Using internal and external links on your site will keep readers engaged by providing relevant information and ultimately improving the visibility your website.
Internal vs. External Links
Internal Link: Directs reader to another page within Cascade CMS.
- Link internally to a page that provides additional, important information.
- Do not use the web address as the link in the content.
External Link: Directs the reader to a website that is not yours.
- Adding trustworthy and informative website links of high quality to your pages will help improve the credibility of your website.
- Because not all contributors have access to all sites within Cascade, links to UNO webpages may need to be added as external links.
Use Proper Anchor Text
Use anchor text that is specific and descriptive of what information will be found on the linked page. "Click here" or just "here" is not advised for several reasons:
- Accessibility issues—specifically screen readers—create a list of links. When these links are taken out of context and they all say "Click here" the reader does not know which link is going where.
- The words have become meaningless, especially if the reader is now searching the surrounding content for context.
- Search engine web crawlers associate anchor element text with the link URL. Properly selected anchor element text helps search engines determine the relevance of a web page to specific keywords. Generic text tells search engines nothing about the linked web page.
Examples of Links
Phone numbers: link all phone numbers to allow the reader to call directly from their mobile phones or phone applications (e.g. Skype)
- To add the External Link, phone numbers must start with the protocol "tel:" in the Link Source field.
Email addresses: link all email addresses to allow readers to email directly from their mobile devices, laptops, or desktop computer.
- To add the External Link, email addresses must start with the protocol "mailto:" in the Link Source field.
Adding an Internal Link on a Page
To create an internal link:
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Highlight the anchor text.
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Click the Link button on the WYSIWYG toolbar:
- On the pop-up menu, click "Choose File, Page, or Link"
Select the source of the link: Recent, Browse, or Upload:
Recent: Recent pages you've opened will appear in a list on this page. Select the page by clicking on its name.
Browse: Search for the page within available sites in Cascade.
Upload: Upload a file (e.g. flier or form) to be opened when the link is clicked.
- Click ok
