Design vs Art Blog

Links are the most common thing on the internet, that’s what the whole web is about. Although we use them every single day there are a lot of implementation techniques to keep in mind to improve usability.

1. Avoid general links. Instead of "click here" use something like "more information about San Francisco hotels". A link should give clear hints about what it’s gonna be found on the next page. Generic terms confuse users.

2. Include introductory information for related links. Give context to users making the first link in a group fully understandable. For example:

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3. If the link is an image, provide a text equivalent that describes the message the image transmits. For example, for a link picture include the following "alt" attribute:

<A href="uk_cities.html">
     <IMG src="uk.png"
               alt="See UK cities on the map">
</A>

It is even better if the link works as an image description (example taken from News.com):

4. Providing keyboard shortcuts to important links will help users with problems to use a pointing device like a mouse. Remember that helping the impaired ones is helping everyone, in this case this feature could also help advanced users to save time. Use the accesskey attribute for this.

<A accesskey="E" href="edit.html"
     title="Edit">
         Edit</A>

5. Create a logical tab order through links.

6. Use language familiar to the user for links. For example some countries use "Shopping Cart" instead of "Shopping Basket".

7. Same links across a website should point to the same document. The "Support" link should take to the same page website-wide.

8. Differentiate links with similar names or meaning. For example, you might find "About Us" and "Company Info". In that case leave only one of those.

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Linking to external websites gives visitors more information and a better context to understand a topic or news.

"Your website get a better reputation if it provides useful links and information…"

Consider having partner sites that could provide you with some content that you don’t have and offer them in exchange some links. Your website get a better reputation if it provides useful links and information. This is also a usability topic as this will improve service, customer satisfaction and the general user experience.

 


A bad example could be many newspaper websites, they never link to external websites. On the other side, News.com link to many resources around the web. For this reason News.com image is improve and users will likely trust them. Check here other Design vs Art articles about Links.

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