Good Links 7 guidelines how to improve usability
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Internet Business -> subcategory Web Design.
Good Links: 7 Guidelines to Enhance Usability
Summary:
Crafting effective links is essential for creating a user-friendly website. In online stores, for instance, a well-designed link is crucial for enabling users to add products to their shopping carts. Poorly written or confusingly placed links can deter users, akin to turning away a customer ready to make a purchase. Here are seven tips for writing links that enhance your site's usability.
Keywords:
link creation, usability, writing, online authoring, web
Article Body:
Properly writing and designing your links is crucial for engaging visitors. Poorly constructed links can drive them away, while well-crafted ones encourage them to explore your site and fulfill its purpose. Here are seven guidelines for writing links that improve your site's usability.
1. Maintain Consistency
Visitors learn a site's conventions, like how links are marked or where the "related content" box is located. Adhering consistently to these conventions makes navigation intuitive and reading seamless. Breaking these patterns can disrupt the user's experience, potentially causing them to leave. Define and consistently apply all site conventions to ensure a pleasant visit.
2. Avoid Misleading Visitors
Links can take various forms, but certain standards have emerged. For example, underlined text is commonly perceived as clickable. Avoid underlining or coloring non-link text in ways that might mislead users. This applies to images as well. Users often try clicking on graphics, expecting an active link. Adding captions can clarify content and, if necessary, contain the actual link.
3. Indicate Visited Links
Marking visited links is incredibly useful, helping users keep track of their browsing. Unfortunately, many sites overlook this basic feature. Whether navigation links should change upon use is debatable; while helpful on extensive sites, it may confuse users elsewhere. Navigation should generally remain consistent with minimal changes.
4. Ensure Link and Destination Alignment
Clicking a link is akin to following street signs in an unfamiliar city. Clarity upon arrival is reassuring. If a link reads "find out more about our services," the destination page should prominently feature "Our Services" in its title. This confirmation is especially beneficial for traffic deep within pages and enhances user trust.
5. Make the Most of Embedded Links
Links stand out visually due to color, markup, or other cues, often drawing attention away from surrounding text. While this might seem disadvantageous, it can be an opportunity. Online readers tend to scan, seeking visual cues. Create meaningful, descriptive links to aid in locating relevant information quickly, as opposed to generic "click here" prompts.
6. Properly Link to Files
Linking to files often causes users to leave your site, potentially opening another application. Before doing so, consider whether the document should instead be a web page. Summarizing the content in the link helps users decide the best way to proceed. While PDFs can be useful, ensure they genuinely benefit the visitor rather than merely serving developer convenience.
7. Clearly Mark External Links
Internal links stay within the current domain, while external links lead to different domains. It's common practice, recommended by w3.org, to inform users when an external site is being accessed. Use text, icons (e.g., like Wikipedia), or a "title" tag to indicate these links. Deciding whether an external site opens in a new window or replaces current content depends on the content's context. Consider opening related or more in-depth content in a new window for easier navigation back to the original site.
In summary, crafting good links is vital for building an effective site. In e-commerce, a functional link enables users to add items to their shopping carts. Poorly designed links can deter potential sales, akin to refusing a customer's offer. Follow these guidelines to ensure your links enhance usability and encourage user interaction.
You can find the original non-AI version of this article here: Good Links 7 guidelines how to improve usability.
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