As you continue to discover more about the benefits of using WordPress, you may occasionally come across the term blogroll.
A blogroll is a list of links pointing to external sites or web pages 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.”
You can manage a link section using the Links menu in your WordPress Dashboard. These links will then display on your blog if you have added the Links widget.
Before WordPress v.3.5 was released, Links were a built-in feature of the WordPress CMS. From v3.5 onwards, the Link Manager section was hidden by default in new WordPress installations …
Before …
(WordPress Links Manager Feature – pre version 3.5)
After …
(The Links Manager – excluded from WordPress after WP v3.5)
If you’ve had an earlier version than v.3.5 installed and updated your installation, the Link Manager would be removed, unless you’ve 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 admin area you will need to install a plugin. In this step-by-step tutorial, you will learn how to add, edit, delete and manage links on your site’s sidebar using WordPress plugins.
Link Manager
(Links Manager WordPress Plugin)
Plugin URL
http://wordpress.org/plugins/link-manager
Plugin Description
You can use this plugin to display the Links feature on your dashboard, even if you update to a later version of WordPress 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, this plugin had not been updated for some time, but it should still work fine. If you don’t want to use the Link Manager plugin, then use the one below instead, or contact us for help editing your site’s template code.
Simple Links
(Simple Links WordPress Plugin)
Plugin URL
https://wordpress.org/plugins/simple-links/
Description Of Plugin
Simple Links attempts to recreate the concept of the built-in Link Manager while removing the shortcomings of the deprecated feature.
Installing Link Manager
Let’s install the Link Manager plugin.
In the WP administration menu, go to Plugins > Add New …
(Plugins – Add New)
Select the Install Plugins > Search tab, type ”link manager” into the search field and hit Enter …
Find the plugin in the results screen and click Install Now …
Activate the plugin after installing it …
After you have activated the plugin, the ‘Links’ functionality will be restored to the WP admin menu area …
(Links management menu)
Plugin Configuration
We recommend setting up your link categories first before you start adding new links. This way, when adding a new link, you can assign your link to link categories you have already created.
Link Categories
To create a new link category, choose Links > Link Categories in the main navigation menu …
(Links – Link Categories)
The ‘Link Categories’ page will display in your browser.
Type in the following information:
- Name: Enter the link category name.
- Slug: The slug shows up in the web address of the link category name. It must all be in lowercase letters and contain no spaces (use hyphens to separate words).
- Description: Some themes may display your link category description. (Optional)
When done, click the Add New Link Category button to save …
(Link Categories area)
The link category will be added to the table …
(Link Categories)
Tip: Blogroll is the default link category name. Unless you specify the category when creating a link, WordPress will assign new links to the default category …
(Default link category)
You may want to change this 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 be assigned to the new category name …
(Consider changing the default ’blogroll’ to something better suited to your business)
To change the default category name, hover your mouse over the list item and click on the Quick Edit link …
(Quick Edit)
Change both the Name and the Slug with a new category name, and click on Update Link Category …
(Edit the link category)
Replace the category name ‘Blogroll’ with an appropriate links section name (e.g. ‘Recommended’, ‘Our Sponsors’ etc).
Let’s now add a description for this link category. To add a description to an existing link category, hover over the link category name and click Edit …
(You can add/edit the category description)
Add your link category description field and click Update finished to save your settings …
(Edit Link Category screen)
Repeat the above process and add as many link categories as your site needs.
After you have finished configuring your link categories, you can add your links.
Adding Links
To add a new link, go to your admin menu and click on Links > Add New …
(Links Menu – Add New)
You will be taken to the ‘Add New Link’ page …
(Add New Link page)
You can also reach this page by clicking on ’Add New’ in the main Links page …
(Add New Link button)
The ‘Add New Links’ page includes the following sections:
Name, Web Address & Description
The first section is where you enter your link details …
(Name, Web Address, Description fields)
Enter the following information:
- Name: What you type in this field is the link category name that will display on your site.
- Slug: The slug shows up in the URL of the link category. Only use lower case letters and do not include spaces (use hyphens to separate words).
- Description: Some themes may display your link category description in the links section, or as a tool tip when visitors hover over the link name with their mouse.
Categories & Target
Select a Category and Target for the link …
(Categories & Target area)
In the Categories section, tick a link category you have already added, or click on ’+ Add New Category’ to add a new category.
Also, select a target frame radio button for your link in the Target section. This lets you specify where you want your link to open when clicked on by visitors:
- _blank means that when a visitor clicks on your link, a separate browser window will open up to display the content for that link. This allows your visitors to access the information without leaving your website
- _none means that when visitors click on the link, they will exit your site and a new website 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. Ignore this option if you don’t use frames, or if you don’t know what frames are.
Link Relationship XFN
This area provides some additional link functionality …
(Add New Link screen – Link Relationship (XFN) fields)
Link Relationship (XFN) – XFN stands for XML Friends Network – is a way to define your relationship with the linked person. For example, if you work with Jade Cooper and you link to her blog, you would probably check co-worker or colleague.
XFN relationships are optional. You can ignore this section and your links will work just fine. XFN makes the links defined on your site more understandable to some sites and search engines that use this information.
rel – This field specifies the ‘rel’ attribute that will be assigned to your link. The rel attribute defines the relationship between the current document and the linked document. For example, if you don’t want search engines to follow your link, enter nofollow into this field. Separate multiple ‘rel’ attributes using spaces.
To learn more about XFN, visit the site below:
Advanced
The last section of the Add New Link’ page lets you enter Advanced features for your links (You can ignore this section, unless there’s a good reason to use it) …
(Advanced fields – Add New Link)
The Advanced section contain the following fields:
- Image Address: Lets you specify an image to be displayed with the link. Add the URL of your image and make sure that the image is small (around 16×16 like a favicon).
- RSS Address: If your theme allows it, the link’s RSS feed can be displayed next to your links.
- Notes: Add notes about the link in this section 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 in the above fields or just leave this section blank, as these are not required.
When you are done adding your new link information, click on Add Link to save your new link …
(Click on Add Link to update your link settings)
Note: If you tick Keep this link private, the link will not be visible in your Links section …
(Make your links private)
Making a link private lets you add a link and then toggle its visibility on and off without deleting it (this is useful if you want a link to display during certain periods and hide it afterwards) …
(Making links private toggles their visibility on and off)
To view all your links, go to your dashboard navigation menu and click on Links > All Links …
(Links – All Links)
The ‘Links’ table will load in your browser. The list of links displays your links and link information (e.g. link URL, link categories, relationship, etc.) …
(Links page)
Tip: To view additional fields in the Links table, click on the ‘Screen Options’ tab at the top of your screen …
(Table of links – Screen Options)
Display/hide fields on your table of links by ticking/unticking their checkboxes …
(Show/hide links)
Editing Link Information
To edit links in the Link Manager, click on Links > All Links in the WP dashboard navigation menu to bring up the links page …
(Links – All Links)
Select the link to be edited and click on Edit to bring up the item’s link information …
(Editing your links)
Edit your link information …
(Edit Link page)
After you’re done editing your link, you can:
- Click the Update Link button to save and update your link details,
- Click on Visit Link to make sure that you have set up your link’s URL correctly (the link will open up in a new window),
- Click Delete to delete the link from your table of links if it’s no longer required …
(Update Link button)
Deleting Your Links
To delete links from the Link Manager, go to the admin menu and choose Links > All Links …
(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 delete all of your links.
To delete links individually, hover your mouse cursor over the link title that you want to remove and click on Delete …
(Delete links)
To delete a number of links at once, either click on the checkbox next to each item that you want to be removed, or select all links by clicking on the checkbox next to the ‘Name’ column header …
(Deleting multiple links)
Select Delete from the ‘Bulk Actions’ menu, and click the Apply button to delete your selected links …
(Bulk-deletion of links)
Your links will be removed …
(Link deletion message)
Plugin Usage
Now that you know how to set up link categories and how to add, edit and delete links, let’s show you how to make links display on your site.
Using The Links Widget
The Link Manager plugin adds a ‘Links’ widget to your ‘Widgets’ screen.
To access and configure your Link widgets, go to your WP dashboard menu and select Appearance > Widgets …
(Appearance Menu – Widgets)
You will be taken to the ‘Widgets’ screen.
You will notice a ‘Links’ widget in the Available Widgets section …
(Links widget)
To make the ‘Links’ widget active, drag the widget to one of the widget sections in the Widgets page and drop it wherever you want your links section to display …
(Adding a links widget to a widgetized area)
The Links widget includes various configurable options. You can specify what information you want to display about your links and how many links you would like displayed on your sidebar menu …
(Link widget options)
You can add as many link widgets as you want. This allows you to add and feature link categories throughout your site …
(You can add multiple link widgets to your widget bars)
You can select a link category …
(Link widget options – Select Link Category)
You can sort links by Link title, Link ID, Link rating, or display links in Random order …
(Link widget settings – Sorting options)
When you have finished configuring the links widget, click the Save button to update your settings. A links will display on your sidebar …
(Links can be displayed on a 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 configuring widgets. For more details:
Links Manager – Additional Information
If you have many links, the Links Manager plugin allows you to easily administer these with searching, filtering, and sorting features.
Sorting Links Function
To sort links, hover your mouse cursor over the title of the column you want to sort and click on the little black triangle displayed next to the column title …
(You can sort your links)
Search Links
Type a search term into the search field and click the Search Links button to search for links …
(Finding your links)
Filtering Links
You can filter links by categories …
(Filtering your links by link category)
You can also search and filter links in the Link Categories screen. Use the ‘Search Link Categories’ button to search for 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 for a specific link category …
(Links filtered by category)
Additional Link Options
If you plan to use links extensively on your website or blog, or if you would like to add a ‘Links’ page to your site (i.e. not just add a links section to your sidebar), then you may want to consider using a plugin that can help you administer links.
Link Library
(Link library – Plugin For WordPress)
Download Plugin URL
http://wordpress.org/plugins/link-library/
Plugin Description
Link Library allows you to display a list of all your link categories and a complete list of links plus descriptions and notes …
(List of links created with Link library. Image sourced from Link Library plugin documentation.)
This useful plugin can be used to create a page on your web site containing all the link categories in your Links area, and all links defined for these categories. 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 become aware of additions to your link library.
To learn more about Link Library:
Congratulations! Now you know how to how to add a blogroll and manage links in WordPress.
If you want to learn more about how to insert HTML links into WordPress posts, refer to this article:
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"This is an awesome training series. I have a pretty good understanding of WordPress already, but this is helping me to move somewhere from intermediate to advanced user!" - Kim Lednum