Creating New Links

Creating a new hyperlink is a two-part job:

1. First, you create the link text, the text that a visitor would click to activate the link.

2. Next, you attach the URL to the link text.

The following example shows how easy it is to create a new link to a Web page:

1. Type and format the text that will serve as the link text (see Figure 23.5).

   Figure 23.5. Step 1: Type the link text.

   

2. Select the text (see Figure 23.6).

   Figure 23.6. Step 2: Select the link text.

   

   

   Although you can apply character formatting (such as fonts or italics) to the link text you create, don't do it. Just apply the paragraph style you want to use and leave it at that.

   Browsers usually display link text with unique formatting (usually underlining and a blue color ) to help visitors instantly identify links on a page. You don't want your character formatting to make finding links tricky for your visitors by changing the link text formatting they're accustomed to seeing.

3. Click the Link button on the Standard toolbar (see Figure 23.7).

   Figure 23.7. Step 3: Click the Link button.

   

4. In the box labeled Link To, type the complete URL (see Figure 23.8). Be sure to include the http:// part at the beginning. Then click OK.

   Figure 23.8. Step 4: Type the URL and click OK.

   

You can use a picture as link text so that clicking the picture activates the link (see Chapter 25).

You can even put multiple links in one picture so that clicking each part of the picture leads to a different place. You learn how to do this in Chapter 29, "Putting Multiple Links in One Picture."