If you’re familiar with Web design principles, you probably know that “click here” links are a no-no. The main reason for this is that they are not helpful for users who rely on screen readers for navigation. A screen reader reads a bunch of “click here” links together as exactly that: “Click here… click here… click here.” So the user doesn’t know what links to follow to get something done.

More descriptive links, such as the name of the target page or a phrase describing a task, are much more helpful. The screen reader is actually telling users what they can do on that page.

Recently, I realized another way that descriptively worded links help is in writing documentation for a site or application. I came across a link in the Web app I was working on that was a hybrid of the two types of links I’ve described. It read something like “Click here to upload a file.” Since Web standards suggest certain appearances for links, we don’t need the “click here to” part, because with any Web experience, users will know that they need to click the link.

But I was writing instructions, and the awkwardness of fitting this link into the instructions made me think about this. Like so:

2. Click Click here to upload a file.

Not real smooth. Even using “select” or “choose” before the link text is awkward.

Your local Web designer ought to know better, but you may need to help her remember that “click here,” though phrased to be specific and helpful, isn’t the best option.

Related entries (auto-generated):

Technical Communicators as a Point of Contact between Users and Project Teams

Spending Time with Users to Learn How They Want Assistance

Deleting a Topic from RoboHelp and Subversion

Four More Reasons Your Company Needs Technical Communicators

Changing a Topic File Name in RoboHelp and Subversion