We\u2019ve recently had a couple of questions from web editors about hyperlinks \u2013 particularly about whether to include the same link more than once on a webpage.<\/p>\n
This post will focus on when, and when not, to use hyperlinks and where you should try and place them on a page.<\/p>\n
When writing web content your aim should be to help your user find the answer to their question or complete a task.<\/p>\n
Hyperlinks help with this because they:<\/p>\n
It\u2019s important to only link to relevant content<\/strong> that supports the messages on your page, or helps your user complete their task or answers their questions.<\/p>\n As well as thinking carefully about what you link to, you should also think carefully about where within your content you should link from.<\/p>\n Think about the primary message<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 what do you need to convey to your audience before they leave your page? If you add hyperlinks too early then you run the risk of your user leaving before they\u2019ve had a chance to read your content.<\/p>\n Mobile has changed the placement of hyperlinks on a page as you now need to think about hit targets. Don’t have too many hyperlinks together<\/strong> as this will make it harder for the user to select them.<\/p>\n You should also try and add hyperlinks at the end of paragraphs and sentences<\/strong>.\u00a0Again this helps with hit targets and increases the likelihood of your user reading your content before clicking a hyperlink and being taken elsewhere.<\/p>\n It can be tempting to duplicate links on a page. Hoa Loranger (Nielsen Norman group) points out that people often think that duplicate links provide \u201calternative ways to access links\u201d and \u201csafety nets\u201d.<\/p>\n However, too many calls to action on the same page can confuse users.<\/p>\n “Each additional link places an extra load on users\u2019 working memory because it causes people to have to remember whether they have seen the link before or if is a new link.<\/em>“<\/p>\n Hoa Loranger Nielsen Norman group (NNg)<\/p>\n In addition, duplicate links can be harmful to the user experience:<\/p>\n \u201cExtra links waste users time whenever users don\u2019t realise that two links lead to the same place<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Hoa Loranger Nielsen Norman group (NNg)<\/p>\n Loranger also points out that that “each additional link depletes users\u2019 attention because it competes with all others.”<\/p>\n So rather than providing a safety net you\u2019re potentially reducing the likelihood of the user spotting the link.<\/p>\n Instead of adding duplicate links on a page, Loranger argues that where you place the link<\/strong> is more important.<\/p>\n “Making a link more noticeable by placing it prominently in an expected location on the page can yield better results than duplicating it elsewhere on the same page”<\/em><\/p>\n Hoa Loranger Nielsen Norman group (NNg)<\/p>\n To link or not to link? As always it depends on your content as to whether you should include a hyperlink on a webpage, and where on the page you should place it.<\/p>\n Think carefully about the purpose of your page<\/strong> to help decide whether to add a hyperlink to relevant content, and how early on you should include one.<\/p>\n However, try not to include more than one link to the same content on any webpage as this can be harmful to usability.<\/p>\n Hoa Loranger, The Same Link Twice on the Same Page: Do Duplicates Help or Hurt?<\/a> Nielsen Norman Group (NNg), 13 March 2016<\/p>\n Kathryn Whitenton, Minimize Cognitive Load to Maximize Usability<\/a>, Nielsen Norman Group (NNg), 22 December 2013<\/p>\n Jennifer Cardello, Nielsen Norman Group (NNg), Four Dangerous Navigation Approaches that Can Increase Cognitive Strain<\/a>, 28 September 2013<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We\u2019ve recently had a couple of questions from web editors about hyperlinks \u2013 particularly about whether to include the same link more than once on a webpage. This post will focus on when, and when not, to use hyperlinks and … Continue reading Careful placement<\/h2>\n
Hit targets<\/h2>\n
Avoid duplicating links on a page<\/h2>\n
Summary<\/h2>\n
Related posts<\/h2>\n
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References and further reading<\/h2>\n