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The War Against "Click Here"

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By Bud Kraus
bud@joyofcode.com
Joy Of Code
Creator And Instructor

v4 i16
Originally Published: October 8, 2008

If ever there's a dead giveaway that a web site's copywriter doesn't know how to "write in hypertext," it's in the use of the words "click here." There isn't a more pathetic misunderstanding of how to write for the web than using those two words next to each other.

Why am I strongly against "click here?"

  1. It is a waste of page space. It tells nothing about what to expect when a link is opened.
  2. The term "click" is inappropriate because some people don't use a mouse. They "select" because they may be using a keyboard or other pointing method.
  3. It is just plain boring to see "Click Here," "Click Here," "Click Here" all over the page. Can't we be a tad more creative?

Of course we can. Why not hyperlink the most important phrase in a sentence as the link? Use words that imply what is to come after the link has been clicked/selected.

Let's take a look at a page out of the New York Yankees web site. Here's what I found on one of their pages (the links do not work):

Please consult the "Relocation Program Guide for the New Yankee Stadium" for detailed information pertaining to the Relocation Program and how it applies to you. For general information on 2009 Plans, amenities and features, please click here.

PLEASE NOTE: In order to view a complete version of the “Relocation Program Guide for the new Yankee Stadium,” including definitions of all capitalized terms used herein and all applicable terms and conditions, please click here.

With just a little bit of thought, here's my version.

See the "Relocation Program Guide for the New Yankee Stadium" for detailed information pertaining to the Relocation Program and how it applies to you. General information on 2009 Plans, amenities and features is also provided..

I got rid of some of the legalese and dropped all that sugary "Please" stuff. (But given the steep increase in seat prices at the new stadium, maybe they better be on their best behavior.)

For this JG I was inspired by Jeff Atwood's "Don't Click Here: The Art of Hyperlinking" which nails it even better than I. Make sure to scroll down the page and see his nine points. Great stuff!!