How Do I Create a Link?

Purpose

LinkIt is a tool in the WYSIWYG bar. It makes creating internal links in your website content easy. It offers an autofill box. This box shows a list of the targeted internal pages. It helps prevent broken links and ensures the URLs are correct. Use LinkIt to link to other pages on your website. Do this in your content when you don’t need to highlight the link. 

Use descriptive links

Because websites are responsive, content changes based on the size of the screen used. Avoid using directional language such as above, below, left, or right. 

  • Non-directional language (use): Select from the following options
  • Directional language (avoid): Select from the options below

Never use the words “click here” or “learn more.” Instead, use descriptive links. Descriptive links help people understand the context of the link before they take action. Describe links that highlight the subject, not the action.

  • Descriptive links (use): Contact our agency for more information about local services.
  • Click here links (avoid): Click here to contact our agency for information about our services.

Learn more about how to write accessible content within are "Writing for All People" Article

As you create promos, automatic lists, and work with page content, you will likely link to another page on your website.

The "LinkIt" tool manages this linking function. It works as an autofill mechanism.

Internal links, such as basic pages and landing pages created on the site, as well as media uploaded to the site, can be added using the "LinkIt" tool, where you simply type in the link you'd like to add.
1

How to Link to Internal Pages

Creating Internal Page Links

To link to internal pages on your site, click the link icon. Then, in the "Link URL" field, enter the page title. Don’t add "https://" because this creates an absolute link. Use this only for external sites. 

You know you made a good internal link when a pop-up window appears. Under the grey "Content" bar, you'll see the page title. You can then select it.

  • Note: You can't link to Micro Content. 
2

Creating External Links

For an external link, for example to "directory.iowa.gov", simply select the text you want to link.

how to add hyperlink

 Use the chain link icon (which is also referred as our Linkit tool), 

how to link to google documents

and paste the link that you want your audience to be directed to. This can be an external link to a Google doc, external website, etc.

example of adding hyperlink
  • Lastly to apply your link, select the green check mark and your hyperlink is now created.
example of an external hyperlink

Your link will now automatically have an indicator icon that displays as an internal or external link.

3

Create Phone Number Links

You can add the phone number of your location and turn it into a link that mobile users can select and initiate a call. To do this, select "edit" on the page. Highlight the number. Then, use the Linkit tool. Add "tel:" before the phone number.

Example of linking a phone number:

example of how to link a phone number
4

Linking to Files in the Media Library

First, upload the document or file to your media library. You need the media item there so the site can find and link it. 

The media library is also where you can find the name of the media item so that you can link to it using the Linkit tool. 

When you have the name of the media item you can then go and select the text you want to have create the internal document link to and then within the "Link URL" field you will then simply enter the name of the media item and it will pop up for you to select underneath the grey "Media" results.

To avoid broken links and absolute linking as well as broken links it is important that you use the name of the media item for linking to anything that is internally within the site and not the "https://"

Note: You can not link to images in the media library, these have to be embedded directly in the page.

Learn how to upload to your media library
5

How to Locate Broken Links

You can view broken links on your site in the weekly reports from Acquia Optimize (formerly Monsido).

This report shows the Quality Assurance section. It will list broken links and possible misspellings on your site:

To find each page with a broken link, log into Acquia Optimize. Click the "Quality Assurance" button.

From there, select the "Unique broken links" section to see the list of the broken links.

Click on a page number to see a list of pages with broken links. A pop-up window will show you all the affected pages.

To find the broken link on your page, click the magnifying glass icon in the top right corner of the pop-up window in Acquia Optimize. 

If you have the Acquia Optimize browser extension, it shows up on the right side of the screen when you click the magnifying glass. 

If the web browser doesn't highlight the broken link after you click the magnifying glass, you can still find it. Just click the magnifying glass in the pop-up window, and it will show you the broken link on the page.

6

How to Fix a Broken Link

To fix the broken link, first find it on the page. Then, click the edit button above your page title.

In the page edit section, click the broken link. To fix it, select the pencil icon that appears when you click the link text.

Now that the link is fixed, save the page. Then, in the Acquia Optimize Chrome extension, mark the broken link as fixed by clicking the check mark.

You can mark the broken link as fixed in Acquia Optimize. Just click the "Open page details" button next to the magnifying glass.

In the new window, click the action button. Then, choose "set to fixed" to mark the broken link as fixed. This will remove it from your report and improve your Quality Assurance Score.