Linking to Documents

After you upload documents to your Media Library, you’ll need to provide a link in order for visitors to view or download them. Unlike Images or Video, Documents are not a visual component of your page. The only way for a visitor to view or download your document is through a hyperlink to the file.

When a visitor clicks the hyperlink, one of three things will typicaly happen: 1.) the file will open in the user’s browser. This is most often the case for PDF documents, or 2.) the file will download to the user’s computer or device, or 3.) users may be prompted to decide whether they wish to download the file, or open it in an application. Factors that affect this behavior include: the type of document you are presenting, the user’s device, the user’s operating system, the user’s browser, and the user’s system settings and preferences.

Obviously, a lot has to do with the user, so much of what happens when a user clicks a link is beyond your control. What you can control is the Document type, and how you present your hyperlink.

Contextual Hyperlinks to Documents

Where you add your hyperlinks is up to you. Sometimes, it makes sense to add a link to a word or phrase within the flow of your content. For example:

For a list of important items to bring to rehearsal, please download and print this document.

Using contextual language to link to documents makes reading your content easier, and helps readers recognize that your link means that you are referencing a document that’s related or important to what you are telling them. You do not have to include the file name or extension in your link text, although it sometimes helps visitors understand that they are going to be viewing or downloading a certain document type. For instance, adding (PDF) with your hyperlink text, lets visitors know that a PDF document is about to display on their screen, or download to their computer or device.

If you have multiple documents that you need to make available, you might place them in a list like this:

Document Types

The following media file formats are considered “Documents”. Almost nothing has to do with the content type within, it only means that they are file documents; anything that is not an image, a video or an audio file. They are still considered “Media”.

  • PDF Documents (.pdf)
  • Word Docs (.doc, .docs, .docx)
  • Excel Spreadsheets (.xls, .xlsx)
  • Powerpoint Presentations (.pps, .ppt, .pptx)
  • Keynote Presentations (.key)
  • Archive File (.zip)

Adding a Hyperlink

To add a hyperlink to a document, do the following:

  1. Within the body of your page or post, select the Visual Editor or the Visual Editor within the Page Builder*. Click to place your curser at the point in which you wish your hperlink to display, then click the Add Media button. Your Media Library will launch.
  2. Do one of the following to select a file:
    1. Select a file that you have already uploaded to your Media Library
    2. Drag and drop a new file into Media Library. Multiple files are allowed.
    3. Click the Upload Files tab. Clicking Select Files opens a navigation window showing you files in your computer. Selecting Open after clicking on the file you want activates a progress bar on the uploader screen. Revert to the Browser Uploader by clicking the link below the drag and drop box.
  3. IMPORTANT – Before you click the Insert into Post button, Add or Edit the Title of the document, in the filed under the Attachment Details window. The Title is the text that will display as your hyperlink. If you fail to add or edit the title, then the file name will be used instead! If you skip or forget this step, you can edit your link later.
  4. Optionally add a Description of your file and select from an existing Media Category
  5. Under Attachment Display Settings, the link should link to Media File. Since you are linking to file documents, other attributes, such as size, are not relevant and can be safely ignored.
  6. Click the Insert into Post button

A new text hyperlink should appear at the position you clicked to insert your Document. The link text should be the same as the Title attribute for the file.

* You can add a hyperlink to a Document when using the Text Editor, but editing or manipulating is more difficult, unless you are skilled in HTML.

Editing a Hyperlink

To edit the text of a hyperlink, or to change the linked file, do the following:

  1. From within your page or post, select the Visual Editor or the Visual Editor within the Page Builder, hover over the hyperlink you wish to edit, and single click anywhere within the link.
  2. Within the link editor, click the Pencil icon, then do one of the following:.
    1. To edit just the hyperlink URL itself, click in the selected text area and make any necessary changes, then click the Apply button to save them
    2. Click the Link Options icon (Gear) to open the Insert/Edit Link dialog box, in which you can:
      1. Edit the hyperlink URL if needed, by changing or pasting a different URL
      2. Change the Link Text
      3. Elect to have the Document Open in a new tab or window. It is highly recommended that you check this option to open all Documents in new tabs or windows. This allows you visitor to view or download your document, without having to re-navigate to the page they were visiting.
  3. Click the Update button when you are finished.

You may have noticed that you also have the option to Link to existing content, or Search for other content. This option DOES NOT apply to media files and documents. The search field and content list only displays your site’s posts and pages, NOT the Media Library. If you need to link to a different Media File, then you would either have to paste the file URL itself, or start over and relink to another file..

Posted in Documents