| here is variety... There is chaos! Same is true of the | | | | Debate 2: Use Click Here or Use Keywords in Links |
| world of web design as well. As an industry where | | | | ‘Click Here’ has been a time-tested |
| new trends and technologies emerge every now and | | | | call-to-action message and is proven to provide a |
| then, it is witness to a varied opinions and debates. | | | | higher click through rate. Its symbolic of the web and |
| While some have have the fortune of ending with | | | | prompt users to take immediate action. However, |
| logical conclusions, others continue to trail as | | | | there are some who believe that the words 'Click |
| contrasting parallel opinions. | | | | Here' obstacles the usability of a website and offers |
| Here are some of the most popular and age-old | | | | no information to users about where the link goes |
| debates of the web design world that simply refuse | | | | and what it does. Instead using descriptive links not |
| to die: | | | | only inform users what a link offers but also gains |
| Debate 1: Should Links Open in a New Window? | | | | search engine brownies. |
| While some believe that links to external websites | | | | It is advisable to use descriptive links in order to |
| should always open in new tabs or windows, there | | | | increase your website’s usability, accessibility |
| are others who think that the choice is best left to | | | | and optimization for search engines. |
| the user. Opening links in new windows does make it | | | | Debate 3: Using Bold & Italics Tags |
| easier to revisit the original page without having to hit | | | | Some people advocate the use of tags instead of |
| the back button multiple times but some people don't | | | | tags if the word doesn’t have any special |
| really like it when the browser takes control of their | | | | importance but you simply want to make the text |
| navigation route. In fact, amateur computer users are | | | | bold. Screen readers pronounce the and tags |
| completely at loss when their back button goes gray! | | | | differently, and they are also included in the HTML5 |
| A safer bet would be to just avoid opening links in | | | | specification. However, others believe that all the |
| new window save some special cases. Like when you | | | | visual aesthetics should be reserved for the CSS |
| want to open a help link in a shopping cart or opening | | | | style-sheet and not included in the HTML markup. |
| PDFs etc. You can also consider providing an options | | | | A safer bet would be to leave the visual styling to |
| panel that’s configured with Javascript. | | | | CSS. |