Create Link Text

The WCAG Success Criterion 2.4.4. says that the purpose of each link should be determined from the link text alone, or from the link text and its context. URLs should be masked with text that succinctly communicates to the user what they will view if they visit the link.

Important Notes

• CivicPlus works toward WCAG 2.0 AA accessibility standards and our websites are highly compliant when they go live. However, ongoing ADA compliance and maintenance is the customer's responsibility.
• For more information about linking documents, review the Link to a Document article.

Compliance Notes

• Do not mask links with sensory language like “click here for instructions”, “find more information below”, or "click the red link".
• Re-word the directional “Click Here” language by referring directly to the linked item. For instance, instead of “Click here to view the full meeting minutes,” change the link text to “View the full meeting minutes.”
• Replace directional language such as “View the document linked to the right” or “View the graph to the left” with language like "Access the linked document" or "View the line graph next to the informational fields."

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Create Link Text

1. Sign in to your website solution.
   
   Note: This process may look different based on how your site was designed.
2. Navigate to the page you wish to add the linked text to.
3. Click the Live Edit is OFF button to enable Live Edit:
   
   
   Note: If Live Edit is enabled, the button will read Live Edit is ON:
   
4. Click inside the Editor Widget:
   
5. To create link text from the start, click the Link tool:
   
   
   Note: If there is an existing text that you want to turn into a link, highlight the text, and then click the Link tool.
   
6. Fill in the information fields:
   
   
   • URL: Enter the destination URL for the link
   • Text: Add the linked text
     Note: Change the text to comply with WCAG 2.4.4. and alert users to the purpose of the link.
   • Open in new tab: Select to open the link in a new tab (Recommended for external links)
     Note: To mask an email, put mailto: followed by the email address as the URL.

     • Example: mailto:name@email.com
7. Click the Link tool's Insert button:
   
8. View the link text:
   
9. Click the Done Editing button (green box with a checkmark) next to the Editor widget to save the content and exit the Editor:
   
10. Click the Save button on the Live Edit bar:
    

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In-Article Glossary

Review the Municipal Websites Central Glossary of Terms a comprehensive explanation of the acronyms, abbreviations, and company-specific terminology. The terms located in this section are listed alphabetically.

• ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act
• URL: Uniform resource locator
• WCAG: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

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Additional Resources

• Link to a Document
• Understanding WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines | Success Criterion 2.4.4 | Link Purpose (In Context)

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