Training guides

Link text

Quick guidance

  • Links should never be 'bare', but should be embedded within text.
  • 'Click here' or 'find more information here' should not be used.
  • Headings should never contain links.
  • The link text should explain clearly where the link will go.
  • Links to documents housed in the media library should include the file type and size.

Bare links

An example of a 'bare' link would be: 'Find out more information via the website: https://le.ac.uk/study/english.'

This is poor for accessibility, as those using screen readers will have the entire page read to them. A full link being read out is both annoying and unnecessary. It is also a poor way to present content for those without access needs: it's rare a user would need to view the URL in its' entirety and it looks messy on the page.

'Click here'

'Click here' or 'find more information here' is poor for accessibility as those using screen readers can generate a list of links on a page. If they all said 'click here', the user would have no idea about the context of the link and where it will take them. This is also an old-fashioned way of presenting links. 

Headings

Headings should not be links as a screen reader will not recognise it as a link and it will not appear in the list of links a user can generate. If a link is required, it should be included within the content beneath the heading.

Documents

When linking to a document which has been uploaded to the media library, the file type and size need to be included in the link. This will let the user know how much data will be used if they decide to click the link and download the document. 

Good link text examples

Link text should succinctly explain where the link will take the user.

Good examples of how to begin link text could be:

  • Discover…
  • Explore…
  • Browse…
  • Learn more about…
  • Find out more about…
  • Get more information about…

Follow up these examples with where the link will take the user. For example:

Back to top
MENU