Links are a key part of accessibility and usability on the web. They help users navigate through your website, find information, and complete tasks. But sometimes links go dead or don't work properly - this can erode user trust, which is bad for your brand! So it's important to make sure that you are taking care of all these things when you're doing a UX audit. In this post, we'll cover how links impact accessibility and usability on websites, why they should be included in your UX audit, what makes them inaccessible as well as some best practices for creating accessible links that will keep users happy while boosting conversion rates!
Link design best-practices
- Ensure links point to a valid destination. Nothing destroys user trust faster than a dead link.
- Provide a title for the destination page in both text and graphics. This is particularly important when multiple links are pointing to different destinations on the same page or site.
- Use good color contrast for links. People with accessibility needs will not be able to read it otherwise.
- Use bright colors so that the links are easily seen and don’t have to rely on bolding to make them stand out from other content.
What to avoid when using links
You should avoid using images when designing links because they may not be clickable by screen reader software or touch interfaces. You should also avoid using underlined text to signify a link; underlines are often confusing for users, especially if there is an overlying title on the page. Use good color contrast and use bolding sparingly to make links stand out from other text.
How to audit links on a website
To audit links by hand, you can use the developer tools in the browser of your choice to check that each link meets your criteria. You don't necessarily have to do it by hand. Numerous services can check your site for dead-links, but Look-see will help you understand how they impact your experience and how to improve. We don't just help you find all of the dead links on your webpage. With Look-see, you can review your entire website for various UX and accessibilities issues that are holding your site back. Come have a look-see!