How to Insert Links in Documents and ClickHelp: A Step-by-Step Guide

Today, the ability to seamlessly insert links into your content is crucial. Whether you’re working on a document, crafting an email, or building online help, hyperlinks are the key to connecting information and guiding users through a web of resources. In this article, you’ll learn how to effectively insert hyperlinks in various scenarios, including an in-depth look at ClickHelp.

What Is a Hyperlink and How Does It Work

So, what is a hyperlink, exactly? A hyperlink is a link from a document to another location, usually a web page on the World Wide Web. It allows users to click on a specific word, phrase, or image (the anchor text) and be instantly taken to a different section of the same document, a new document, or an external website. The mechanics are simple: the anchor text is associated with a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) — the address of the destination page. When a user clicks the link, their browser requests the content at that URL.

How to Insert Hyperlinks in Documents

Let’s explore how to add hyperlinks in common document types, such as Word processors.

First, go to the Insert menu, then select the Insert Link (or Hyperlink) option. If you’ve already defined your headers and title using Styles, then simply highlight the words you want to turm into a link, choose Insert Link, then select “Link to a place in this document”. You’ll see the headers you defined, and you can choose one to link to.

If you want to link into a specific sentence or location that isn’t marked by a header, you need to create a bookmark first, then create the hyperlink:

1. Navigate to the sentence or location you want to link to (not the sentence where you want the link).
2. Click Insert > Bookmark.
3. In the pop-up dialog, type a name for the bookmark (no spaces or special characters is recommended).
4. Click Add to create the bookmark. The dialog will close.
5. Return to the place where you want to insert the hyperlink.
6. Choose Insert Link > Link to a Place in This Document, then find your bookmark under the Bookmarks section and select it.

You can also link to other documents. Simply choose Insert Link, then select Existing File or Webpage from the menu, and browse to find the document you want to link.

Adding Links to Websites

Internal linking is common in blog posts, knowledge bases, and other online content. It helps readers navigate easily and find relevant information quickly.

External linking is sometimes thought to provide an SEO advantage—but this is a misconception. Linking to high-quality websites in your niche does not directly boost your own article’s ranking. Only inbound links (links to your content from other websites) contribute to your site’s authority and SEO. Earning those backlinks is significantly more difficult—and far more valuable—than simply adding outbound links.

However, external linking still plays an important role. Linking to authoritative sources shows that your content is well-researched and trustworthy. It’s also considered good digital etiquette to credit and reference the materials that informed your writing.

To add an external link in HTML, follow these steps:

1. Open your HTML editor.
2. Find the section of your HTML where you want to insert the link.
3. Use the <a> tag: <a href=”https://example.com”>Anchor Text</a>. Replace https://example.com with the actual URL and “Anchor Text” with the clickable text.
4. Save the file and open it in your browser to test the link.

Many websites also offer rich text editors that make hyperlinking easier—similar to a word processor. Simply highlight the text you want to link and look for a link icon (usually a chain symbol) or a menu option labeled “Insert Link.”

Adding Hyperlinks to ClickHelp

ClickHelp, a powerful help authoring tool, allows you to insert various types of hyperlinks—whether linking to another topic, an external web page, an email address, or a specific section (anchor) within a topic.

Linking to Another Topic

1. Open the topic you want to edit in ClickHelp’s editing mode.
2. Select the text you want to turn into a link.
3. Click the Link button on the Insert toolbar.
4. In the Insert Link dialog, select the Topic option.
5. Start typing the title of the target topic in the Topic field.
6. From the dropdown list, select the appropriate topic (project names are shown for context).
7. (Optional) To link to a specific section within that topic, choose an Anchor from the Anchor dropdown (if the target topic contains elements with ID attributes).
8. Click OK to insert the link.

Linking to an External Web Page

1. Select the desired text in your topic.
2. Click Insert > Link, then choose the Web Link option.
3. Paste or type the full URL into the URL field.
4. Optionally, set the link to open in a new window or tab.
5. Click OK to insert the link.

Inserting a Mailto Link (Email Link)

1. Select the text where you want the email link.
2. Click Insert > Link, then select the Email Address option.
3. Enter the contact email in the Email field.
4. (Optional) Enter a Subject for the email (this will be prefilled when the link is clicked).
5. Click OK to insert the link.

Linking to a Section of a Topic (Anchor Link)

To create a link to a specific section within a topic (an anchor):

Step 1: Create the Anchor

1. Place your cursor next to the section title or paragraph you want to link to.
2. Go to the Insert tab and click Anchor.
3. Enter an anchor name (alphanumeric, no spaces), then click OK.

Alternatively, you can assign a custom ID to any element by switching to Source mode.

Step 2: Link to the Anchor

1. Navigate to the topic and select the text you want to turn into a link.
2. Click Insert > Link, select the Topic, then choose the corresponding Anchor from the dropdown menu.
3. Optionally, set the link to open in a new window.
4. Click OK.

You can also copy a direct link to a heading by clicking the chain link icon next to it in View mode. This will display the heading’s anchor in the browser address bar.

Note: If you change an anchor’s ID, be sure to update all references using Global Find & Replace.

Linking in Emails and Social Media

Effectively incorporating hyperlinks into emails and social media posts is crucial for directing your audience to relevant external resources and boosting engagement.

Emails

Most email clients automatically detect and convert URLs into clickable hyperlinks. However, for a cleaner and more professional appearance, you can use the “Insert Hyperlink” option in your email editor—usually located in the formatting toolbar. This allows you to link text (e.g., “Read more here”) rather than displaying the full URL.

Social Media

Link behavior varies by platform:

• X (formerly Twitter) automatically shortens long URLs using its built-in t.co service.
• LinkedIn allows hyperlinking text in articles, but not in regular post texts.
• Facebook displays a preview of the linked content and lets you edit the link title and description.
• Instagram does not support clickable links in captions—only in your bio or via “Link in Bio” tools (unless using Stories with a link sticker).

Be mindful of character limits and consider using URL shorteners (like Bitly or TinyURL) when necessary to save space and track clicks.

Understanding these platform-specific linking methods ensures your audience can easily access the information you want to share – no matter where they engage with your content.

Best Practices for Effective Hyperlinks

To ensure your hyperlinks improve user experience and are both functional and accessible, keep the following best practices in mind:

• Use Descriptive Anchor Text. Choose link text that clearly communicates the destination. Avoid vague phrases like “click here.” Instead, use the title of the target page or a brief, meaningful phrase like “view pricing plans” or “download the user guide.”
• Test Your Links Regularly. Broken links damage credibility and frustrate users. Periodically audit your content (especially older posts or documents) to verify that all internal and external hyperlinks still work.
• Be Mindful of Target Behavior. Decide whether the link should open in the same tab/window or a new one:
  – For external websites, opening in a new tab is generally preferred to avoid losing the user’s place.
  – For internal navigation (within the same site or document), opening in the same tab is typically best for continuity.
  Note: In HTML, this is controlled with the target=”_blank” attribute for new tabs.

• Use Title Attributes Thoughtfully. The title attribute (hover text) can provide extra context, which is helpful for accessibility tools and screen readers. For example: <a href=”…” title=”Download the PDF user manual”>User Manual</a> However, don’t rely solely on titles for conveying critical information—they are not always accessible on mobile devices or via screen readers.
• Maintain Visual Consistency. Use a consistent style for hyperlinks across your content. Common practices include:
  – Underlining links
  – Blue or contrasting color text
  – Avoiding excessive decoration unless necessary for emphasis

This consistency improves both usability and accessibility by making links easy to identify at a glance.

How Do You Design Links in a Document?

Inserting hyperlinks is not just a technical task—it’s also a design and typographic consideration, especially in professional or technical documents.

For example, you may need:

• Internal links: TOC entries, cross-references (e.g., “See Chapter 5”), or figure/table references
• External links: References to legal resources, vendor sites, or documentation

Link Styling for Readability and Aesthetics

The best approach depends on your document’s purpose, medium (print or digital), and existing style conventions:

• Blue text is a classic choice, especially dark blue for better print readability.
• Small caps, bold, or italic styles can work—if those styles aren’t already heavily used for other semantic purposes.
• In some contexts, no styling is needed if the reader naturally expects something to be clickable (e.g., in a digital Table of Contents or references like “Figure 3.2”).

Pro Tip: When designing for print, remember that hyperlinks may not be visible or functional. Consider using footnotes, short URLs, or QR codes if link access is important.

Conclusion

The ability to seamlessly integrate hyperlinks into your documents—whether in a word processor or a robust platform like ClickHelp—is an invaluable skill for anyone involved in content creation or management. By mastering the techniques outlined in this guide, you can transform static text into a dynamic network of interconnected information.

Effective use of hyperlinks enhances navigation, enabling readers to quickly access related resources, supporting documentation, or external websites with a single click. Within platforms like ClickHelp, strategically placed links also foster a more engaging and interactive learning experience.

Ultimately, these skills empower you to produce content that is more accessible, user-friendly, and impactful—facilitating knowledge transfer and improving overall user satisfaction.

Good luck with your technical writing!

ClickHelp Team

Author, host and deliver documentation across platforms and devices

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