{
    "title": "Crawlable Links and Anchor Text Field Guide",
    "updated": "2026-08-06",
    "methodology": "The field guide converts current link and outbound-link documentation into a page-level manual QA checklist.",
    "limitations": "Crawler behavior and platform policies can change; test rendered pages and review current documentation.",
    "columns": [
        "Check",
        "Recommended pattern",
        "Problem pattern"
    ],
    "rows": [
        [
            "HTML element",
            "<a href=\"/path/\">Descriptive label</a>",
            "Clickable div with script only"
        ],
        [
            "Destination",
            "Resolvable canonical URL",
            "Broken, placeholder, or javascript URL"
        ],
        [
            "Anchor",
            "Names the destination or task",
            "Click here everywhere"
        ],
        [
            "Internal context",
            "Links from relevant explanation",
            "Random keyword block"
        ],
        [
            "Image link",
            "Meaningful alt text",
            "Empty alt when image is only label"
        ],
        [
            "New tab",
            "Use only when useful and disclose",
            "Forcing every internal link into a new tab"
        ],
        [
            "External security",
            "noopener where appropriate",
            "Opener access on untrusted target"
        ],
        [
            "Sponsored",
            "rel=\"sponsored\" when applicable",
            "Undisclosed paid placement"
        ],
        [
            "User-generated",
            "rel=\"ugc\" where appropriate",
            "Treating user links as editorial"
        ],
        [
            "Nofollow",
            "Use when standard endorsement is not intended",
            "Using as a sculpting trick"
        ],
        [
            "Redirects",
            "Direct stable destination",
            "Long avoidable chains"
        ],
        [
            "Accessibility",
            "Visible focus and understandable purpose",
            "Keyboard-inaccessible custom control"
        ]
    ]
}