"Click Here" and Unclear Link Text
WAVE (Alert: Suspicious link text, Redundant link), axe DevTools (Best Practice: identical-links-same-purpose), Lighthouse (partial detection), Pa11y
Why it matters
Screen reader users frequently navigate pages by pulling up a list of all links on the page and scanning through them to find what they need. When links all say "click here" or "read more," this navigation method is completely useless — every link sounds identical. This affects millions of screen reader users who use link lists as their primary navigation strategy. Additionally, sighted users with cognitive disabilities benefit from descriptive links because they make the destination clear without needing to read surrounding context. Search engines also use link text as a signal for linked page relevance — descriptive link text improves SEO while simultaneously improving accessibility. WCAG 2.4.4 (Level A) requires that link purpose can be determined from the link text alone or from link text plus context.
Symptoms — what you'll see
If your site has this problem, you may observe any of the following:
- Link text says "click here", "here", "read more", "learn more", "more", "details", or "this"
- Screen reader users hear a list of identical "click here" links with no way to distinguish them
- Multiple links on the same page go to different URLs but have identical text
- WAVE flags "Suspicious link text" alerts
- axe DevTools Best Practices flags duplicate link text with different destinations
- Links that open in a new tab/window without warning
- Image links with no alt text providing link purpose
Common causes
- Content editors trained to write "click here" by habit from early web conventions
- CMS templates that use generic "Read more" links in blog/news card components
- Designers who prefer short link text for aesthetic reasons
- Translation workflows that default to generic link text
- E-commerce platforms with "Shop now", "Buy", "Add to cart" without product context
- News aggregators and blog listing pages with repeated "Read more" patterns
- Email newsletter templates converted to web pages with "click here" conventions
How to fix it
- 1Search your site's HTML/templates for "click here", "read more", "learn more", "here", and "more" used as link text.
- 2Rewrite each link's visible text to describe its destination or purpose (e.g., "Read our 2026 ADA compliance guide" instead of "Read more").
- 3If the visual design requires short link text, add context via aria-label or aria-describedby that includes the full purpose.
- 4For news/blog card layouts with "Read more" links, use aria-label="Read more about [article title]" on each link.
- 5For links that open in new tabs, add "(opens in new tab)" to the link text or use a visually-hidden span with this warning.
- 6Ensure linked images have alt text that describes the destination, not the image appearance.
- 7Review icon-only links: add aria-label describing where the link goes.
Code example
<!-- BROKEN: vague link text, no context -->
<p>Learn about our pricing plans. <a href="/pricing">Click here</a>.</p>
<!-- BROKEN: identical "Read more" links for different articles -->
<article>
<h3>ADA Compliance Guide</h3>
<a href="/guides/ada">Read more</a>
</article>
<article>
<h3>WCAG 2.1 Overview</h3>
<a href="/guides/wcag">Read more</a>
</article>
<!-- BROKEN: new tab without warning -->
<a href="https://external.com" target="_blank">Visit partner site</a><!-- FIXED: descriptive link text -->
<p><a href="/pricing">View our pricing plans</a>.</p>
<!-- FIXED: unique link purpose via aria-label -->
<article>
<h3>ADA Compliance Guide</h3>
<a href="/guides/ada" aria-label="Read the ADA Compliance Guide">Read more</a>
</article>
<article>
<h3>WCAG 2.1 Overview</h3>
<a href="/guides/wcag" aria-label="Read the WCAG 2.1 Overview">Read more</a>
</article>
<!-- FIXED: new tab warning in link text -->
<a href="https://external.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">
Visit partner site
<span class="sr-only">(opens in new tab)</span>
</a>How to test your fix
After applying the fix, verify it works using these testing steps:
- Run NVDA (Windows) or VoiceOver (Mac) and use Insert+F7 or Ctrl+Option+U to open the links list — scan for generic text.
- Search page HTML for "click here", "read more", "learn more", "more", "here", "details".
- Run WAVE and look for yellow "Suspicious link text" alerts.
- Run axe DevTools and review Best Practices for identical link text with different destinations.
- Verify each link's accessible name makes sense without surrounding context.
Frequently asked questions
Is "read more" always a WCAG violation?+
WCAG 2.4.4 (Level A) allows link purpose to be determined from link text plus surrounding context. A "Read more" link within an <article> that contains a visible heading may pass 2.4.4 because the context provides purpose. However, for 2.4.9 (Level AAA), link purpose from link text alone is required. Best practice is to always make link text descriptive without relying on context.
Can I use aria-label to fix "click here" links without changing visible text?+
Yes, but with a caveat. aria-label overrides the visible link text as the accessible name, so screen reader users hear the aria-label rather than "click here." However, WCAG 2.5.3 requires that the accessible name include the visible text. If you use aria-label, it should contain or start with the visible text (e.g., "Read more" link with aria-label="Read more about our pricing plans").
What about "download" or "subscribe" links — are those acceptable?+
"Download" and "Subscribe" are better than "click here" but may still be ambiguous if multiple downloads exist on the same page. Add context: "Download the ADA compliance checklist (PDF)" or "Subscribe to accessibility news." For PDF downloads, noting the file format in the link text is a strong best practice.
Do links that open in new tabs/windows need a warning?+
Yes. WCAG 3.2.5 (Level AAA) addresses this, but best practice (and many legal standards) is to warn users when links open in new windows because it changes context unexpectedly. The most accessible approach is adding "(opens in new tab)" as visible or visually-hidden text within the link. Do not rely solely on an icon.
How do I fix "click here" links across a large site quickly?+
Content audit: export all links from your CMS and filter for generic text patterns. Prioritize high-traffic pages and key user flows (checkout, signup). For template-based "read more" links in blog/news cards, one template fix can resolve violations across all posts. Some CMSs allow bulk find-and-replace on link text via plugin or export/import.