Ensure form controls have labels

Usually the best solution is to use a <label> element. The label may be linked to by the form control:

<label for="name">Full name</label>
<input type="name" id="name">

or the <label> can be wrapped around the form control:

<label>
    Full name <input type="name">
</label>

Buttons are different, as their labels are specified by the code for the button, e.g.

<input type="submit" value="Send message">
<button>Send message</button>

Alternatively ARIA attributes, such as aria-label may be used, but this information will not be conveyed to visual users. For more information, see W3C's guide to labeling controls.

Hidden input fields (<input type="hidden">) do not require labels. Note that the placeholder attribute should not be used as an alternative to a label.