Part 3: Lead the way – give visitors a clear next step

In our previous posts, you met Kim and Fabian. Kim wanted to become a wedding officiant and Fabian wanted to put his child in line for childcare. They found useful information that took them some way towards their goal. But they still didn't get what they needed to complete their cases.

Visitors in this situation need help to move forward – from you, the web writer.

Think about it – and become your visitor

Before you finish a web page, you need to activate your empathy skills one last time. Think about: What are visitors going to do now that they've finished on this web page? What is the next logical step for them to do what they want to do? Have you offered them a way to get there?

You should also think about your own motives. What do you want visitors to do now? Do you want them to go somewhere else, order something or call you? If so, make sure you link them to the right place. Add a button so they can order or contact details if you think they need it.

Formulate clear link texts

An obvious and important tool to guide visitors is of course the link. Here are our tips on how to write useful link texts that show where the link leads:

• Match the link text with the main title of the landing page. It's best to word the link text exactly like that headline – then visitors will quickly recognise themselves after the click. But then the headline must be clear. If not, use keywords from the headline.

• Be specific. The link text says more if you write How much can you borrow instead of just Borrow. Quite often, visitors can do things on the landing page, and then a link text like Fill in the form with income details gives more information than Continue.

• Remove unnecessary words. Visitors usually know what it means to click on a link, i.e. that they will be taken to the next page. Therefore, phrases like Click here and you will be taken to today's program are usually unnecessary . Just See today's program is more effective.

• Say goodbye to link texts like Click here and Read more. They provide no guidance at all. What's more, they can cause real problems for visitors who have the website read out to them via assistive technology.

Don't give too many paths to choose from

If there is something specific you really want your visitors to do, be careful not to offer too many paths. If you want them to click on Register for spring courses, you shouldn't have another link called Courses this fall that takes them away from the registration page.

Not everyone is moving on – some are happy and some are going back

Never leave your visitors alone at the bottom of a web page. Not all visitors will move on to another page, but always offer a way forward. Sometimes Close Window or Back might be enough.

This is the final installment in the Confirm, Answer, Guide blog series. We hope you find our tips useful in helping your visitors achieve their goals on your website.