The Links component allows you to add a list of hyperlinks to your web page. You can link to:
- A document saved in the Media tab
- Another page on your website
- External websites
You can also add hyperlinks when using the Text component.
Add a Links component
To add a Links component to a page, you need to:
- Navigate to the page you'd like to add a Links component to
- Select the 'Add content' button under the 'Main content' area of the page's 'Content' tab
- This will open the 'Add content' slide-out panel
- From here, select the 'Links' component
- This will open the 'Links' slide-out panel
- To add a link, select the 'Add Link' button next to the 'Link items' field
- This will open a 'Link' slide-out panel
- Select the 'Link' button to add a link
If you'd like to add multiple links, repeat steps 6 to 8 for each link you want to include in the list. Then, select the 'Create' button to complete the process.
Complete the link details
Once you've selected the 'Link' button from the 'Link' slide-out panel, you'll have the option to create one of the following link types.
Link to another website
If you'd like to insert a link that will take users to another website, follow these steps:
- Add the URL website address that you'd like to link to in the 'Link' field. There is placeholder text that says 'URL'
- In the 'Link title' field, enter the words that you'd like to appear on the page that users will select for the link. If you don't add text to this field, it will default to display the full website URL address on the page. This can cause accessibility issues
- Select the 'Target' checkbox so that the link will open in a new window
- Select the 'Submit' button to add the link
Please note
As a best practice, anytime you are linking to an external website, you should select the link 'Target' checkbox so the link opens in a new window.
Link to a page on your website
If you'd like to add a link to another page on your website, please follow these steps:
- Enter the name of the page you'd like to link to in the 'Link to page' search field. A list of pages will appear in a dropdown menu. Select the page you want to link to from the available options.
- This will automatically populate the 'Link title' field with the name of the page you're linking to
- Select the 'Submit' button to complete the process
Please note
As a best practice, when you are linking to an internal page on your website, you should not select the 'Target' checkbox. Instead, you want the page to open in the same window.
Link to a document
If you'd like to link to a PDF document that you've saved in the 'Media' tab, follow these steps:
- In the 'Link title' field, enter the words you'd like to appear on the page for the link text
- Select the 'Target' checkbox so the document will open in a new window
- Scroll down to 'Link to media' section and choose the 'Select media' button
- This will open the 'Media' tab. Find the document you'd like to link to and then choose the 'Select' button
- Select the 'Submit' button to complete the process
Please note
As a best practice, anytime you are linking to a document (such as a PDF), you should make sure the link opens in a new window.
Create an anchor link
You can set up an anchor link that will take users to a specific content component on a page. To add an anchor link to a specific page component, follow these instructions:
- In the 'Anchor / querystring' field, enter the unique anchor link ID text that you added in the specific component settings
- If you're linking to an anchor ID on another page than the one you are adding the anchor link to, you'll need to include the last part of the web page URL along with the unique anchor ID (e.g., /my-page/#my_anchor)
- In the 'Link title' field add the text that you'd like to display on the page that will link to the specific page component
- Select the 'Submit' button to complete the process
Link settings
You can adjust the look and layout of the links through the settings tab. To access the link settings, select the 'Settings' tab located at the top of the 'Links' slide-out panel.
Review each of the links settings to learn more.
Design and layout
Items per row
In the 'Items per row' field, select how many links you'd like to display in a row. You can choose to one of the following options:
- 4 per row
- 3 per row
- 2 per row
- 1 per row
The option you choose will depend on how many links you're including as part of the Links component. You may want to preview and test a few different options, and select the one you like most.
Include link detail
Select the 'Include link detail' toggle if you'd like to add some additional details about each link you're displaying. If you select this setting, you'll need to make sure that you've added text in the 'Optional additional text' box located in the 'Link' slide-out menu.
Column widths
These settings will be available only if the component is contained within a split component.
Using the 'Column Width' sliders you can set the width of the component in split components. The slider allows for column widths from 1 to 12. A minimum width of 2 is recommended.
The total width settings for 'Split Section 1' and 'Split Section 2' should equal 12. If the sum of 'Split Section 1' and 'Split Section 2' is greater than 12, your split content will appear on two rows.
Separate options are available for desktop and tablet size screens. On mobile screens split components switch to a single column.
Component
Content colours
You can customize the content colours of the component using the colours that are part of your website design. Depending on your website design, you can add a coloured background behind the component to create a hot spot on the page.
Colour options
The colour options are based on the design of your website. You may be able to change the design colours depending on your Govstack plan. To get access to the website design features, speak with your GHD Digital Account Executive.
Background image
If you'd like, you can add an image to the background of your component. To do this, you need to:
- Select the "+" icon next to the "Background image" field
- This will open the 'Media' folder
- From here, choose the folder that contains the image you'd like to add
- Select the image you'd like to insert
- Press the "Select" button
Please note
Background images ignore the focal point and cropping information added to your image in the media tab. Instead they use the settings provided under "Background image options".
Adding an image behind text can cause colour contrast issues for users with low vision or colour blindness. You should only add an image behind text if it meets the colour contrast ratio requirements associated with accessibility legislation in your region.
Background images do not use alternative text and are not called out for those using screen readers. Make sure that background images do not contain information critical to understanding the meaning or context of your content.
Background image options
You can also set a few options for a background image, including the placement of the image, size of the image and whether or not the image repeats.
Image Size
These settings replace the cropping and sizing settings added in the media section image editor.
Cover - The image will stretch to fill the available space. This is the most popular option for a single image background.
Full-Width - The image stretches to fill the full width of the available space. Depending on the characteristics of the image this may result in gaps at the top and bottom of the component.
Auto - The image displays at it's actual size. This may leave gaps around the edges of your component.
Repeat - The background image with tile vertically and horizontally. Use a smaller image or a tiling image for best results.
Repeat Horizontal - As repeat but the background image tiles in a single row.
Repeat Vertical - As repeat but the background image tiles in a single column.
Image Placement
This setting replaces the focal point setting added in the media section image editor.
Select the origin point of your background image. The image will fill the space behind your component starting from the selected point. You may need to experiment to find the best contrast and focal point position for each image.
Component width
This setting only applies if you are using a page with a 'Full' page layout. Typically, full page layouts are reserved for the home page of your website or any landing pages you've created.
Animation
Animate
You can add animation to the component by selecting the 'Animate' toggle. Once the 'Animate' toggle is selected, you'll have the option to customize the:
- Animation style
- Animation delay (seconds)
- Animation duration (seconds)
Animation style
From the 'Animation style' dropdown menu, select the type of animation you'd like to add to the accordion. There are a variety of different animation options in the following categories:
- Attention Seekers
- Bouncing Entrances
- Fading Entrances
- Flippers
- Light Speed
- Rotating Entrances
- Sliding Entrances
- Zoom Entrances
- Specials
We recommend testing out a variety of animation styles to select the one you like the most.
Please note
Animation styles can cause accessibility issues for some users visiting your website. For example, some users may experience motion sickness when viewing animated elements on your website.
Animation delay
Using the 'Animation delay' slider select the time in seconds that you'd like to delay the animation.
Please note
Animation delay can cause accessibility issues for some users visiting your website. Certain animation styles and delays can combine to make your animated component invisible to screen readers. Please test your animations to make sure they are accessible.
Animation duration
You can select how long you'd like the animation to last on the component by using the 'Animation duration' slider. Select the number of seconds you'd like the animation to continue on the public website.
Advanced
Name
In the 'Name' field you can give a unique name to the component. This will make it easier to differentiate between components, both on your page as well as in your clipboard.
Anchor name
You can create an anchor link that will link a user directly to the top of this component.
When linking to this page add the anchor to the "Anchor / querystring" field in the "Select link" dialogue box. The link will then jump to the top of the target component rather than to the top of the page.
Note that anchor names are case sensitive. For best results use lowercase characters, numbers, and dashes only. Avoid spaces and special characters.
Custom classes
In the 'Custom classes' field, you can add any custom CSS classes you may have. Custom CSS classes can be found in the Design node under the 'CSS' tab in the backend of Govstack.
If you'd like to add more than one custom class, you'll need to leave a space between each class.
Please note
Depending on your Govstack plan, you may not be able to access the Design node in the backend. If you'd like to be able to add custom CSS and get access to the website design, contact your GHD Digital Account Executive.
We cannot guarantee that future updates to Govstack will not break or negatively impact custom CSS.
Additional styles
You can select additional styles to the component, including:
- Spacing
- Visibility
- Design
Spacing
You can remove the spacing around the component by selecting one of the following options:
- Remove spacing
- Remove spacing top only
- Remove spacing bottom only
Visibility
You can customize the visibility of the component. Select one of the following options:
- Hide on all screens
- Hide on extra small screens
- Hide on small screens
- Hide on medium screens
- Hide on large screens
- Hide on extra large screens
Design
Select one of the following options if you'd like to customize the design of the component:
- Show shadows - this will add a shadow effect to the component. Note that by default most Govstack websites do not have shadows. You can add these in the Design node
- Sticky - the component will stay on the screen even as users scroll down the page
Hide from website
Turn on the 'Hide from website' toggle if you'd like to hide this component from the web page.
Link item settings
You can also customize the settings for each link item within the Links component. To access the link item settings, follow these steps:
- Select the specific 'Link' button from the 'Link items' field within the 'Links' slide-out panel
- This will open the a new 'Link' slide-out panel for that specific link
- Select the 'Settings' tab located at the top of the 'Link' slide-out panel
Review each of the link item setting options
Name
In the 'Name' field you can give a unique name to the component. This will make it easier to differentiate between components, both on your page as well as in your clipboard.
Custom classes
In the 'Custom classes' field, you can add any custom CSS classes you may have. Custom CSS classes can be found in the Design node under the 'CSS' tab in the backend of Govstack.
If you'd like to add more than one custom class, you'll need to leave a space between each class.
Please note
Depending on your Govstack plan, you may not be able to access the Design node in the backend. If you'd like to be able to add custom CSS and get access to the website design, contact your GHD Digital Account Executive.
We cannot guarantee that future updates to Govstack will not break or negatively impact custom CSS.
Hide from website
Turn on the 'Hide from website' toggle if you'd like to hide this component from the web page.
Test your links
Always test your hyperlinks to make sure they are working. Broken links are a leading cause of lost traffic on the web.
Preview and publish changes
Once you've added a Links component to your page, make sure to preview and publish the page to complete the process.