Do you think this should say "Click here to ..." ?
What if I view this email on my phone? I don't click on a phone.
Do users need to be told "click here to" or should it just be a button? Which implies that you are supposed to interact with it?
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1Many websites and blogs say you shouldn't, but I personally don't think it confuses anyone just because they're on a touch device. Also, the answers in this question might help, although there is no accepted answer on it yet.– OztacoAug 5, 2015 at 0:17
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To really understand how this seemingly excessive text came about (look at the preceding paragraph for more verbosity), you'd have to see any test data that SE ran. My guess is that they didn't write pedantic copy based on gut reaction.– plainclothesAug 5, 2015 at 6:24
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As long as you still provide the URL for the Plain-Email-Version you should be alright. I personally dont care about the wordibg but more about the speed of registration and that I dont need to scroll in my mail program to access the link– BlueWizardAug 6, 2015 at 7:47
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3 Answers
This is actually quite a verbose copy and it violates a couple of principles:
- Keep text short and concise
- Front-load actions
There is generally no need to tell users to 'click to' if it's clear from the interface that something is clickable (button or link). Just imagine if any button or link on this page would start with 'click here to...'.
A copy like this:
Verify your email address
Whether as a link or a button will do (in this specific case, since it is in an email it should be a link because you'll be taken away to a web page; within an app a button would be better so long clicking it won't navigate to a different page).
@Izhaki has added an excellent, concise answer. Just to add my two cents. I feel we are transitioning from a PC based model to a touch based model. We are far from reaching there if we ever will be.
So the metaphors will also change gradually when number of touch based devices significantly increase in comparison. I am only talking about the intended audience of this mailer in question, and its probable use of medium to view this mail.
Since we are transitioning from a traditional keyboard mouse interface to touch, click here is something we will still inherently understand. As of right now, I see no need to rush into a paradigm shift.
Saying "click here" may be redundant if the intended audience knows how to interact with links, although if the intended audience doesn't know how to interact with the internet (new users, older users, etc.).
While this particular link is clear ("Click here to verify your account"), if the link had only been "Click here" then it could fall foul of WCAG compliance.
There is also the point about whether a user on a device that can't "click" may become confused by the term. While not strictly covered by WCAG there are people with some conditions, such as autism, who have a literal understanding of language and "have difficulty with non-literal sayings or phrases" (same source). Note that for some conditions, a person might not have had a diagnosis by the time they visit a website.
If you want to be sure not to cause confusion there's a delicate balancing act; knowing your audience will go a long way towards informing the choice, but we can't know everything about our users. I'd steer clear of "click here" and go with "visit this page" or something similar, as it doesn't presuppose the way you get to the page.
I would post more links but unfortunately I don't have the reputation for it, yet.
