What is a Link Title Attribute and How Do You Use It?

Designing and having your website built can sometimes be overwhelming. Especially if you are not tech-savvy and hear a lot of web development and design lingo flying around.

You may be asking yourself about specific editions to your website, and how important they really are. If “link title attribute” is one of those, then you are in the right place. We are going to talk a little bit about link title attributes; what they are, and how you use them.

What exactly IS a link title attribute?

The short answer is that when a web user is about to click on a link, they can hover over it with their mouse, and it pops up a short explanation about what the link is. Basically, a preview of the content that is on the page they are about to click through to.

The long answer is a little more involved. Not everyone feels comfortable clicking on a link to go to a webpage, or they don’t want to waste their time going to a page and only to find that the information doesn’t pertain to what they need. What’s more, not only do link title attributes help users to navigate your web site, but they also help you.

How do link title attributes help websites?

The goal of any site is to keep users navigating it as long as possible. If users are confused or feel that the site is challenging to search and find information, their chances of leaving increase.

If they can hover over a link before clicking to the page and see a quick preview of the page content, it helps for two reasons. One, users can learn more about where they are going, which reduces disorientation, and two, it helps them to save time and not click on links that don’t have the information that they are looking for.

A few things to avoid when adding link title attributes to your website.

• Don’t worry about SEO. It can be tempting to try to add some search engine optimized words in your link titles. But now is not the time. This is all about creating a better user experience on your website, not about adding more SEO.
• Avoid using the same text. This is one of the most important things to remember. Don’t repeat your text. Create unique link titles with your users in mind.
• Keep it short. Link title attributes should never be over 80 characters, and for optimal use should be less than 60. Short and sweet is the name of the game.

While link title attributes may not be helping your SEO, they are still doing a lot for your site. Giving your users accessibility is key to any website. By creating the best user experience possible, you are optimizing your site in a way that even keywords can’t. You are making it easy for your users to read, search, and navigate, which is excellent.

When you are having your website built, you want to look for a company, such as Key Medium/Running SEO, that understands the importance of accessibility and strives to include it in every aspect of their web design.