Why “Click Here” Is Bad for Accessibility (And What to Use Instead)
I recently received an email asking me to take one of three actions:
Click here to continue receiving emails.
Click here to change your preferences.
Click here to unsubscribe.
All three links used exactly the same text.
At first glance, it seemed harmless enough. We all know what "click here" means, don't we?
Well, not necessarily.
In fact, "click here" has been considered poor accessibility practice for years, and there are several good reasons why.
Why Do People Still Use "Click Here"?
To be fair, "click here" didn't appear out of nowhere.
In the early days of the internet, people were still learning how websites worked. Designers and developers often needed to explain that certain words were interactive.
The problem is that the internet has evolved, but many of these habits have stuck around.
The Biggest Accessibility Problem
Many people who use screen readers don't navigate websites and emails the same way sighted users do.
Instead of reading from top to bottom, they can jump between headings, buttons and links.
Some screen readers even allow users to generate a list of links on a page and navigate through those links alone.
Imagine encountering a page where every link says:
Here
Here
Here
Here
Out of context, those links are meaningless.
The user has no idea where each one leads or what action it performs.
When link text is descriptive, however, the experience becomes much clearer:
View pricing
Download the guide
Read the case study
Contact the team
Without reading the entire page, someone can quickly understand their options and decide where they want to go.
That's why accessibility guidance generally recommends making link text descriptive rather than relying on generic phrases like "click here".
Accessibility Isn't The Only Issue
Poor link text doesn't just affect people using assistive technology.
It can also impact usability for everyone else.
Navigation
People scan content far more than they read it.
Descriptive links act as signposts, helping visitors quickly understand what's available and where they'll end up.
When every link says "click here", users have to work harder to understand what's happening.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
Search engines use links to understand content.
Descriptive anchor text provides useful context about the destination page.
For example:
View our website accessibility checklist
gives more information than:
Click here
While link text alone won't transform your rankings, clear descriptive links contribute to a stronger overall user experience.
Conversions
People are more likely to take action when they understand exactly what happens next.
Compare:
Click here
with:
Book a discovery call
or
Download the accessibility guide
The second examples remove uncertainty and create clearer expectations.
What Should You Use Instead?
As a general rule, your link text should describe the destination or action.
Instead of:
Click here
Learn more
Read more
This page
Try:
View pricing
Download the guide
Explore the case study
Book a consultation
Read the full article
The goal is to make the destination obvious without requiring additional context.
Is "Click Here" Always Wrong?
As with most things in design, there is rarely a one-size-fits-all answer.
I recently discussed this topic on LinkedIn and someone made an interesting point.
For some users, particularly those with lower digital confidence, phrases like "click here" can act as a useful signal that text is interactive.
That's a valid observation.
However, it doesn't solve the core issue.
If someone is navigating links through a screen reader, they'll still hear a list of identical "here" links without any indication of where they lead.
The destination should always be clear.
A compromise might be something like:
Click here to download the guide
which provides both a cue and a meaningful destination.
Even then, most accessibility professionals would argue that:
Download the guide
is still the cleaner solution.
A Quick Accessibility Audit
Take a look through your:
Website
Blog posts
Emails
PDFs
Lead magnets
Can someone understand where every link leads without reading the surrounding paragraph?
If not, there may be an opportunity to improve both accessibility and usability.
You don't need a complete website redesign.
Sometimes replacing a few vague links can make navigation clearer for everyone.
Accessibility Is About Reducing Friction
Good accessibility isn't about ticking boxes or following rules for the sake of it.
It's about reducing unnecessary friction.
Every decision we make should help people understand, navigate and engage with our content more easily.
Descriptive link text is a small change, but it's one of those rare improvements that benefits almost everyone.
And those are usually the best kinds of improvements to make.