Effective Page Linking
Links should explicitly describe the destination or the action.
- Be Descriptive: Ensure the link makes sense when read out of context. This is critical for accessibility; visually impaired users often navigate by jumping between links using screen readers.
- Avoid Generic Phrases: Never use "click here," "learn more," or "read more."
- Avoid Raw URLs: Do not use full web addresses (e.g., https://...) as the clickable text unless the URL itself is the information being shared.
Internal vs. External Links
- Internal Links: For pages within the SUpal environment, use relative paths. For example, instead of linking to syracuse.edu/admissions, use /admissions.
- External Links: Use the full URL for any site outside the website you are currently on.
Browser Behavior
Open all web links in the same browser window. Opening new tabs can disable the "Back" button functionality, which confuses users and disrupts their navigation flow.
Naming Conventions
A website slug (or URL slug) is the part of a web address that comes after the domain name and identifies a specific page, post, or category. It serves as a descriptive, human-readable identifier for content, such as the "blog-post-title" in www.example.com/blog-post-title
Maintaining a consistent structure for your page slugs helps both users and search engines understand your site’s organization and content. When crafting a slug, keep the following guidelines in mind:
- Be descriptive, concise, and easy to read. The slug should clearly indicate the content of the page so users know they’re in the right place.
- Separate words with hyphens, not underscores (e.g., financial-aid-form.pdf).
- Use only lowercase letters.
- Try to keep the slug under 30 characters.
- Make the slug future‑proof by avoiding details that may change over time (such as dates or the number of tips). Also avoid special characters outside the ASCII set, including emojis.
Email Links
Always spell out the full email address and hyperlink it (e.g., help@syr.edu). This provides transparency so users know an email client will open rather than a new webpage.