Allow/encourage title attributes to links list entries

[matgb]

Title:
Allow/encourage title attributes to links list entries

Area:
styles

Summary:
Create text area within the Links list for link TITLE text, that would then display as per browser standards.

Description:
Currently, the only option we have for a Links List entry is URL and link text. It's good practise to give links Title text as well, that normally, depending on browser settings, then displays as a tool tip.

Other platforms, such as Wordpress, allow and encourage links to be given Title attributes, following usability guides and allowing users to give expanded explanations of what a link is, and why it's there in the sidebar.

Example: in my links list, I link to Miss_s_b using her name. For sidebar space reasons, that's all I can give. I'd like to allow users to know if they hober over a link that she's my fiancée and give a brief description of her content. That's good practise, recommended by usability experts. It can also aid search engines and is recommended white hat SEO behaviour.

Poll #3478 Allow/encourage title attributes to links list entries

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 34

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
17 (50.0%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
0 (0.0%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
7 (20.6%)

(I have no opinion)
10 (29.4%)

(Other: please comment)
0 (0.0%)

Comments

[matgb]

Ah, see, this is why I do usability, not accessibility; you'd have thought by now they'd combine, but apparently not.

I had no idea screenreaders didn't automatically read title text, and was also unaware of keyobard navigation not displaying it; that's a weird issue I'd have thought would be resolved.

Definitely agree it should be explained in some way, and we'd need to ensure that people don't assume it'll be read. But it's there to give extra info for those interested; it displays on mouse hover, something I do before clicking in order to see where the link's going. I suspect that might partially be because I've always been aware it's there, and always try to code it in for my links whenever possible, because it is a recommendation.

Nielsen recommended it in Jan. 1998 and reinforced it when he did a study on blogs/journals specifically.

But, given it's just extra, optional, data, it isn't actually an accessiblity problem unless the person using the feature is an idiot, right? Or am I missing something?