Skip to content
English
More support
Customer Corner
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

Accessibility: Link Name Issues

Learn how to create descriptive, accessible links that improve readability, navigation, and compliance with ADA standards.

Last updated: August 2025

 

 

Why Are Link Names Important?

Links are not just navigation tools — they’re a key part of accessibility.

  • Screen Reader Navigation: Descriptive link names help screen reader users understand the purpose of a link and navigate content effectively.

  • Clear and Concise Communication: Well-defined links give all users context at a glance, reducing ambiguity.

  • Enhanced User Experience: Meaningful link names set clear expectations, improving usability for all, including those with visual or cognitive impairments.

  • ADA Legal Requirements: ADA and WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) require links to be accessible and understandable.

Common Link Accessibility Issues (WCAG Guidelines) (with Examples)

Non-Descriptive Link Text (WCAG 2.4.4)

Using vague text like “click here” or “read more” provides no context. Screen readers read links out of context, so a page full of “Click here” becomes meaningless.

Example:

  • ❌ Broken: “Click here to view the evacuation map.”

  • ❌ Broken: “Click here to view the budget.”

  • ❌ Broken: “Read more about why dogs are the best.”

  • ✅ Correct: “View the evacuation map.” / “See the budget.” / “Learn why dogs are the best.”

👉 Screen readers would otherwise announce “Click here, Click here, Read more” — which is meaningless without context.

✅ Instead: Use descriptive text for each link.

Ambiguous or Vague Link Text (WCAG 2.4.4)

Link names must make sense without surrounding context.

Example:

  • ❌ Broken: “More”

  • ✅ Correct: “More about water conservation programs”

👉 Difference: The broken version gives no clue where the link leads.

Link Text Dependent on Sensory Characteristics (WCAG 1.3.3)

Avoid using link text that only refers to visual cues (e.g., “link on the right” or “the red button”).

Linking Entire Sentences or Long Phrases

Keep link text short and focused. Linking full sentences overwhelms users and screen readers.

Example:

  • ❌ Broken: “You can review the minutes, agenda, and reports for the last five meetings by clicking this link.”

  • ✅ Correct: “View board meeting documents.”

👉 Difference: The broken version forces the entire sentence into a link.

Redundant or Repetitive Link Text (Duplicate Link Names)

Avoid using the same link text multiple times on the same page.

Example:

  • ❌ Broken: Two separate links on one page both labeled “Annual Report.”

  • ✅ Correct: “Annual Report (2023)” and “Annual Report (2024)”

👉 Difference: Unique names help users and screen readers understand what each link points to.

Missing Alt Text for Linked Images (WCAG 1.1.1)

If an image is used as a link, it must have alt text that explains its purpose.

Example:

  • ❌ Broken: Image link with alt text = “logo”

  • ✅ Correct: Image link with alt text = “View Streamline homepage”

👉 Difference: The broken version gives no clue that the image is a link or where it leads.

⚠️ Callout: Best Practices for Link Names

  • Use unique, descriptive text for every link.

  • Avoid vague phrases like “Click here” or “Read more.”

  • Keep links short and meaningful.

  • Ensure no trailing spaces or partial phrases are hyperlinked.

  • Add descriptive alt text to image links.

  • Use teasers instead of repeating links multiple times.

👉 For more guidance on link naming, see our support article: Link Name Issues


Common, Tricky Link Issues

  1. Be Careful When Selecting Words to Hyperlink:
    When hyperlinking, it is important to be sure that there aren’t extra spaces or punctuation included in the link name, and that your hyperlink is continuous for the entire phrase (not broken mid-phrase or split into multiple links). These errors can be tricky to spot but are flagged by accessibility scanners and can confuse screen readers.
    • Example 1:
      ❌ Broken: “WCAG Hyperlinking Guidelines can be found here.” 
      ✅ Correct: “WCAG Hyperlinking Guidelines can be found here”.

      👉 Did you catch that difference? In the broken version, the space after Guidelines is also hyperlinked, creating an accessibility issue.
    • Example 2
      ❌ Broken: "Why Dogs Make the Best Pets  Article"
      ✅ Correct: "Why Dogs Make the Best Pets Article"

      👉 Did you catch that difference? In the broken version, there are two separate hyperlinks — one on Why Dogs Make the Best Pets and one on Article — instead of one continuous link.
    Both errors would flag scanners and screen readers and are hard to catch, but for a step-by-step example of how to find and fix issues like this, see below.
  2. Orphan Link Titles:
    Orphan pages are website pages that are not linked to from any other page or section of your site. This means a user cannot access the page without knowing the direct URL. Additionally, these pages can't be followed from another page by search engine crawlers, which means they are rarely indexed by search engines. This is another reason we recommend using teasers instead of in text hyperlinks to pages on your site!
  3. Duplicate Link Names:
    Make sure links each have a unique name, avoiding duplicate hyperlink names and “Click here” alone hyperlinked. The link should be descriptive, and clear, to make sure users know what to expect if they should they click the link. If you need to hyperlink to the same site or document multiple times on a page, we recommend instead referring to a related content teaser to that page rather than including the same hyperlink multiple times.