Around the web, I sometimes see "Skip to main" as the visual label for skip links that take people to the main content of the page. This is problematic.
The issue with "Skip to main"
Saying "Skip to main" isn't valuable to everyone. This is due to the technical nature of what a "main" even is. And no, it's not your go-to character in a video game.
What "main" refers to in the context of the web is the HTML <main> element. This element should contain the most relevant information of any given web page you visit.
Browsing a web page about available mortgage rates? The mortgage rate information should go inside the <main> element.
To put this back into context, we should never assume someone is familiar with web development jargon because they browse the web. People who navigate by keyboard only or use a switch device are just as unlikely to know what an HTML <main> element is as anyone else.
Which phrase is best?
Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, which is the clearest phrase of all?
Skip to main content
Judgment: Preferred.
This has no caveat or exceptions. This is by far the clearest of the presented options. The phrase "main content" makes this more understandable than other options.
Skip navigation
Judgment: Acceptable.
Caveat: Only use this phrasing if what someone is skipping is really just navigation (i.e., items within a <nav> element). If anything other than navigation will be skipped—like search functionality—be very careful about this wording.
Skip to content
Judgment: Avoid.
Rationale: Everything on your web page is content. How will someone know which content they're skipping to? If you tell them you're skipping to content, will they know that they missed other information?
Skip to main
Judgment: Avoid.
Rationale: Everything on your web page is content. How will someone know which content they're skipping to? If you tell them you're skipping to content, will they know that they missed other information?
Recommendation
"Skip to main content" is the most understandable and the clearest call to action.
If you're in a position where you can implement a skip link but can't choose the content yourself (because you're an engineer and not a copywriter), having a skip link is far better than not having one.