Hyperlink styles help website visitors find their way
Many years ago when the World Wide Web came into popular use there were lots of people who did not understand what a hyperlink looked like. Nor, did they understand that a hyperlink was a shortcut to view other content or read relevant information related to the topic at hand.
It took some time before users of this new World Wide Web understood that text which was underlined or of a different color could take them to another place on the web.
You may know this already, but it bears restating: According to W3Schools, there are four states of a hyperlink. They are:
- a normal, unvisited link
- a link the user has visited
- a link when the user mouses over it
- a link the moment it is clicked
If your web site developer has done their job properly there will be a visual indication of a hyperlink’s presence within your content. The text may be bold and of a different color or it may be underlined and of a different color and it may change color when you hover over it with a mouse or cursor.
So here we are today with many more people understanding how to use the Web. Yet we still see content authors writing text which reads, “Click here to read our calendar.” or “Click here to visit our web site.”
These incorrect uses of anachronistic phrases which date to the beginning of the World Wide Web need to die.
Instead of using those dated phrases, try writing your content to include text which reads, “View all dates on our calendar,” or “View our website,” or the now universally understood “Read more.”
Writing hyperlinks to help your SEO
If you are a optimizing your website to be found for critical search terms and phrases, creating hyperlinks or cross-site links on words which direct your visitors to relevant information is critical to your site’s success in search results.
The optimal way to direct a web site visitor is to write, “view our selection of summer sandals.” Or even better yet, “View our strappy, stylish summer sandals.” If you write, “Click to view our products.” you get no positive boost from that hyperlink’s presence in your content.
By writing descriptive phrases which contain an invitation to take an action, you help your web site visitor and you may boost your presence in search engine results.
