Why You Shouldn't Use "Click Here" in Your Links

For those who may not be familiar with the term, click here is a hyperlink (the icon that shows up underlined and in a different color than surrounding text). The word “click” makes people think of their mouse, but users can also click using touch screens on their smartphones or tablets.

The problem with "click here" is that it doesn't tell people what they're clicking or where it will take them. The most important reason to avoid this is that users scan content rather than reading it all, and using a phrase like "click here" will force them to search around the text to figure out where the link goes. This takes time and increases cognitive load, both of which can lead to a poor user experience.

Users with visual impairments use screen readers to read information from their computer or tablet's screen out loud. These screen readers allow the user to select options that let them hear a list of all the links on a page so they can find the one that will give them the information they need quickly. When a web page contains nothing but "click here" links, it's impossible for visually impaired users to find the information they need.

The second reason to avoid "Click here" is that it's bad for SEO. The search engine algorithm looks at the anchor text of a link to determine its relevancy. If you use a phrase such as "click here" for all your links, the search engine will have no idea of what your site is about or where to rank you. Instead, try to use keywords or phrases that describe the content of the link itself. This will help your site rank higher in search results.