Writing Accessible Hyperlinks

Hyperlinks are one of the most basic elements of any digital experience. Writing good link text can improve the accessibility of your emails, web pages, documents, and digital content overall. You can improve both the usability and accessibility of links by making them concise, descriptive, and meaningful by providing context. Links provided without context can be ambiguous and confusing to individuals who use screen readers.

When a hyperlink is necessary, to provide context, think of it as the link providing the user with instructions, or an action the user can take. This same principle can be applied for linking email addresses. Here are some useful tips in providing accessible hyperlinks in documents and on websites.

  • Use concise and meaningful text for your link.
  • Do not capitalize all letters in a text link.
  • Do not use the words “link”, “here”, “read more”, or “click here” as part of the link text.
  • Avoid using multiple occurrences of the same link in the content of a page, to the extent practicable.

Where possible, avoid using URLs for text links, unless the point is to share the actual URL with the reader. Screen readers will read every single character of the URL, which is time-consuming and can be a headache, especially for someone searching for specific information. Check out our quick tips!

Write This

Example 1

Write This – Annual Report on the Regulatory Flexibility Act, FY 2021

Not This – https://advocacy.sba.gov/2022/04/05/report-on-the-regulatory-flexibility-act-fy-2021-annual-report-of-the-chief-counsel-for-advocacy-on-implementation-of-the-regulatory-flexibility-act-and-executive-order-13272/

Not This

Example 2

Write This – Submit written comments on the Draft Environmental Assessment.

Not This – Submit written comments on the draft environmental assessment here.

Image Links

Avoid using images as links whenever possible. However, if an image must be used as a link, whether it’s a profile photo of someone and hyperlinks to their website or LinkedIn profile, or if the image links to a website or PDF document on a website, then so be it. But think of the image strictly for the purpose to function only as a link.

ScreenTips in MS Word

To create alt text for a hyperlink in MS Word, follow these simple steps:

  1. Create your hyperlink per the guidelines mentioned above.
  2. Once created, and with the ‘Insert Hyperlink’ window still open, tap the ‘ScreenTip…’ button at the top-right of the pop-up window.
  3. In the next pop-up window, describe the hyperlink’s destination.

For example, if your hyperlink will open a website, list the website’s homepage, or the specific title of the landing page the link will direct the user to as the ScreenTip.

Example ScreenTip: Office of Advocacy staff page

Tap OK button to exit each window.

Links for Printed Documents

If you have a document that you know will likely be printed, then the URL can be provided in parentheses after the hyperlink.

Below is a sample of text of an accessible link (the hypertext linked words) with an unlinked URL provided immediately after in parentheses so that the URL will be displayed for printing purposes.

Example:

For additional information on the Commercial Wind Lease and Grant Issuance and Site Assessment Activities on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf, read the Draft Environmental Assessment (https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/documents/renewable-energy/state-activities/Morro-Bay-WEA-Draft-EA.pdf).

For all accessibility and 508 compliance-related questions, email Keisha White at keisha.white@sba.gov, Visual Information & Web Manager.