Adding hyperlinks to your Google Docs documents allows you to connect your content to other webpages and files, enhancing the reader’s experience. The process of inserting a hyperlink only takes a couple of seconds. Follow this simple guide to become a pro at hyperlinking in Google Docs.
Introduction
Hyperlinks make documents more useful by letting readers easily access additional information with just a click. However, some users find the process of adding links in Google Docs to be confusing.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- What hyperlinks are
- The benefits of using hyperlinks
- How to insert hyperlinks in Google Docs on both desktop and mobile
- Tips for creating effective hyperlinks
Learning how to hyperlink properly takes your Docs game to the next level!
What Are Hyperlinks?
A hyperlink is a piece of text or an image that readers can click on to jump to a different webpage or file. Hyperlinks allow you to connect relevant information, making it easier for readers to navigate between resources.
For example, if you mention a research study in your document, you could hyperlink the study’s title to the webpage where the full paper is published. Or you may link to a related spreadsheet you’ve referenced.
Hyperlinks are especially useful for:
- Citing sources
- Linking to more details or background information
- Connecting a series of Google Docs for a large project
- Directing readers to important documents or webpages
Benefits of Using Hyperlinks
Adding high-quality hyperlinks provides many benefits:
Improves reader experience – Hyperlinks give instant access to the additional content readers want. This helps their understanding and cuts down on frustration.
Increases engagement – When you link out to useful resources, readers end up spending more time engaging with your content.
Boosts perceived credibility – Hyperlinked citations and sources bolster your document’s credibility.
Enhances collaboration – Linking between Google Docs helps team members better collaborate on projects.
Easy to use – Hyperlinks only take seconds to add once you know how.
How to Add Hyperlinks in Google Docs on Desktop
Adding hyperlinks using the Google Docs desktop interface is fast and simple:
- Highlight the text you want to be hyperlinked. You can select a single word or multiple words.
- Click the Insert link button in the toolbar. It appears as a small hyperlink icon.
- Paste or type the destination URL into the text field in the Insert link pop-up box. Make sure the URL is valid and directed to the correct webpage or file location.
- Click Apply.
The selected text will now appear as blue, underlined text indicating it is a live hyperlink. Readers can simply click on the text to follow the link.
To remove a link, highlight it and click Remove link in the toolbar. You can also right-click the link and choose Remove link.
Inserting Hyperlinks on Mobile
The process is very similar when inserting links using the Google Docs mobile app on your iPhone, Android phone, or tablet:
- Select the text you want to hyperlink by long-pressing it.
- Tap Insert Link in the pop-up toolbar.
- Type or paste the URL into the text field on the Insert Link page.
- Tap the checkmark icon to apply the link.
Again, the text will change color and become underlined to demonstrate it is now an active hyperlink.
Tips for Effective Hyperlinks
Follow these tips for hyperlinks that provide true value for your readers:
Use descriptive link text – Avoid generic link text like “Click here” or “This site”. Instead, make the linked phrase descriptive of what readers will find, like “NASA lunar exploration info” or “2022 sales spreadsheet”.
Link to high-quality sites – Don’t link to untrusted, irrelevant, or low-value pages. Make sure what you link to is useful and credible.
Check links work – Click all links after adding them to confirm they direct to the correct webpage and are not broken.
Use sparingly – Be judicious with links. Too many make your document messy and hard to read.
Common Hyperlinking Pitfalls
Beginners make some common mistakes when adding hyperlinks in Google Docs:
- Forgetting to highlight the text before adding the link
- Not checking that long URLs wrap to the next line properly
- Linking text that isn’t descriptive enough of the destination
- Directing links to broken, missing, or untrustworthy webpages
- Inserting links that open content in a new tab when it would be better embedded
Be mindful of these slip-ups as you practice your linking skills. With a bit of care, your hyperlinks will be flawless.
Conclusion
Adding hyperlinks provides immense value for your readers and requires minimal effort once you know the steps. Both the desktop and mobile Google Docs interfaces allow you to easily insert and remove links with just a few clicks.
Use descriptive link text, link to quality sites, and check your links to create an excellent reader experience. Internal links between documents boosts collaboration while outbound links to external sources increases engagement.
So put your new hyperlinking abilities into action right away! In just 2 seconds, you can link to exciting new worlds of connected information.
