Writing pages people want to link to
Hypertext works best when every page is easy to cite. A few authoring habits make the difference between a page that collects links and one that is forgotten.
- Describe your links. "Download the 2024 price table" tells readers more than "click here", and it helps screen reader users scanning a list of links.
- Cite your sources. Pages that link to original data are trusted more and quoted more often.
- One idea per page. A focused page with clear headings is easier to reference than a long page about everything.
- Connect related pages. Internal links help visitors go deeper and help crawlers find everything you publish.
- Keep addresses stable. Every changed URL breaks the links other people gave you. If you must move a page, set up a permanent redirect.
- Make links visible. Underlines or a distinct colour plus a hover state; colour alone is not enough for many readers.