A large benefit of a website is its ability to link to other content on the web. HotDoodle offers the ability to create clickable links to other websites as well as other pages and blocks within the website. HotDoodle allows four types of links to be created for either an image or text.

1. Link to an External Website
2. Link to a Page Within the Website
3. Link to a Block Within the Website
4. Link to an Email Address

To create a link to a source outside of the website(external website), copy the URL to the outside website.

Steps: How to Add a Link to an External Website

1. While editing the block, click and drag the cursor over to highlight the area of text that will serve as the link.

2. Click on the "Insert Link" icon (small chain). The Insert Link window appears.

3.Type or paste the URL to link to a specific internet address (Example: http://www.google.com).

4. Select an option from the drop-down menu to set how the linked page will display (existing window, new window, etc). Type a title to the link (optional). The title will appear as a pop up hint when the cursor hovers over the link.

5. Click on the "Insert" button.

6. The editor will display the new link in a different color or style to coordinate with the theme of the website.

7. Click on the "Save" button.

Steps: How to Add a Link to a Page Within the Website

1. While editing the block, click and drag the cursor over to highlight the area of text that will serve as the link.

2. Click on the "Insert Link" icon (small chain). The Insert Link window appears.

3. Click on the “Link to a Page” link.

4. Click on the page to link in the Site Hierarchy window that pops up.

5. Select an option from the drop-down menu to set how the linked page will display (existing window, new window, etc). Type a title to the link (optional). The title will appear as a pop up hint when the cursor hovers over the link.

6. Click on the "Insert" button.

7. The editor will display the new link in a different color or style to coordinate with the theme of the website.

8. Click on the "Save" button.

Steps: How to Add a Link to a Block Within the Website

1. While editing the block, click and drag the cursor over to highlight the area of text that will serve as the link.

2. Click on the "Insert Link" icon (small chain). The Insert Link window appears.

3. Click on the “Link to Content” link.

A pop up Site Content Selector screen appears displaying the website where all the blocks display a clickable "Link to this Block" to the right of each block. 

4. Navigate to the block to link to and click on the "Link to this Block" link in the top right corner of the block.

5. Select an option from the drop-down menu to set how the linked page will display (existing window, new window, etc). Type a title to the link (optional). The title will appear as a pop up hint when the cursor hovers over the link.

6. Click on the "Insert" button.

7. The editor will display the new link in a different color or style to coordinate with the theme of the website.

8. Click on the "Save" button.

To add a link to an email address, proceed with the above steps for adding a Link to an External Website, but the link URL field will be unique.

The link URL will need to include "mailto:" with no spaces before the email address to link (Example: mailto:info@yourdomain.com).

When creating a link, the target drop-down menu lists options for how the link will open when clicked. 

1. Open in this window / frame - This option opens the new webpage in the same browsing window. If the link is to an external source, this option could navigate visitors away from your website.

2. Open in new window (_blank) - This option opens a new browsing window to display the new webpage. This option allows the current website to remain open in another window.

Logs In Checkbox - When this Option is checked, a special link is created where the visitor is automatically logged in to the website when they click on the link.