Matan · SEO · Technical

Form labels

Every visible input needs a programmatic name so users and browsers know what to type.

Pass condition in our engine: Visible inputs have a <label>, aria-label or aria-labelledby (hidden/submit buttons ignored).

1. Problem description

Placeholder-only fields fail WCAG 1.3.1/3.3.2 and confuse autofill. SEO impact is indirect, but contact and search forms that cannot be used destroy conversions and send quality signals downward.

2. Most common causes

  • Designers used placeholder text instead of <label>.
  • The label exists visually but is not tied with for/id.
  • Icon-only inputs (search, newsletter) have no aria-label.

3. How to fix it

  1. Use <label for="id"> matching each input id.
  2. Or wrap the control in <label>, or set aria-label / aria-labelledby.
  3. Hide labels visually with CSS if the design requires it — do not delete them.

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