WRITING FOR THE WEB

Links that say
where they go.

A link is a small promise. Its words should tell the reader what will happen before they follow it.

Name the destination

“Read the setup guide” is clearer than “click here”. The words carry their meaning even when the link is read on its own, in a list of links, by a screen reader or in a search result.

Say when something changes

If a link downloads a file, opens another site or starts something that cannot be undone, say so. A short note such as “(PDF, 2 MB)” saves the reader a surprise.

Keep links looking like links

Underlines and a consistent colour help people find what they can follow. A visited state shows where they have already been, which is useful on long pages.

Fewer, better links

A paragraph with ten links asks the reader to make ten decisions. Choose the ones that genuinely help the next step, and let the rest go.

An open notebook, one small idea at a time.