As you discover more about WordPress, you may occasionally come across the term blogroll.

A blogroll is a list of links pointing to external websites or blogs displayed on your sidebar area.

According to official WordPress documentation …

“The term ‘blogroll’ was originally used because it was a list of links to other blogs, but you can include links to any sites.”

The Links feature lets you add and manage links to a widgetized theme.

Before the release of WordPress v 3.5, Links were a visible feature of the WordPress CMS. From v3.5 onwards, the Links Manager section was removed …

Before …

(WordPress Links Feature – pre v3.5)

After …

(Post version 3.5 – no WordPress Links feature)

If you’ve had an earlier version of WordPress than v3.5 installed and updated your installation, the Link Manager would have been removed, unless you have previously used it.

 

How To Add A Link Section To WordPress

You can add a link section to your sidebar menu by creating a custom menu, or use a plugin like the one shown in the tutorial below.

If you can’t see the Links feature when you log into your WordPress dashboard you will need to install a plugin. In this tutorial, you will learn how to add and manage blogroll links on your sidebar using WordPress plugins.

Link Manager

(Link Manager Plugin)

Plugin URL

http://wordpress.org/plugins/link-manager

Plugin Description

This plugin displays the built-in Links feature on your WP dashboard, even if you update WordPress to a later version or remove all of your existing links.

Note: This plugin adds a single line of template code to your installation in order to restore the hidden feature. When we last checked, the plugin had not been updated for a while, but it should still work fine. If you don’t want to use this plugin, then use the one below instead, or contact us for help editing your template code.

Simple Links

(Simple Links Plugin)

Plugin Download URL

https://wordpress.org/plugins/simple-links/

Description Of Plugin

This plugin recreates the same concept as the built-in Link Manager while addressing the shortcomings of the deprecated feature.

Plugin Installation

Let’s install the Link Manager plugin.

From the WordPress admin area, go to Plugins > Add New …

(Plugins Menu – Add New)

Click on the Install Plugins > Search tab, type in “link manager” into the search field and hit Enter …

Locate the plugin in the results screen and click Install Now …

Activate the plugin …

After activation, a ‘Links’ item will get added to your dashboard menu area …

(WordPress links management menu)

Plugin Setup

Before you start adding any new links, we recommend setting up your link categories. This way, you can assign any new links to link categories you have already created.

Link Categories

To create a link category, choose Links > Link Categories in the WP dashboard navigation menu …

(Links Menu – Link Categories)

This loads the ‘Link Categories’ page in your web browser.

Type in information into the following sections:

• Name: Enter the category name.
• Slug: The slug shows up in the URL of the link category. It must all be in lowercase letters and contain no spaces (use hyphens to separate words).
• Description: Some themes may display a link category description. (Optional)

Click the Add New Link Category button to save …

(Link Categories area)

Your new category will now show in the list …

(Link Categories screen)

Tip: The default WordPress link category is called Blogroll . Unless you specify the category for a new link, WordPress automatically assigns new links to the default category …

(Default link category)

You may want to change this default WordPress link category name to something better suited to your business. This not only makes it easier for users of your site, but any new links that you add to your site will automatically display under the new category name …

(we recommend changing the default link category name to something your visitors will relate to)

To edit the default category name, hover your mouse over the item and click on the Quick Edit link …

(Editing the default link category)

Change both the Name and the Slug with a new category name, then click on Update Link Category …

(Quick Edit)

In our example, we’ve replaced the category name ‘Blogroll’ with an appropriate links section category name (e.g. ‘Recommended’).

Let’s insert a link category description. To add a link category description, hover over the item name and click Edit …

(Link category description)

Add your link category description field and click Update finished to save your settings …

(Edit Link Category area)

Repeat the above process to add as many different link categories as your site requires.

After you have finished setting up your link categories, you can start adding your links.

How To Add New Links

To add a new link, choose Links > Add New in the main dashboard menu …

(Links – Add New)

This loads the Add New Link’ page in your browser …

(Add New Link screen)

You can also access this page by clicking on the ‘Add New’ button at the top of the main Links screen …

(Add New Link button)

The ‘Add New Links’ page has a number of sections:

Name, Web Address & Description

Enter your link details in this section …

(Name, Web Address& Description fields)

Enter information into the following fields:

• Name: What you type in this field displays as the link category name.
• Slug: The slug displays in the web address of the link category. It must be in lowercase letters and contain no spaces (use hyphens to separate words).
• Description: Some themes may display a link category description. (Optional)

Categories & Target

Select a Category and Target for your new link …

(Categories & Target)

In the Categories section, tick one of the link categories you have already created, or click on the ‘+ Add New Category’ link to add a new category.

Also, select a target frame radio button for your link in the Target section. This lets you specify where your link should open when clicked on:

• _blank means that a separate window will open up in their browser to display the content associated with the link.
• _none means that when a visitor clicks on the link, they will exit your site and a new site or page will load in your browser window instead.
• _top opens the link at the top level of the frame system if you’re using frames. If you don’t use frames, or if you don’t know what frames are, then ignore this option.

Link Relationship XFN

This area provides some additional link functionality …

(Link Relationship (XFN) area – Add New Link screen)

Link Relationship (XFN) – XFN (XML Friends Network) allows you to define your relationship to the linked person. For example, if you have a professional relationship with Beckett Silva and you link to his blog, you would probably tick co-worker or colleague.

XFN relationships are optional for WordPress links. You can leave everything in this section blank and your links will work just fine. XFN makes your links more understandable to some websites and search engines that use this information.

rel – This field lets you specify the ‘rel’ attribute that will be assigned to your link. The rel attribute specifies the relationship between the current document and the linked document. For example, if you don’t want search engines to follow your link, type nofollow into this field. Separate multiple ‘rel’ attributes with spaces.

You can learn more about XFN by visiting this site:

• WordPress Codex: Defining Relationships With XFN

Advanced

The last section lets you specify Advanced features for your links (You can ignore this section, unless there’s a good reason to use it) …

(Add New Link page – Advanced link settings)

The Advanced link settings section includes the following options:

• Image Address: Specify an image to be displayed with the link. Add the image URL and make sure that the image is small (around 16×16 like a favicon).
• RSS Address: If your theme allows it, the RSS feed associated with the link can display next to the link.
• Notes: This section lets you add notes for your own internal reference.
• Rating: Add a rating score to the link if you want to sort links by rating (see the ‘Links’ widget section below).

Type in your information into the above fields or just leave this section ignore this section.

When you are done adding your new link information, click on the Add Link button to save your new link …

(Click on the Add Link button to update your link settings)

Note: If you tick the Keep this link private checkbox, your link will not be visible when links are displayed on your site …

(Make your links private)

Making links private allows you to add links and then toggle their visibility on or off without deleting your links (this is useful if you want to use seasonal links) …

(Making links private toggles their visibility on and off)

To view all your links, select Links > All Links in the admin menu …

(WP Links Menu – All Links)

This brings up the ‘Links’ table. The list of links displays all your links and link information (e.g. URL, categories, rating, etc.) …

(Table of links)

Tip: To display additional options in the table of links, click on the ‘Screen Options’ tab at the top of your screen …

(Screen Options – Links table)

Enable/disable information on your table of links by ticking/unticking their checkboxes …

(Show/hide links)

How To Edit Your Link Information

To modify a link in the Link Manager, click on Links > All Links in your WP dashboard menu to bring up your table of links …

(WP Links Menu – All Links)

Locate the item to be edited and click on Edit to bring up the link’s details …

(Editing link information)

Change the link …

(Edit Link page)

After you’re done editing the link, you can:

• Click the Update Link button to save and update your link details,
• Click on Visit Link to view your link and make sure that you have set up everything correctly (the link will open up in a new window),
• Click Delete to remove the link from your list …

(Update Link button)

Deleting Links

To delete links from the Link Manager, click on Links > All Links in your admin menu …

(WordPress Links Menu – All Links)

You will be taken to the ‘Links’ page.

You can delete links individually, delete multiple links by selecting their check boxes, or perform a bulk delete.

To delete individual links, hover over the link title that you want to remove and click Delete …

(Delete links)

To delete links in bulk, either tick the checkboxes next to individual links that you would like to be removed, or select all links by clicking on the checkbox next to the ‘Name’ column header at the top of the list …

(Delete multiple links)

Choose Delete from the ‘Bulk Actions’ menu, and click the Apply button to remove your selected links …

(Bulk-delete links)

The links you have selected will be removed …

(links deleted notice)

Using The Link Manager Plugin

Now that you know how to configure link categories and how to add, edit and delete links, let’s show you how to display your links on your website.

Links Widget

The Link Manager plugin adds a ‘Links’ widget to your ‘Widgets’ page.

To access and configure your Link widgets, go to the WP dashboard menu and choose Appearance > Widgets …

(Appearance – Widgets)

This brings up the ‘Widgets’ page.

You will notice a ‘Links’ widget in the Available Widgets section …

(Links widget)

Drag the ‘Links’ widget to one of the widget bars and drop it wherever you would like your links to display …

(Adding a links widget to a widgetized menu using drag and drop)

The Links widget provides various options. You can specify what information you would like to show about your links and how many links you would like displayed on your sidebar menu …

(Link widget - settings)

You can add multiple link widgets to your sidebar and footer. This allows you to add and display specific multiple lists of links sorted by categories throughout your site …

(Add multiple link widgets to your widget bars)

Display a list of links for a specific category …

(Link widget options – Select Link Category)

You can sort links by Link ID, Link rating, Link title, or display links in Random order …

(Link widget options – Sort by options)

After configuring the links widget, click the Save button to update your settings. Your link section will appear on your sidebar menu …

(Links can be displayed on your site’s sidebar)

As the above example shows, you can display specific links to your site visitors (e.g. a list for a specific link category only), and add multiple lists of links to your sidebar menu.

Need help with widgets? We have written a detailed article on adding widgets here:

• Using Widgets

Link Manager – Additional Information

If you have added many links, the Links Manager plugin allows you to easily administer these with sort, filter, and search features.

Sort Your Links

You can sort links by hovering your mouse cursor over the title of the column you want to sort and clicking on the black triangle displayed next to the column title …

(You can easily sort your links)

Search Links

Type a search term into the search field and click the Search Links button …

(Find your links)

Filter Links Function

You can filter links by link category …

(Filtering links by link category)

You can also search and filter links in the Link Categories page. Use the ‘Search Link Categories’ button to find link categories, or click on the category links in the ‘Links’ column …

(Search and filter links in the Link Categories page)

This brings up a list of all links listed under a specific link category …

(Links filtered by link category)

Additional Link Options

If you plan to use links extensively on your site, or if you intend to add a ‘Links’ page to your site (i.e. not just add links on your sidebar), then you may want to look at using a plugin that can help you administer links.

Link Library

(Link library – Plugin For WordPress)

Plugin Download URL

http://wordpress.org/plugins/link-library/

Plugin Description

Link Library allows you to publish a list of all your link categories and a complete list of all your links together with descriptions and notes …

(List of links created with Link library. Screenshot taken from Link Library plugin documentation.)

Link Library can be used to create a page on your site containing a list of all of the link categories in your Links area, and all links defined for these categories. Additionally, you can select a sub-set of categories to display or not display, show only one category at a time, display a search box and find results based on visitor queries, display a form to accept user submissions that can be moderated by a site administrator, and even generate an RSS feed for your link collection that lets your site users be made aware of any additions made to to your link library.

Go here to learn more about the benefits of using this plugin:

• Link Library Plugin For WordPress

Congratulations! Now you know how to add a blogroll to your WordPress site.

We have written a detailed article on adding HTML hyperlinks in WordPress posts and pages. If you would like to know more here:

• How To Use The WordPress Internal Linking Tool

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