Digital accessibility: links
Using meaningful text helps users of screen readers navigate your web page or document and helps everyone know what to expect when they click on the link. Using standardized link formatting helps users with colorblindness or other visual impairments easily identify links.
To ensure that your content is accessible
- Use short, meaningful text that describes where the link leads when creating a link.
- Do not paste the link itself into your web page or document. Use the link option available in your text editor to add the link to text. This option is found under the "Insert" menu in Word and Google Docs.
- Avoid adding links to phrases that don't describe the function of the link, such as "(link)," "click here," or "learn more."
- Instead, embed your link within a sentence that describes where the link leads.
- Example: SensusAccess is Reed's accessible document converter.
- If you are linking to a document, it might be helpful to note the document type in parentheses. For example, you could link to the phrase "Chapter 1 (PDF)."
- Since most interfaces use underlining as a way to identify links, avoid using underlining when formatting other text. Use bold or italics to add emphasis instead.
- Set links to open in the same tab or window, rather than in a new tab or window. This helps keep link behavior predictable and your content easy to navigate.