Links

Links help ensure that information on USNH websites is accurate, reliable, informative and easy to find.

Purpose and audience

Links are used to direct people to the most accurate and informative sources rather than duplicating content, which can introduce errors and confusion. The USNH community and the general public are the audience for USNH websites.

    Linking to USNH websites

    Internal links make information from other webpages easily accessible to the reader without having to copy the information onto multiple pages. These types of links:

    • Improve accuracy, since the information only exists and is updated in one place, the single source of truth
    • Aid in the usability of the site and improves search engine optimization (SEO) by having information on only one page that can be found through search
    • Help SEO for the page with the link, as the hyperlinked words themselves are read by search engines to help them understand what's considered important on the page.
    • When linking to information on the same website (for example, the same institution), the link should open in the same window. If the link points to a different USNH website, it should open in a new window.
    • Links should use descriptive words, not phrases like "click here" or “visit this website.”
    • Links should not consist of the URL itself.
    • .pdf documents should open in a new window.

    Linking to external websites

    Links to and from reliable external sources improve SEO by increasing the authority of the site. Sometimes it's appropriate to link to a different website, such as a government agency or resource for pertinent information:

    • Only link to reliable, authoritative informational or educational websites that you are confident will remain active
    • Do not link to personal websites
    • Do not link to business websites unless there is an established relationship, as a link may be perceived as an endorsement
    • Links to external websites should open in a new window
    • External links and .pdfs are not allowed in any masthead navigation

    Support

    For questions regarding links, please contact ET&S.

    Training

    Anyone working on a Drupal website is welcome to attend the open walk-in training and help sessions that ET&S offers. For a schedule of the training sessions and walk-in times, see the Teaching and Learning Technologies training calendar.

    Responsibility for content

    USNH websites are maintained by members of the University community acting as official representatives of the university system. Editors are responsible for creating links as described in this standard. In addition, editors should review links on their websites at least twice a year to ensure that all links are still active and available. Finally, editors are responsible for complying with all relevant laws and USNH policies.

    Violations

    Although USNH ET&S does not monitor or regularly review site content, it reserves the right to remove at any time any content that it considers to violate this standard or any other USNH policies.  

    If inappropriate or inaccurate content is submitted, ET&S will contact the site owner to discuss the issue. If the site or content owner cannot be contacted or is no longer at USNH, that content will be administered by ET&S and can be removed if deemed inaccurate or inappropriate. When content is obviously unacceptable, ET&S will immediately remove the content prior to contacting the site owner. Unacceptable entries also may cause USNH site access to be suspended.

    Reports regarding inappropriate content may be sent to ET&S.