HTML and CSS Reference
In-Depth Information
6.4.3. Linking Dos and Don'ts
Here are some hints for creating links:
Keep the link content as concise as possible
Long links or huge inline graphic icons for links are visually disrupt-
ive and potentially confusing.
Never place two links immediately adjacent to one another
Most browsers make it difficult to tell where one link stops and the
next link starts. Separate them with regular text or line breaks.
Be consistent
If you are using inline references, make all of your links inline ref-
erences. If you choose to use lists of links, stick to either the short
or the long form; try not to mix styles in a single document.
Try reading your document with all the nonanchor text removed
If some links suddenly make no sense, rewrite them so that they
stand on their own. (Many people scan documents looking only for
links; the surrounding text becomes little more than a gray back-
ground to the more visually compelling links.)
6.4.4. Using Images and Links
It has become fashionable to use images and icons instead of words for
link contents. For instance, instead of the word
next
, you might use an
icon of a little pointing hand. A link to the home page is not complete
without a picture of a little house. Links to searching tools must now
contain a picture of a magnifying glass, a question mark, or binoculars.
And all those flashing, GIF-animated little advertisements!
Resist falling prey to the "Mount Everest syndrome" of inserting images
simply because you can. Again, it's a matter of context. If you or your
