Don't use "click here" for link text • Hacker News Board

Re: Don't use "click here" for link text

#61

Post by jrm4 » Thu, Oct 24, 2024, 4:41 PM UTC

This is exactly the sort of article that reminds me of how full of themselves SO MANY people in web design are. It's why I never take anything any "strong" so-called UI/UX expert ideas or notions or whatever particularly seriously, and instead actually listen to the client (not what they say they want, but what goals they actually have)

In this case, the client is my 70ish dad and the people he interacts with for his project. Last thing I'm going to do is be like "no, it's not 1995, people don't need 'click here' this anymore."

People who write articles like this keep people like me in business.

Re: Don't use "click here" for link text

#62

Post by petiepooo » Thu, Oct 24, 2024, 9:35 PM UTC

In Win98SE days, I setup a PC for my parents to use. It was their first computer, and I personalized it the way I setup mine: enable view extensions and path bar in Explorer, remove the Go button in IE, and so on.

Then I got a call from my Mom: "I typed in the web address, now what do I do?"

To me, it was obvious: hit Enter. But MS had done their A/B testing, and that Go button was for the beginning user.

For the OP to assume that everyone is as adept as they are is folly. As another user lamented, sometimes you have to rub the user's nose in it for them to know they can click something.

Re: Don't use "click here" for link text

#63

Post by nioj » Sat, Oct 26, 2024, 12:10 AM UTC

egypturnash wrote: post #30

On the other hand: "Click here" screams "this is a link". It is not as obvious a call to click upon as a big shiny button, aching to be pressed, but it is more obvious than a few words that are in a harder-to-read color and underlined. "You can go to _your_account_" is a much smoother sentence than "To change your account, click _here_". But is that always what you want ? Do you want all your links to be smoothly int…

Maybe not so related, but the Spotify desktop client uses a link-styled piece of text after having downloaded an update — "click here to to update" — when you navigate to the updates menu, where I would expect a button instead of a regular link

Re: Don't use "click here" for link text

#64

Post by scrozier » Thu, Oct 31, 2024, 5:15 PM UTC

Ferret7446 wrote: post #59

scrozier wrote: post #34

I'm generally with the author on this, but their examples are inconsistent. I think from a language perspective, the linked text should be a verb phrase. We want the user to do something (click here), and verbs are "do words." So, instead of For additional order details, go to [your account]. use For additional order details, [go to your account]. (The author does this inconsistently.) And in this case: To review or…

>I think from a language perspective, the linked text should be a verb phrase I would disagree. Links are references to resources, not actions (assuming your link isn't a POST request). Example: For additional order details, go to [your Account page]. See also wikis.

I can see your point. I think I'm convinced. Thanks!