“Click Here” Links

Q: My company’s site has links that say “click here” or “click here for more info”. I think our links should be more specific, but other people here say it’s OK because they see it on other websites. What do you think?

Avoid vague links such as “click here”. Our research shows that Web users typically scan text until they find content of real interest, at which point they switch into reading mode. If users are in scanning mode and see several “click here” links instead of meaningful, specific links that describe what they lead to, then the users are much less likely to follow the links and more likely to abandon the site. Making sense of “click here” links requires greater cognitive effort and more reading at a time when many users might not be ready to make the investment.

To learn more about research and guidelines for content usability, take our Content Usability: Writing for the Web training course, which we offer periodically. We also customize the course and offer it to companies on-site. Or, if you prefer a vague link to that same information, click here.