Descriptive links are hyperlinks whose visible text clearly communicates the link’s purpose or destination without needing surrounding context. Instead of vague phrases like “click here” or “read more,” descriptive links use meaningful language such as “View the 2026 accessibility roadmap” or “Download the meeting agenda (PDF).”
Not only are these a best practice for screen reader users, but they also make for a smoother reading experience for everybody. Here are the ways descriptive links work for different web users:
- Screen reader usability
Assistive technologies allow users to navigate by links (e.g., jumping through a “links list”). If links are labeled “click here,” that list becomes meaningless. Descriptive links ensure each item is understandable on its own. - Reduced cognitive load
Clear, specific link text helps all users—especially those with cognitive disabilities—quickly understand where a link goes without rereading surrounding content. And when the text is incorporated into the sentence it makes for a smoother reading experience for all. - Improved keyboard and voice navigation
Keyboard users often tab through links sequentially and voice control users may speak the link text aloud. Descriptive, unique phrasing makes both interactions more efficient and accurate. - The webpages is easier to scan by everybody.
Sighted users frequently skim pages. Descriptive links act as visual cues that help users quickly find relevant information.
This tutorial focuses how to incorporate descriptive links in your webpage and accessible documents, specifically:
Generic vs. Descriptive Links
The general overriding principle of accessible hyperlinks in any kind of webpage, email, or document is to add a hyperlink to unique text that clearly indicates where the link is going to take the website visitor.
Generic:
The article 5 Key Steps to Maintaining Accessible Website Content explains expectations for individual libraries relating to website accessibility. Read more.
In this example, a screen reader user scanning a page for a list of links would only hear “Read more” and not have the full context of what that link is about or where it will take them.
Descriptive:
To learn more about accessibility expectations for libraries with LEANWI websites, read the article 5 Key Steps to Maintaining Accessible Website Content on the LEANWI Website Training page.
This embeds the link within a full sentence or paragraph of text, and if a person is scanning the page with either a screen reader, voice over assistive technology, or visually, the text, “read the article 5 Key Steps to Maintaining Accessible Website Content” is clearly indicated.
Descriptive Links in Text
Screen readers use a list of links to read aloud the all of the links on a page. This way a user can “scan” a page for a relevant link without having to listen to the entire content. Voice Over (i.e., “screen reader lite”) users can have all the links on a page read aloud to them. Keyboard navigation allows a user to move between hyperlinks quickly.
Links within body text
The best practice is to incorporate hyperlinked text within sentences. Simply write naturally then highlight and add a hyperlink to relevant text. This also makes for smoother reading for all users. If a screen reader is reading an entire paragraph of text it will verbalize “link” ahead of the hyperlinked text to let a user know that there is a link embedded there.
Make the link text specific to that particular link.
- Avoid: Review the report. Use: Review the library’s annual report.
- Avoid: For more information, click here. Use: Learn more about our summer reading program.
- Avoid: Click here to view our services. Use: View our library services.
Lists of resources
This is common in meeting agendas and similar documents:
Before:
- Budget discussion – https://example.com/doc123
- Project update – click here
After:
- Budget discussion – Review the FY2026 budget proposal
- Project update – View project status dashboard
“Resources” or “Links” Sections (lists of links)
- Avoid raw URLs. Use descriptive titles.
Before:
- https://training.librarieswin.org/website-training/sharepoint-documents/
- https://training.librarieswin.org/website-accessibility/a11y-presentations-and-resources/
After:
Links in Documents
Rules of descriptive links in documents is mostly the same as for regular webpages, but there are a couple of additional considerations.
Non-Sensical Hyperlinks
Many of the standard tools we use generate URLs with a string of non-sensical text. This is true for Google Forms, Zoom meeting links, and YouTube links. These can be problematic to publish in raw form for several reasons, and sometimes are even problematic when they are embedded. The random string of letters and numbers can be flagged as potentially malicious links and may result in warnings to website users.
In this case it is even more important to provide clear, specific text with the link to give the user the ability to determine whether a link is safe or suspicious. Identifying the service within the embedded text link can tip off a user that a non-text URL might be expected.
Example:
- Use our Google form to register for summer reading.
- Join the April 13th Zoom training on Writing Descriptive Link Text.
- View the full LEANWI Website Services YouTube playlist.
Indicating Hyperlinked File Types
Occasionally our links will not be to a webpage but will involve viewing or downloading a file such as Word, Excel, or (very occasionally) a PDF. Best practice is to indicate the type of file being downloaded.
Examples:
- “Download the newsletter (PDF)”
- “Complete the registration form (Word document)”