What is a Link Trigger?
A Link Trigger is more than just a link. It's a link that also automatically triggers one or more actions, determined by you, as soon as a subscriber clicks it.
You can use Link Triggers to instantly add Tags, add subscribers to Sequences, and much more—all with a mere click!
This allows you to easily and automatically collect extra insights about your subscribers' interests and actions (and did we mention it's automatic!?).
Creating a Link Trigger
1. Navigate to the Rules page in your account (Automate > Rules).
Click the red + New Rule button at the top right:
2. Under "Trigger," select "Clicks a link."
3. Give your Link Trigger a name and destination URL.
Under "Name," give your Link Trigger a name you'll recognize. This is optional but strongly recommended (you'll understand why later in this tutorial).
You also need to provide the URL that subscribers who click the link will be sent to. This is mandatory—your Link Trigger cannot just be a "click" with no destination page. Your subscribers do need to be sent somewhere.
NOTE: If you'd like, you can use our default "Preferences confirmed" page URL here!
4. Select an action for your Link Trigger.
Here's where you configure what you want your Link Trigger to do. Add a Tag? Trigger a Sequence? Something else?
Simply select your desired action under "Actions" on the right, and fill out any additional information requested.
5. Click Save Rule.
Once your Link Trigger has a name, URL, and action configured, click the red Save Rule button to save it.
6. Proceed to the next section of this tutorial.
✋ Don't go anywhere! You're not done just yet—your Link Trigger now exists, but it still needs to be added to your email(s), which is what we'll go over next.
Adding a Link Trigger to an email
Link Triggers have to be added to emails in a specific way to work correctly.
First, navigate to the email in which you'd like to add this Link Trigger. You can do this from a Sequence email, Broadcast, or even a content snippet!
After that, follow the different instructions below, depending on whether you want to add the Link Trigger as a text link or a button:
As a text link
Type the text you'd like your Link Trigger to display as. For instance, "Click here!"
Then, highlight this text and click the link icon in the toolbar.
But don't add a URL in the box that pops up! Instead, click the "Link Trigger" button, which looks like this:
Use the Add a Link Trigger dropdown to select your Link Trigger, and then click Apply. Your highlighted text will be automatically populated with the Link Trigger's destination URL.
NOTE: This is why we recommend naming your Link Triggers when creating them—it makes it much easier to identify them from the dropdown (especially if some of them share the same destination URL!).
If your Link Trigger is set up to add a Tag, you will notice it also toggles the "Tag with lightning bolt" button next to the "Link Trigger" button.
And that's it! 🎉
As a button
Add a button to your email, and type your button text into it.
Click the button to launch its customization settings in the right sidebar. Then, click the lightning bolt button next to the URL setting.
Select the Link Trigger option that appears if it isn't already selected.
Use the Choose a Link Trigger dropdown to select your Link Trigger, and it'll be added to your button (along with its destination URL). You're done!
NOTE: You'll notice it's also possible to set up a link to add a Tag—thereby creating a Link Trigger—from directly within the email editor.
This is also fine to do. However, it doesn't let you give your Link Trigger a name (unless you do so manually afterward).
As a result, creating your Link Triggers from the Rules page beforehand tends to help keep things more organized overall!
FAQs
Can I use the same URL for multiple Link Triggers?
Yes. Link Triggers are not identified by their URL but by their ID.
As a result, it's totally fine to set up multiple Link Triggers that trigger different actions while leading to the same destination URL!
If I didn't set up a Link Trigger or did so incorrectly, is it too late to tag the subscribers who clicked a certain link?
No, it's not too late!
Link Triggers are the easiest and most convenient way to accomplish this, but you can still do it retroactively if need be. It just takes a few extra steps.
Learn how in our tutorial on tagging subscribers who clicked a certain email link.
My Link Trigger isn't working!
Don't panic! Use our Link Trigger troubleshooting guide to find out what's wrong and fix it.