Managed Links refer to external links that have been added to the nsw.gov.au CMS using Links administration.
If you meant a vanity URL
Vanity URLs are different to Managed Links. If you need a vanity url created, submit a request for support from a Content Administrator on our form.
On this page
- Checking for Managed Links
- Create a Managed Link
- Add a Managed Link on a WYSIWYG editor
- How to search for your ‘broken’ Managed Links
- Guidelines for using links
Checking for Managed Links
When creating Managed Links, it's important that you check the link does not already exist. If it does exist, you do not need to create a new Managed link, simply use the existing link.
- Go to Manage > Links
- Enter the URL of the link you wish to use in the Link (URL) field and hit the Apply button.
- If that exact URL shows up in the list you are good to use that one.
- Important: do not update the Link text of the link you found in the listing to what you require. The existing link will be in use on other pages or in link lists. Renaming the link may cause other pages to no longer make sense.
- You will be able to use this link on your page and control the text that you want to display when you insert the link.
- If the link you want is available, return to your page.
Create a Managed Link
When you have determined that your link does not already exist as a Managed Link, follow the below to create one.
- Navigate to Manage Menu > Content > Managed links
- Click on Add Managed Link
-
Enter the URL and use the Link Text field for the descriptive label of the link
Note: this link could be used on many pages of nsw.gov.au by many people so make sure to keep it simple and straightforward.
- Click on Save
It’s important to note that when entering the URL of the external website, you do not include the / in the URL. For example: enter/use https://www.smh.com.au not https://www.smh.com.au/
Add a Managed Link on a WYSIWYG editor
On a WYSIWYG editor, follow the below steps to add in a Managed Link.
- Highlight the piece of text you wish to add a link to. Try to keep the text for the link contextual to the content. Do not use text like ‘Read more’ or ‘Click here’.
- Click the Link button in the toolbar.
- Start typing in the managed link title in the Link URL field. Select the correct link from the returned search results.
Never copy and paste a direct URL into this field. - Leave the Title field blank. This field alters the link label. The CMS will automatically add the correct label to your link when published.
- Add the alternative text in the Advanced > ARIA label field.
- The format for alternative text for a managed link is: Website name Page title.
- Alternative text must always end in a full stop.
- In our example, the website name is Australian Interstate Quarantine. The page title is State and territory border closures. The alternative text will be "Australian Interstate Quarantine State and territory border closures."
- Select the green tick icon to save.
How to search for your ‘broken’ Managed Links
- Select Manage > Content
- Select the Managed Links library tab
- Type the start of your name in the Authored by field and select your name from the
dropdown list and change the Error field to 'Yes'. - Click the Apply button
- Scroll over to the Edit button for any links you need to update
- Update the URL link
- Click Save. This will now update the link on any published pages on nsw.gov.au.
Tip: you can also check this report for duplicates you may have created by leaving the Error field blank and then sorting the results by URL. Duplicates will be grouped together.
Guidelines for using links
Learn more about using links on nsw.gov.au to make effective use of Managed Links.
See Managed Links live on nsw.gov.au
Visit Managed Links to see how this works on a live page.
Need any more help?
If you have any questions, or require assistance with anything mentioned in this article, submit a request via the webform.