrounding context. If the measurement finds no generic texts, one question deliberately remains open: whether the remaining link texts really name their destination accurately can only be judged by a human — "offer" can fit or mislead. The report marks this remainder as a manual check point. That way, every "passed" is backed by real evidence, and every open point is an honest statement.
- Search your website for links with the text "here", "more", or "next" and replace them with the destination: "View price list".
- Word link texts so they're understandable on their own — even without the sentence before them.
- For file links, name the format and content, such as "Product catalogue as PDF".
- Avoid using the same text "Learn more" ten times on one page — every tile deserves its own destination text.
FAQ
Why is "click here" a problem as a link text?
Because the text withholds the destination. Blind users often navigate via a list of all the links on a page — there, "here" sits with no context at all and can't be told apart from other "here" links. Search engines also learn nothing about the destination page. A link text like "View opening hours" solves both problems in one move.
How long can a link text be?
As short as possible, as long as necessary: the text should clearly name the destination without being a whole sentence. "View price list" or "Book an appointment online" are good lengths. Whole paragraphs as a link make reading aloud harder, single words like "more" say too little. The destination belongs in the link text, the rest in the surrounding sentence.
Does the audit service check all link texts automatically?
The measurement reliably detects generic texts like "here" and "more" and treats them as a violation. Whether the remaining link texts accurately describe their destination is a question of content that a human judges — the report openly marks it as a manual check point. That way you see exactly which part of the claim was measured and which wasn't.