Improve call to action links by not using “click here”

October 13th, 2009 § 0

HTML allows us to make any part of a sentence a link. But using “click here” as a call to action restricts it’s impact and meaning. A few simple changes to a sentence can improve usability, SEO and traffic, which can only help to increase revenue.

Several advantages when avoiding the use of “click here”.

  • Descriptive link text will increase SEO
  • Explains what the link will provide the user
  • Meaningful in any context, e.g. if the content is printed
  • Links can be longer than one or two words which will be easier to see and activate
  • Not everyone will click (some may hit ‘Enter’, ‘Tap’ or use shortcut keys)
  • Doesn’t stall the user by making them think “what happens if I do click?”

Here’s how a recent news article could have been improved using this approach.

Using “click here”…

Click here to read more about our latest safety advances, or here to book a test drive in the Insight.

Using meaningful link text…

Discover more about our latest safety advances, or book a test drive in the Insight.

Don’t just take it from me, the W3C recommend not using “click here”.

Brainfire now with WordPress

March 2nd, 2009 § 1

I’ve made the decision to use WordPress as a CMS for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it’s free. Secondly it’s so much easier to use that Movable Type, which I was using previously. In addition to that, there’s just so many plug-ins available and there’s an iPhone app too. It’s everything blog software should be. As a temporary measure, I’m going to use a nice free WordPress theme called Oulipo until I get round to creating my own.

Also, I have moved a lot of posts that I no longer feel are Brainfire related to my personal site as I aim to keep this site on the subject of professional Web development and help articles.

Valid XHTML output using Google Mini Appliance transformation engine

February 13th, 2009 Comments Off

I’ve been trying to output valid XHTML code from the Google Mini Search Appliance. The XML transformation was applying xmlns attributes to various, seemingly random elements which causes the output XHTML to fail validation.

<ol xmlns=”">

As Kamiel Martinet pointed out, in any normal XSLT application you can overcome this by simply adding the xmlns to the stylesheet node.

<xsl:stylesheet xmlns:xsl=”http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform” xmlns=”http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml”>

However, this causes the Google Mini front end transformation to fail, resulting in the transformation to fail with the following message.

Internal error processing stylesheet.

This leaves me with the choice but to render invalid XHTML from the Google Mini transformation engine. One alternative solution is to use another transformation engine, but that is not an option for this current project.
When and if I find a solution to this, I will post it here.

Website design and web development

December 6th, 2007 Comments Off

Brainfire is a freelance web design and web development company based in Berkhamsted, Herfordshire, near Hemel Hempstead. Run by Mat Harden, a passionate and experienced web designer, Brainfire specialise in standards compliant accessible websites. Services include web development, website help and updates, web standard and semantic coding of existing designs, HTML email marketing, bespoke website application development, PHP development, ASP development and web consultation.
For all enquiries, email info@brainfire.co.uk.

Garden glove specialists

December 5th, 2007 Comments Off

My friends, the Garden Glove Specialists have recently added an on-line payment facility to their website to allow card payments for their Second Skin & Ultra gardening gloves.
They sell three types of gloves:
Ultra Glove - these latex rubber gardening gloves provide thorn resistance and are great for pruning roses and pulling brambles.
Second Skin - their most popular glove, nitrile rubber thorn resistant gardening gloves, which are flexible great for potting, tying up plants and any jobs where you want to feel what you’re doing. And they’re thorn resistant!
Easy Fit - the latest gardening gloves are very light weight and great for every day use. will be available to buy soon available to buy now!
Each gardening glove has a cotton back and elasticated cuff keep all dirt and bugs out! Everyone who uses them thinks they’re fantastic!

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