Please note: We do not recommend attaching PDF documents or images to an email campaign instead we recommend that you use a URL hyperlink to link to a PDF document or image which can be tracked via the e-Marketing reporting feature to see who and how many times the hyperlink was clicked open.
Please read our guide below to see how you create a URL hyperlink to a PDF or image:
What are URL Links?
Hyperlinks or URL links are used to take you straight to a webpage or document such as PDF and can be used within an email campaign to ask reader to ‘click here’ or to ‘visit us’ to open up a link/web page.
Why use URL Links for PDF Documents and images?
We recommend that you use a URL link to a PDF document and image inside an email campaign instead of attaching a PDF or image to the email.
By creating a URL link you can track how many people have clicked on the link (which one they clicked on) and how many times it was clicked open, please click here to find out more about the reporting features inside the e-Marketing service.
How to Create a URL Link to a PDF Document or image inside an email campaign:
Firstly you will need to contact our Support Helpdesk as we will issue you with a unique number to use which is needed to set up a URL link to a PDF document.
Once you have been given your unique number you can use this each time you want to create a URL link to a PDF.
Please make sure you keep a record of this unique number so you can use it again.
Follow the steps below to create a URL Link to a PDF document:
1. Go to your e-Marketing campaign list by clicking on the e-Marketing icon along the top of your screen
2. Click on the email campaign name you wish to add the hyperlink into – as shown below, this will take you into the Campaign Editor window:
3. Click on the Insert/Edit image icon as shown below in red:
4. Next Click on the Browse icon as circled below in red:
5. This will load the following window:
6. Click on the Upload button - as shown below:
To create the URL link you MUST NOT upload the PDF or image within the Files folder but it MUST BE inside the main Images section as shown below to work:
7. Click on Add Files as shown below:
8. Find the PDF Document or image (png or jpeg format) from your computers library or search your Computer and double click to select the file.
9. Next click on the Upload button to upload your PDF or image (png or jpeg format) into the e-Marketing library.
10. When the file or image (png or jpeg format) is uploaded it will show as 100% as shown below:
11. Click on Close. The file or image (png or jpeg format) has now been added to your library.
12. Next open a web browser such as Google Chrome
13. Type into the address bar the following:
https://ilink.to/e/uniquenumber/theexactfilename.pdf
as the example shows below or if image then then name of the image i.e. https://ilink.to/e/uniquenumber/logo.png or https://ilink.to/e/uniquenumber/logo.jpeg depending on the format.
Please note that if you are using spaces show this as an underscore line (_) or join the text up together without any spaces.
14. Press the return key (Enter key) after entering the address and your PDF document or image (png or jpeg format) will be displayed as shown in the example above.
15. Inside your email campaign where you have text which you want to hyperlink to this PDF document – highlight the text such as ‘Click Here’ with your mouse, as shown below:
16. Next click on the Insert Link button at the top of your email template as shown below in red:
17. Paste in your link in the Link URL field as shown below in red (sometimes you may have to manually enter the link rather than paste it in for the link to work).
18. Change the Target field from ‘None’ to ‘New Window ‘– as shown below:
It is important that you change the target field to ‘New Window’ as when the reader clicks the link to open the document the email will sit behind the document – when the document is then closed the email will still be displayed.
19. Click on OK to save.
20. Next Click SAVE to save the changes you have made to your email template and close the Edit box
21. Go back to your e-Marketing list to see all of your e-Marketing campaigns:
22. Click on the Preview icon as shown below in red:
23. Click the URL Link to test the link works.
24. Also send yourself a test of the email by clicking on Send Test icon as shown below: So that you can check the layout and again check that the link to your PDF document opens correctly.
As with all links we strongly recommend you send yourself a test email to check that all links are working correctly before sending out the e-marketing campaign.
For more information or help please contact our Support Helpdesk for assistance.
Please note: you can also create URL hyperlinks via the Files Repository in your account - please click here to see how.