Don't mess with those links! When you're designing your site, you should leave your text links in their natural state--blue and underlined. We all want to be creative and not do the bland, expected, normal thing. We want to change our links to red, green, yellow, even black--anything but blue. And we have the urge to take off those underlines.
Resist the temptation. It's hard. But there's a good reason to leave them alone.
From the earliest days of the web, text links have been blue. People intuitively recognize that blue, underlined text is a link. They know they can click on it.
The combination of blue and underlines means "If I click on this, it goes somewhere". We're conditioned to recognize those distinguishing characteristics. We're like Pavlov's dogs--we see the link and instantly know what it means. There's no time wasted in trying to figure out whether or not that particular word or phrase is clickable.
If you mess with the natural appearance of a link, you lose that instant recognition. People have to stop and think (and often click) to figure out what your colors mean. I have watched countless people try to navigate websites and spend half their time figuring out what's a link and what's not. They have no way of knowing.
In addition, people scan a page for links. They like to be active on the internet, and they like to know what they can do. When they recognize a link in your copy, it's a clear signal of someplace to go. Visitors want to know what their options are. It's not a good idea to make life difficult. They'll appreciate coming across a site that's easy to use and doesn't try to confuse them (for once!).
It is becoming more acceptable to use other colors for your text links, as long as they remain underlined. But if you can, it's still best to use blue. This is because so many people use underlined, colored text on their sites that is NOT linked. Visitors have a tendency to get confused. They never know what to expect. With blue, it's obvious.
Some people have brought up the point that if we stick to the status quo, there will never be any improvements in the system.
My answer: In a medium like the web, forward movement will never be a problem. The web continues to push ahead, regardless of whether your site jumps on the bandwagon or not. There will always be new growth, no matter what your site does.
The question is, when is it appropriate for your site to adopt the latest fads? To answer that question, you must keep in mind your site's purpose and your audience.
If your site is technology oriented, and your visitors are technically-minded and on the cutting edge, then going for the latest trend is more appropriate.
But if your site is focused on an average web user, it's different. If you're sellling a product/service, communicating information, or driving any specific action, you need to keep your visitors focused on that goal. You shouldn't distract them with trying to learn a new set of skills and standards just so they can navigate your site.
Never move faster than your audience is ready to move. At this point in time, people still struggle with being able to recognize links. A majority of people have a difficult time finding what they want. If they are still struggling, your site needs to accomodate them.
As more and more people become comfortable with advances in technology and design style, it will be appropriate to incorporate those advances into your site. Just wait until your audience is ready.
Final thoughts: If the context of your site makes it clearly obvious what is a link and what is not, it is sometimes permissible to use a color other than blue for your links. For this to work, your copy should have no colored text that isn't linked (with the exception of headings) and no underlined text that isn't linked. Only use another color if you are sure that visitors won't have any trouble recognizing your links.
The main point: Visitors shouldn't have to think about what is a link and what isn't. Whatever you can do that maintains instant recognition is great. Go for it!
About The Author
There are 580.8 million people online. Can they find your business? Jamie Kiley creates powerful and engaging websites that make sure YOUR company gets noticed. Visit www.kianta.com for a free quote.
Get a quick, free web design tip every two weeks--sign up for Jamie's newsletter: http://www.kianta.com/newsletter.php
http://www.kianta.com/newsletter.php
Beecher limo rentals .."It's good.""You've done a nice job.""I don't like it."At some... Read More
On the internet we don't deal with face to face... Read More
Have you heard of 'Babel Fish'?It's a service provided by... Read More
Clutter: Too much noise, too much text, and too little... Read More
Wether you design your business brochures, flyers, web page, or... Read More
The internet is filled with sites and they are good... Read More
Since I'm a web designer, I have a tendency to... Read More
1. Web site File Structure / File NamingMost search engines... Read More
Over the years, the internet has grown into a marvelous... Read More
In this article, I will attempt to cover the basics... Read More
1. Size does not equate to competencePeople sometimes assume a... Read More
As web designer my self, I have had the unfortunate... Read More
In this article I will give advice and tips of... Read More
Not all links are created equal.While all of your links... Read More
Nope. You certainly don't need a website.But you don't need... Read More
Just because you are a small business with an even... Read More
Are you a student of graphic design? If you have... Read More
If you're not getting a lot of traffic to your... Read More
Colors have long been known to have psychological affects on... Read More
A highly effective website will always reflect its highly effective... Read More
I get the occasional web design lead from my website.... Read More
In this era of ultra-sophisticated internet marketing and web design,... Read More
For many webmasters the title of my article may seem... Read More
Well, you've got your product, started your home business, and... Read More
Have you ever walked pass a shop that, for some... Read More
Bridgeview limo Chicago ..Color is one of the most important but least understood... Read More
Websites, there are literally billions of them out there in... Read More
Ever browse across a website that took ten million years... Read More
I taught myself HTML back in the mid-nineties and was... Read More
Your web site is like your car. Both are significant... Read More
What is web usability & why is it important?Web usability... Read More
This is a very perfunctory look at the website code... Read More
What colors do you have at your website?Can they make... Read More
I ask myself that question about once a month.My website... Read More
In today's age of fast food and high-speed Internet, a... Read More
Do you remember playing with the jack-in-the-box toy as a... Read More
I am constantly bombarded with all sorts of advertisements, single-page... Read More
To build a website, there are four methods to choose... Read More
Your web site is the key to your success on... Read More
We will take a look at why your visitors may... Read More
It has been said that the best online sales copy... Read More
Does website design make a difference in how long people... Read More
ASP.NET is a new programming framework from Microsoft for developing... Read More
CSS or Cascading Style Sheets has opened up tremendous possibilities... Read More
You have only 10 seconds to impress your potential buyer.... Read More
You're all ready to get started creating your web presence... Read More
There are several very good reasons why you should consider... Read More
Do use a consistent look and feel Your site should... Read More
For many webmasters the title of my article may seem... Read More
Content is king. Without content your website is an empty... Read More
Web Design |