Fix Descriptive Link Text Errors in Blogger for SEO

In this blog post, I will share what the “Descriptive Link Text” error is, why it occurs, and how you can fix it. This common issue in Blogger often happens when links use generic phrases like “Read More” instead of descriptive, keyword-rich text. Fix Descriptive Link Text Errors in Blogger for SEO to boost your search rankings, improve accessibility, and create a better experience for your readers.

If you’re seeing an error like “Descriptive link text helps search engines understand your content” on your website, it usually means you have links with vague text like “Read more” or “Click here”. These links don’t tell users or search engines what the page is about.

Why This Error Happens:

1. We, as humans, understand what “Read more” means, but search engine bots and screen readers cannot. 
2. Developers often prefer simplicity and use generic phrases like “Read more” or “Click here” to keep things clean and easy.
3. Sometimes, descriptive text is overlooked due to time constraints or lack of awareness about SEO and accessibility best practices.

For example, a link that just says:

<a href="…/best-5-mobile-repair-kits-for-beginners.html">Read more</a>

doesn’t give any clue what content it points to.

Why is descriptive link text important?

• Accessibility: Screen reader users rely on link text to understand where the link goes.
• SEO: Search engines use link text to understand and rank your content.
• Usability: Clear links improve user experience for everyone.

Step-by-Step: Fix Descriptive Link Text Error in Blogger

1. Open your Blogger dashboard:
   Go to your blog and navigate to Theme.


2. Edit your HTML:
   Click the dropdown next to Customize, then select Edit HTML.


3. Search for the “read-more” code:
   Press Ctrl + F (or Cmd + F on Mac) and search for read-more. You should find code like this:
   

   <b:if cond='data:blog.jumpLinkMessage != "hide"'>
     <a class='read-more' expr:href='data:post.url'><data:blog.jumpLinkMessage/></a>
   </b:if>
         



4. Comment out the existing code for safety:
   Wrap the code in HTML comments to disable it temporarily:
   

   <!--
   <b:if cond='data:blog.jumpLinkMessage != "hide"'>
     <a class='read-more' expr:href='data:post.url'><data:blog.jumpLinkMessage/></a>
   </b:if>
   -->
         



5. Add the improved code:
   Below the commented code, add this block:
   

   <b:if cond='data:blog.jumpLinkMessage != "hide"'>
     <a class='read-more' expr:href='data:post.url'>
       <data:blog.jumpLinkMessage/>
       <span class='visually-hidden'> about <data:post.title/></span>
     </a>
   </b:if>
         

   We use span tag for show full title



6. Save your changes:
   Click Save theme.


7. Check your blog:
   View your blog and notice the full post title appears after “Read more.” It might look awkward or disrupt your design.


8. Fix the styling to hide extra text visually but keep it accessible:
   Go back to Edit HTML, search for </head>, and just before it, add this CSS inside a <style> tag:
   

   <style>
   .visually-hiddenn {
     position: absolute;
     width: 1px;
     height: 1px;
     margin: -1px;
     padding: 0;
     overflow: hidden;
     clip: rect(0 0 0 0);
     border: 0;
   }
   </style>
   

   This hides the extra text visually but keeps it readable by screen readers and search engines.



9. Save and refresh your blog:
   The extra post title text will now be visually hidden but still accessible to screen readers and search engines. This fixes the descriptive link text error without affecting your blog’s design.

---

Why Not use visibility or display css

visibility: hidden and display: none  both hide content visually, but they also make the content invisible to screen readers. This means:

1. The descriptive text won’t be read aloud by screen readers.
2. Users relying on assistive technology lose access to important context about the link.
3. Search engines won’t see the descriptive text, which reduces SEO benefits.

What Does this class .visually-hidden

1. It hides the text visually so it doesn’t appear on screen.
2. The text remains accessible to screen readers, so users with disabilities still get the information.
3. It uses CSS tricks like setting size to 1px by 1px, clipping, and positioning off-screen without removing the element from the document flow.

This approach ensures that the descriptive text helps both screen reader users and search engines, without affecting your site’s visual design.

You might also like: How to Hide Thumbnail Image on Blogger

Summary

• Avoid vague link text like “Read more” alone.
• Add descriptive text inside the link for clarity.
• Use visually hidden CSS to keep the UI clean while improving accessibility and SEO.

Making this small change will help fix the error and make your site friendlier for users and search engines alike.