Web Strategy and Development Blog

Accessibility series: descriptive links

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Welcome to our series of posts entitled: how to make your website accessible! So far we have discussed the ethical and legal reasoning behind accessibility, how to write alternative text, and how to check color contrast.

In today’s post we discuss writing descriptive links. When you visit a website, do you read every word? Generally readers scan sites for what sticks out to them. Which of these following links makes you want to keep reading?

Click here to learn about Boomer

or:

We’ve just uncovered Boomer’s birth story

Descriptive links entice the reader to learn more. However, if you write “learn more” or “click here” for each link, readers will grow bored and stop following the links. Screen readers translate information into synthesized speech. These screen readers, like people, “jump” from link to link to read information in a logical order.

Tips for accessibility

How to add links

If you are using WordPress, refer to the above Boomer example. Attach link by highlighting the phrase:

Screenshot of example of descriptive links

Click on the chain icon and type the address. The link will appear in blue.

If you are working with Web Press, this video from the Missouri State Web Help Desk shows how to link to webpages.

Spreading the word: How-to tweet and make a Facebook post

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As the grandfather of social media, your blog is an excellent content source for your social media accounts. Blogs provide needed content and context for your posts, while social media expands your blog post’s reach.

But, how do you best share that content? To get the most bang for your blog post, follow the steps below to optimize your blog’s content for social media sharing.

Twitter postTweeting your post

Sharing your blog post on Twitter involves five simple steps:

  1. Log in to your Twitter account.
  2. Write a catchy description of your post. Your post’s title is a great place to start.
  3. Copy the URL of your post. Watch your character count!
  4. Add an appropriate hashtag. Review our list of Missouri State tags.
  5. Click Tweet when done.

Posting a link on Facebook

Sharing your post on Facebook allows for a little more customization.

  1. Navigate to the page you want to share the post from.
  2. Copy and paste the blog post’s URL into the Status box. Facebook will automatically provide a thumbnail your post.
    Facebook blog post 1
  3. Edit the thumbnail description, removing extra text in the headline and cleaning up the excerpt.
  4. Remove the blog’s URL from where you originally pasted it. Don’t worry – the post is still linked via the thumbnail headline.
  5. Type a teaser description in the status box.
    Facebook blog post 2
  6. Click post.

Posting a photo on Facebook

Sharing a relevant photo is a powerful way for your content to stand out on Facebook. Pairing a photo with a link to an upcoming event, program or webpage can increase your Facebook page’s engagement stats. Get your photo ready for Facebook by reviewing its photo size recommendations.

Follow these steps to post a photo/link combination:

  1. Navigate to the page you want to share the post from.
  2. Click the Photo/Video option above the status bar.
  3. Select Upload Photos/Video.
    Upload photo/video option in Facebook
  4. Choose desired photo from the File Upload box and click Open. the photo will appear as a thumbnail on your page.
    Adding a photo to Facebook
  5. Type a caption into the status box.
  6. Copy and paste the appropriate URL after your caption. Links should provide your follower with additional information, registration details, etc.
    Photo caption for Facebook
  7. Click post.

Tip: Facebook allows you to edit the caption associated with a photo after you publish.