While they have been industry standards for eons (which is roughly 1 decade in the web industry) the conventional labels used for buttons on the web have begun to change.
Button-text like “click for more” or “submit” are no longer the reliable action options they used to be. Here are 3 reasons why we’re suggesting websites start leaving these call-to-action labels behind:
Reason 1:
User-friendliness. If a user is presented with an action button that states “submit” they are dependent on the surrounding text and page assets to interpret exactly what action occurs when clicking the submit button. If, however, the button states “create account” the resulting action is crystal clear. This clarity helps the user feel more confident and measurably increases conversions.
Reason 2:
SEO. SEO is dependent on a handful of factors but paramount is having relevant keywords throughout your site. A button labeled “submit” does not provide any useful data to a search index. A button labeled “Request Our 2020 Web Development Trends Booklet” gives indexes like Google clear data points to add to their analysis of your website.
Reason 3:
Accessibility. We’ve written recently about the web industry’s accelerating shift towards more accessible web design. Button labels are a serious part of the equation when determining how ADA compliant your website is. If a user is navigating your site with a screen-reader they are reliant on clear labels and descriptions to interact with your website. Including a picture of your company’s employees alongside a button that states “learn more” may make sense in the context of the image but for people relying on what their screen-reader reports the “learn more” button may lead anywhere. Instead, in this example, we’d recommend a button labeled “Read Our Team Bios” or “Learn More About Our Employees”.
Being hyper-descriptive, within reason, has always been a hallmark of good web design. The implications your button labels have for improving your rankings in Google as well as achieving ADA compliance standards makes now the perfect time to start rethinking your “submit” buttons.