Hyperlinks in websites and documents are an important part of universal design for the web. This article will outline how content creators can design hyperlinks that a variety of website visitors and document readers can use.
Hyperlinks in Websites and Documents
One principle of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) requires that web content must be understandable. In addition, another WCAG principle requires content to be perceivable. In other words, people with a variety of disabilities should be able to perceive web content presented audibly or visually. Furthermore, WCAG also requires websites to be operable. In other words, people should be able to navigate websites using various input devices and methods. Finally, WCAG requires websites to be robust, to work with current and future assistive technologies.
Properly designed hyperlinks are easy for all visitors of a website to understand, perceive, and operate, including with assistive hardware or software.
Hyperlinks connect a webpage or document to other sites or files. Some content creators explain the location or purpose of a hyperlink within the text of a webpage. As a result, the text of the hyperlink uses non-specific phrasing, such as:
- “Click here”
- “Read more”
- “Find out more”
Alternatively, content creators will make hyperlinks displaying the web address of the new site or file.
These hyperlink formats require visitors to read the hyperlinks along with the surrounding text. However, people using screen readers often read hyperlinks in a list format, without the text around them. When hyperlinks are not formatted properly, this list includes many repetitions of “click here” and “read more”, as well as web addresses. Visitors using screen readers cannot easily find out where any of the hyperlinks will take them.
In contrast, properly formatted hyperlinks state their names or purposes in a few words. For example, a properly formatted hyperlink may state the:
- Name of the linked webpage
- Topic visitors will find out about on the new webpage
Moreover, each hyperlink on a page should be unique. In other words, no hyperlink on a page should have the same text.
Size of Links and Other Controls
In addition, links and other controls on a website or document, such as buttons, should be large. Large links and other controls are more operable for people using a variety of gestures or input devices.