Providing links in your content is a great way to give your users quick access to more information as necessary—especially when that information keeps them on your site.

When to Use Links

Any time your content makes reference to another person or part of Middlebury, where the additional information will benefit your message, you should create a hyperlink. 

  • Faculty and staff (link to profiles or stories)
  • Academic departments
  • Administrative offices
  • Organizations
  • Events
  • News stories
  • Photos/Videos and captions
  • Anything else that’s relevant

If a link is not essential to your message or it will distract from a specific purpose of your content (i.e. you want users to respond quickly to a call to action), then it’s not usually helpful.

Formatting Links

A link should be the words that best describe where it will take you, not the actual URL. It should also be a natural part of your sentence as opposed to being set off by the words “click here to…” 

For example:

Learn more about the Center for Careers and Internships.

According to Associate Professor Susan Smith

Be sure to stop by the Museum of Art before the start of the performance.

Quick Tips

  • Link text should not be the URL
  • Link text should describe where the link takes you    
  • Avoid language like “click here”
  • Avoid links that just say “Read More” (be specific about where the link goes)
  • Avoid punctuation in link text

Other Topics of Interest

Writing for the Web

Middlebury Editorial Style Guide  

Page Titles, Blurbs, and Meta Descriptions

Headlines and Paragraphs

SEO 101

Components

Web Accessibility