Hi Reader.
A friend recently asked me a question I keep turning over. I’d suggested dropping the word “click” from some link text on their website, and they explained they’d added it on purpose. Some of their older visitors, folks in the Gen X and Boomer crowd, weren’t always sure which text on a page was a link, let alone that they could select it. Was there an industry standard for helping that audience?
It’s a fair question. The good news is that recognizable links don’t need instructions. They need to look like links. Here’s what I’d recommend:
- Retire the word “click.” It’s inaccurate most of the time. You click with a mouse, tap on a phone, and press Enter if you navigate by keyboard. For people who can’t use a mouse at all, “click” quietly signals that a page wasn’t written with them in mind.
- Use a distinct link color, but not color alone. Many people (older adults included) have trouble telling hues apart, so color should support other cues rather than carry the whole load.
- Underline your links. It’s the time-tested signal that text can take you somewhere.
- Make link text descriptive. Each link should tell people where it goes, even when read apart from the sentence around it. Screen reader users often jump from link to link, and a page full of "here" or "read more" leaves them guessing.
- Go easy on instructional phrases. Wording like “Follow this link to register” can help, and I offered it to my friend as a compromise, but I’m not fully sold. It’s redundant for screen reader users, who already hear “link” announced, and for anyone comfortable on the web, and it eats up visible space.
- Consider a button for key calls to action. A link styled as a button, with generous spacing and a clear verb phrase like “Register for a Group” often serves everyone best.
Whatever approach you choose, the goal stays the same: nobody should have to guess where they can go next. How do you make links stand out on your site? Hit reply and let me know.
Human Touch Home Care launches a new website built for everyone
Since 2005, Human Touch Home Care has helped older adults in the Philadelphia area stay safe and comfortable in the homes they love. Now this family-owned registry has a new website designed with that same audience in mind, and the first reactions from prospective clients came in almost as soon as it went live. Find out why accessibility sat at the center of this launch, and what the Human Touch team had to say about the result.
Upcoming events
WordPress Accessibility Day is tomorrow
Last call! WordPress Accessibility Day 2026 kicks off tomorrow, October 7, at 11:00 AM Eastern (15:00 UTC) and streams for 24 hours straight. My session, AI, Accessibility, and WordPress: Deciding What to Trust, Test, and Do Yourself, happens at 10:00 PM Eastern on October 7 (2:00 UTC on October 8). This free, volunteer-run event is packed with talks for developers, designers, content creators, and everyday WordPress users, and it's pre-approved for IAAP continuing education credits. Don't wait until the event starts: register now, then browse the schedule to find sessions in your time zone.
Accessibility around the web
How We Fixed 1,381 Accessibility Issues in One Month - Easy A11y Guide
1,381 accessibility issues, one month on the clock. This video walks through how a team took on a remediation backlog that size and what it took to see it through. If your own audit results feel overwhelming, watch this before you decide where to start.
Food Allergies: When Search UX Becomes Dangerous - Anna E. Cook
Anna examines what happens when a search for one thing quietly serves up results that are merely close enough, and why a pattern built to boost sales can turn hazardous for people with food allergies and other dietary restrictions. It's a pointed case for why edge cases deserve a seat at the design table. First published in 2020, this piece is well worth resurfacing as our grocery shopping continues to move online.
Email Accessibility in WordPress - Maria Maldonado, Equalize Digital
Your website might pass an audit while the order confirmations, password resets, and newsletters it sends leave recipients stranded. In this WordPress Accessibility Meetup session, Maria unpacks the most common email barriers and a practical workflow for testing the messages people actually receive. Fittingly, one of her biggest pet peeves ties right back to this month's theme.
Have an over-the-moon October!
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Simon Miner
Pedal Point Solutions |
Is your website accessible?
Need help with web accessibility consulting, testing, treatment, or training? Pedal Point Solutions can help. Start with a free accessibility snapshot of your website.
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Explore Case for Vision
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