Anchor Text

The visible, clickable text within a hypertext link that is intended to describe the link's destination or purpose. Descriptive anchor text (e.g., "download the annual report") provides clear information about what the user will find when they follow the link, while vague anchor text (e.g., "click here," "read more," or "learn more") fails to communicate the link's purpose, especially when the link is encountered out of its visual context. Screen reader users who navigate by tabbing through links or viewing a links list are particularly affected by non-descriptive anchor text. Writing meaningful anchor text is a fundamental web accessibility practice required by WCAG.