Links

  • Introduction
  • Use text for links: Access to links is essential for Web usability. Use text for links, and style them using style sheets.
  • Use descriptive link text: Descriptive link text makes navigation easier and more efficient because descriptive links are easier to skim and allow users to make informed choices. Make link text clear and self-explanatory to support quick and effective navigation.
  • Underline links that are not otherwise identifiable as links: Some users cannot distinguish colors and rely on other visual cues to identify links. Do not rely on color alone to identify links; use underlines or other visual indicators—such as borders or buttons—to mark links.
  • Differentiate visited and unvisited links: The ability to distinguish between visited and unvisited links helps keep users from revisiting pages that did not prove successful. Differentiate unvisited and visited links so that users can identify the pages that they have already visited.
  • Provide "you are here" orientation cues: Users can easily become disoriented when navigating the Web. Use orientation cues—such as an arrow marker next to the current page link—to identify the current page.
  • Use alt-text for image links: Without alt-text, image-based navigation is virtually inaccessible to nonvisual users. Provide descriptive alternate text for image links, including links in image maps, for users who cannot access images.