Descriptive Link Text.

'Click here' tells search engines nothing — descriptive text improves ranking signals

What does this check test?

This check verifies that anchor text (`<a>` element content) is descriptive and conveys the topic or purpose of the linked page. Generic link text like "click here", "read more", "learn more", and "here" provides no context to search engines or assistive technology users about the link destination. The anchor text should be concise (2–7 words), naturally describe the linked content, and avoid exact-match keyword stuffing.

Why does it matter?

Google uses anchor text as a strong signal to understand what the linked page is about. When you link to a page with the text "web security best practices", Google associates that phrase with the destination URL. Generic text like "click here" passes zero topical relevance. Additionally, screen reader users often navigate by links — hearing a list of "click here, click here, click here" is useless without context. Descriptive link text improves both search engine understanding and user experience for everyone. Google's own SEO Starter Guide explicitly recommends avoiding generic anchor text.

Who is affected?

Content authors writing blog posts and documentation, marketing teams creating landing pages, front-end developers building component text, and CMS developers who can provide guidance or validation for link text quality. Editors reviewing content should flag generic link text during the editorial process.

Where does this apply?

All anchor elements across the site: inline text links within paragraphs, navigation menus, footer links, call-to-action buttons (which are often `<a>` elements), blog post links within listings, related content sections, and breadcrumbs. Card components with "Read more" links at the bottom are a common offender.

How to fix it

<!-- Bad: generic, passes no topical relevance -->
<a href="/guide">Click here</a> to read our guide.
<a href="/signup">Get started</a>

<!-- Good: descriptive, tells Google what the target page is about -->
Read our <a href="/guide">web security testing guide</a>.
<a href="/signup">Start your free security scan</a>

<!-- Acceptable when visible text can't change -->
<a href="/post/1"
   aria-label="Read more about OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities">
  Read more
</a>

References

• Google — SEO Starter Guide: Links
• web.dev — Links have descriptive text
• Moz — Anchor Text Guide