Internal links in an email template are hyperlinks that direct readers to specific sections or content within the same email. This can be particularly useful for lengthier emails containing multiple topics, allowing recipients to jump to their area of interest effectively.
The same mechanic powers two patterns. Jump links send readers down to a section. Footnotes send readers to a numbered note at the bottom of the email. Both are built from an anchor and a link to that anchor.
Benefits of using internal links
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What this looks like when it is sent
In the example below, the Sections block near the top is a set of jump links, and the small numbers beside the copy are footnote markers that land in the Notes block at the bottom.
Jump links — a Sections menu near the top.
Footnote marker — a superscript number after the sentence.
The Notes block holds every numbered note.
Part 1
Jump links
Step 1: Identify the sections
Outline your email. Before adding an internal link, outline the different sections or topics of your email. Determine which areas you want to link to.
Step 2: Create the anchor points
In your email content, create anchor points where you want readers to land when they click the internal link. This is done by adding a unique HTML id to the relevant sections.
Insert an HTML content block where you want the anchor to sit. You can insert multiple blocks and drag them to different locations.
Click inside the block to open the content properties. Create the anchor by opening an anchor tag, adding a name or id with a unique identifier, and closing the tag.
Close the code with a line break.
<a id="Email">
</a><br>
Step 3: Create the internal links
Link to the anchors. In the parts of your email where you want the internal links, add a hyperlink that references the ids from your anchor points.
Highlight the text, click the link option in the formatting toolbar, and enter # followed by the identifier you set in your anchor code.
Repeat the process for each link by adding an HTML block, inserting the anchor code, and linking the content.
Set target to "None" so when its clicked, it won't open a new window/tab.
Step 4: Finalise and save
Make any adjustments to your template layout, content and styling so it stays clear and readable.
For added convenience, consider adding a "Top of page" link at the end of each section. This lets readers return to your anchor menu with a single click.
If you prefer a simpler setup, your anchor links are already functional and ready to use.
Part 2
Footnotes
Footnotes work exactly like jump links. The only difference is direction and scale: instead of a menu pointing at whole sections, a small superscript number points at one line in a notes block at the foot of the email. Use them for detail that supports a claim but would slow the main copy down — availability, pricing conditions, sources, or a definition.
Step 1: Decide what needs a note
Read through your draft and mark the sentences that raise a question you do not want to answer inline. Number them in reading order, top to bottom. Keep the count low — three or four notes in one email is usually the ceiling before the copy starts to feel legalistic.
Note 1 sits on the first claim in the email, so it takes the number 1.
Step 2: Build the notes block
Add a text block near the bottom of your template, above the footer, and give it a short heading such as Notes. Write each note as a numbered line that matches the marker it belongs to. Set the text a step smaller than your body copy and in a lighter grey so it reads as supporting detail.
Notes sit above the footer, smaller and lighter than body copy.
Step 3: Add an anchor to each note
Insert an HTML content block directly above the notes block and add one anchor per note, each with its own identifier. This is the same anchor code used for jump links, just repeated.
<a id="note1">
</a><br>
If you would rather each marker land on its own line rather than on the block as a whole, place a separate HTML block immediately above each note instead of grouping the anchors together.
Step 4: Add the marker and link it
Go back to the sentence the note belongs to and type the number immediately after it. Highlight just that number, click the link option in the formatting toolbar, and enter #note1.
To make the number read as a footnote rather than part of the sentence, reduce its font size by two or three points and raise it slightly using the superscript option in the toolbar. Repeat for each remaining note, matching identifier to number.
Tip
Keep the marker outside any surrounding punctuation and link the number only.
Step 5: Add a return link (optional)
If your email is long, add an anchor beside each marker as well and link the number at the start of each note back to it. Readers can then return to where they were reading instead of scrolling back up.
Test the links
Once done, click Done and download the campaign as HTML. Open the downloaded HTML file and click each jump link and footnote marker to confirm it lands on the correct content. Check that every footnote has a corresponding marker.
Do not rely on a test send to verify jump links and footnotes, as changes may not be reflected in the test email. Always test the links using the downloaded HTML file before sending the campaign.
IMPORTANT:
Jump links (also known as anchor links) allow recipients to quickly navigate to a specific section within your email campaign.
Please note: Jump links only work within the email itself. They are not supported when the campaign is viewed in a web browser using the View in Browser or online version.
For example, if you add a “Back to top” link or a table of contents that jumps to a specific section, the link will work when the recipient views the email in their email client. However, the same link may not work when the campaign is opened as a webpage in a browser.
This is because the email and its browser-based version are treated as separate versions of the content, and the anchor reference is specific to the email version.