How to Create Anchor Links in WordPress (3 Easy Methods)

Anchor links, also known as jump links, are essential for enhancing the user experience and navigation on your website. Although you can find anchor links anywhere on a website, they are often concentrated in website navigation menus or tables of contents.

If you want to know how to add anchor links in WordPress, you are in the right place. This article is a comprehensive guide on creating WordPress anchor links. We’ll cover three different methods – the block editor, the classic editor, and using a plugin.

We’ll explain what anchor links are, what their components are, and why you should consider using them. We will also provide use cases for implementing jump links on your WordPress site.

What Is A WordPress Anchor Link?

A WordPress anchor link is a hyperlink that allows users to go to a specific section within the same page or another page. It consists of two main components – an anchor ID and a link to the element. When a user wants to read a specific section of your post or page, they can click on the anchor link to get there.

Here are some more details about the components that make anchor links functional:

• Anchor ID. This is a unique identifier assigned to a specific section or HTML element on the web page. This ID attribute serves as the target destination for the anchor link.
• Link to the element. It is the anchor link itself, which users can click to navigate to the content associated with the anchor ID.

When clicked, an anchor link takes you to a specific section higher or lower on the page. These links are especially useful for creating a seamless reading experience and helping visitors quickly find relevant information without having to scroll extensively.

Why Should You Use Anchor Links?

Anchor links offer many benefits. Aside from ease of use, here are a few reasons to consider adding jump links to your website:

• Make it easy to locate content. If you have long pages and posts, adding anchors helps users navigate easily. For lengthy pages with multiple sections, they provide a convenient way to divide content into manageable parts.
• Smooth navigation. These links allow users to jump to a specific section of the web page. That way, readers don’t have to scroll manually and can access the content on a page with one click.
• SEO benefits. Anchors add structure to your page, which helps enhance your WordPress SEO efforts. Sometimes, anchors appear on search engine results pages (SERPs), improving the chances of increasing your click-through rate.
• References. When writing blog posts or journal articles, anchor links enable authors to refer to specific points. For instance, a writer can link to a definition, a related topic, or a supporting example within the same page or a different content piece.

From the above points, it is clear that there are many advantages of using anchor links. Whether it’s a one-page website or a lengthy product page, site visitors will have better navigation. You can also add smooth scroll animations, which will further enhance the user experience.

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Use Cases for Anchor Links

To demonstrate, here are some use cases where jump links can be highly beneficial:

• Table of contents. A table of contents is usually seen in articles and blog posts. It’s located at the beginning of the post or article. The table of contents provides an overview of the page’s structure and allows users to jump to the section they’re interested in.
• Call to action (CTA). Anchors can guide users toward important CTA sections, boosting your page’s effectiveness. This can work anywhere, including one-page sites and long sales pages.
• Tutorials and guides. Use anchors to break down an extensive blog post into sections. When users click on these links, they instantly jump to the relevant information.
• FAQ pages. Organize Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) with anchor links so users can find answers easily.
• Product pages. Use those links on product landing pages to guide users to the product features and benefits section.
• Documentation. Create a jump link in your documentation to help users locate specific topics.

Anchors improve accessibility, increase user engagement and contribute to a well-organized web page. They are especially useful for navigating long-form content, FAQs, documentation, or one-page websites where readers want to jump to specific sections.

These internal links act as bookmarks, making navigation of your website easier and faster. You can also use them as custom links for A/B testing against real links.

How to Create WordPress Anchor Links

Now that you understand their benefits and uses, let’s learn how to create anchor links in WordPress.

There are different ways to create anchor links for your WordPress posts or pages. We’ll explore three easy methods – the block editor, the classic editor, and using a plugin. Each method offers its own benefits while meeting different user preferences and needs.

In this WordPress tutorial, we are going to use a WordPress post to display.

How to Create Anchor Links in WordPress Using the Block Editor

Using the default WordPress content editor or the Gutenberg editor, you can add anchor links relatively easily. Follow the steps below to add anchor links using this visual editor:

1. Select the target block. Edit the post or page where you want to insert the anchor link. Then, select the target block where you want to place an anchor ID.
2. Access the block settings. With the block selected, you can find the block settings on the right sidebar. There will be two tabs on top of the sidebar – Post and Block.

3. Add the anchor ID. Select the Block tab and navigate to the Advanced section. Under the HTML Anchor box, add your ID attribute.

Important! Note that it is better to use a unique word for your ID. If you’re adding more than one word to an HTML anchor field, don’t add a space between them. Instead, use hyphen (-) or underscore (_). For example, we named our title “scalability-and-resilience.” Avoid using any IDs already added elsewhere on the page, and keep it relevant to the block content.

4. Add the anchor link to the desired text. Select the text where you want to add this anchor’s link. This is where users will click to jump to their desired section. Then, click on the chain icon in the pop-up toolbar and insert the anchor text following a # sign. Make sure to use the # prefix instead of https.

After adding the link, hit Enter on the keyboard or click on the curved arrow at the end of the textbox. Save your changes, and you’ve successfully added a jump link to your post.

How to Create WordPress Anchor Links Using the Classic Editor

Creating anchor links using the classic WordPress editor is technically similar to the block editor. You can manually add anchor links using this method by following these steps:

1. Edit the post or page. First, access the content where you want to add the anchor ID or anchor text. Once you are in the classic WordPress editor, click on the Text tab.
2. Add the anchor ID. Navigate to the part of the content where you want to add the anchor. In our case, we’ll add it to the H2 header tag “Scalability and Flexibility.” Within that HTML tag, add the anchor ID. The result should look like this: <h2 id=”scalability-and-flexibility”>Scalability and Flexibility</h2>.

3. Add the anchor link to your content. Switch back to the Visual tab and find the word or phrase where you want to add the anchor link. Highlight the text and click on the chain icon in the top toolbar of the WordPress classic editor. Insert your anchor text with a # prefix – in our case, it will be #scalability-and-flexibility – then hit Enter.

An alternative option for step three is to manually create the jump link in the Text editor. For that, you need to add the HTML <a> tag and the anchor ID text with the # prefix. It’s similar to adding a link to a text. In our case, it will look like the following HTML code:<a href=”#scalability-and-flexibility”>scalability and flexibility</a>

After that, don’t forget to save your changes and check the live version to ensure that the link is working properly.

How to Create Anchor Links in WordPress Using a Plugin

If you want to easily add anchor links, one option is to use the All in One SEO (AIOSEO) plugin. It can create a table of contents for your post or page and automatically add jump links to it. This is a great way to save time and add structure to your pages.

First, you need to install the WordPress plugin from your dashboard by going to Plugins → Add New. Then, activate the plugin so that it appears as a WordPress navigation menu item.

To add WordPress anchor links using AIOSEO, follow these steps:

1. Edit the post where you want to add the table of contents. At your desired section in the post, click on the Add block (+) button and search for “table of contents.”

2. Insert the AIOSEO – Table of Contents block into your post. It will detect the headings in the post and automatically add anchor links for all the headings. You can then decide which headings to display on the block.

3. After that, add a heading on top of the block with the text “Table of Contents” or something similar. This makes the section easily visible to support a better user experience.

So that is how you can create links and insert a table of contents automatically to your posts with the AIOSEO WordPress plugin.

Alternatively, you can use the Easy Table of Contents plugin to automatically display a similar table in all of your posts. This WordPress link-to-page section plugin has an auto-insert option that comes in handy for blogs and media sites.

Suggested Reading

Discover our complete AIOSEO tutorial for comprehensive installation and configuration tips.

Tips for Using Anchor Links

Anchor links make your pages more organized and improve the overall user experience. After learning how to add anchor links to a WordPress site, most users will proceed with inserting a table of contents at the beginning of their post.

However, be careful not to overuse them. Posts with too many anchor links can look cluttered. This may drive away visitors, which can harm your site’s reputation.

Therefore, when adding anchor links, it is important to keep some factors in mind:

• Use a descriptive anchor text. When you’re inserting an anchor ID to a section, make sure it describes the content accurately. Instead of using generic phrases like “click here,” opt for relevant keywords that describe the linked content.
• Avoid using too many anchor links on a single page. Excessive anchor links on a single page make the content look spammy. Since search engines like Google use anchors to crawl and understand the structure of a website, inserting too many of them might result in confusion. So, use anchor links where they’re necessary.
• Test your anchor links to make sure they work. It’s a good idea to check whether your anchor links are working properly. If the anchor links are empty or if you’ve made a mistake in the linking process, it may result in an error.
• Add WordPress anchor links to another page. You can take an external page section’s anchor attribute, create an anchor link, and insert it into another page. This way, you can direct visitors to a specific section of a different page or post.

Conclusion

By exploring the benefits and implementation of anchor links in WordPress, this article provides valuable insights for both seasoned users and beginners. Understanding anchor links is crucial for enhancing the structure, organization, and SEO of your web pages, ultimately leading to a smoother navigation experience for your visitors.

We’ve covered flexible methods for creating anchor links, catering to various preferences and experience levels. Whether you prefer the block editor, classic editor, or a dedicated plugin, implementing anchor links is made easy with our step-by-step guide.

Remember, best practices are crucial to avoid overuse and maintain user-friendliness. Utilize the tips provided to optimize your site and enhance the user experience. Good luck!

Still have questions about creating anchor links on your WordPress site? Check out these FAQs for clarification.

What are the benefits of using anchor links?

• Improved user experience for long-form content: Allows users to jump to specific sections without scrolling.
• Enhanced navigation: Provides a structured way for users to explore your content.
• Improved SEO: Helps search engines understand the structure of your page and content.

Why is my anchor link not working?

• Syntax errors: Double-check for typos and correct syntax in the HTML code.
• Incorrect anchor IDs: Ensure the link points to the correct ID on your page.
• Relative path issues: Use absolute paths instead of relative paths for consistency.
• JavaScript conflicts: Deactivate plugins temporarily to check for conflicts.
• CSS styles affecting visibility: Ensure CSS rules don’t hide the anchor link or button.

How do I use anchor links to link to other websites?

• Include the full URL of the other website followed by the # symbol and the ID of the specific section.
• Example: <a href="https://example.com/#section3">Go to Section 3</a>.

Additional tips:

• Use descriptive anchor text to inform users about the linked content.
• Avoid overuse of anchor links to maintain a clean and user-friendly experience.
• Consider using a plugin for easier anchor link management.

By understanding these common issues and solutions, you can effectively utilize anchor links to enhance your WordPress website’s navigation and user experience.