2.4.4: Link Purpose (In Context)

What it means

The purpose of each link should be clear from its text plus nearby context. Link text like “click here” or “read more” alone is ambiguous when links are listed out of context.

Screen reader users often pull up a list of all links on a page.

How to fix it

• Write link text that describes the destination or action.
• If using “Read more”, include the article title in the same link or aria-label.
• Make sure adjacent headings give context to generic link phrases.
• Avoid duplicate link text that goes to different URLs without differentiation.

Quick examples

• Good: A link reads “Download 2024 annual report (PDF, 2 MB)”.
• Bad: Three links on the page all say “Learn more” to different pages.
• Good: “Read more about accessible forms” includes the topic in the link text.
• Bad: Linked URLs are shown as raw https:// strings with no description.