Experience with HTML Links

Creating descriptive link text

Descriptive link text is essential for both users and search engines. It provides clear information about the destination of the link and sets accurate expectations for users. Instead of using generic phrases like "click here," opt for descriptive text that accurately represents the linked content.

Old
<a href="https://www.example.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here</a>
New 
<a href="https://www.example.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read the latest blog post</a>

In the better example, the link text "Read the latest blog post" provides a clear indication of what the user can expect when clicking on the link.

Utilizing hover effects and link states

Adding hover effects and link states can make your links more visually engaging and provide feedback to users when they interact with them. By changing the link's appearance on hover or when clicked, you can create a more intuitive and responsive user experience.

a:hover {
  color: blue;
  text-decoration: underline;
}

a:active {
  color: red;
}

In this example, the link text will turn blue and underline on hover, indicating its interactive nature. When clicked, the link text will turn red, providing visual feedback to the user.

Customizing link styles with CSS

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) allows you to customize link styles to match your website's design and branding. You can modify properties such as color, font, size, background, and more to create visually appealing and cohesive link styles.

a {
  color: #007bff;
  text-decoration: none;
}

a:hover {
  text-decoration: underline;
}

a:visited {
  color: #6610f2;
}

In this example, links are styled with a blue color (#007bff) and no underline by default. On hover, the underline is added to indicate interactivity. Visited links are styled with a different color (#6610f2), providing a visual cue to users.

Employing semantic link structures

Semantic link structures can improve the accessibility and usability of your website. By using appropriate HTML elements and attributes, you can provide additional context to assistive technologies and make your links more meaningful for users.

<p>For more information, <a href="/about" title="About our company">visit our About page</a>.</p>

In this example, the link is placed within a paragraph (<p>) element, providing context about the purpose of the link. The title attribute offers additional information about the linked page.