Link settings
Links are what turn your email from a static message into an interactive experience. Every button, text link, and image link in your email is configured through Link settings. This article covers all link types available in the editor, how to configure them, and advanced options like tracking, personalisation tags, and attributes as URL parameters.
In this article
How to add a link
Select the text, button text, or image you want to link.
Click the link icon in the Inline Text Editor (for text/buttons) or expand Link settings in the Design Panel (for images).
Button:
Text:
Link setting editor for text and button:
Image:
Choose a Link type from the dropdown.
Enter the URL or destination depending on the link type.
Click Save or close the link settings panel.
Link types
Link type | What it does | When to use it |
Web Address | Links to any URL. The URL must include | Most links in your email — product pages, blog posts, landing pages, your website. |
Email Address | Opens the recipient's email client with a new message to the specified address. Equivalent to a | Contact links (e.g. "Email us at support@yourcompany.com"). |
Phone Number | On mobile, opens the dialler with the number pre-filled. Equivalent to a | Click-to-call links, especially useful for mobile recipients. |
Web Version | Links to the browser-hosted version of the email. Apsis One generates this automatically. | Always include a "View in browser" link near the top of your email for recipients whose email client doesn't render HTML correctly. |
Unsubscribe | Links to the unsubscribe confirmation page. When a Profile confirms, they are removed from the Subscription(s) associated with this send. | Required by law. Place in the footer of every email. See Unsubscribe for details. |
Links on images
When you select an Image element, expand Link settings in the Design Panel to add:
Link type and URL — same options as text links (Web Address, Email, Phone, Web Version, Unsubscribe).
Alt text — describes the image for screen readers and displays when images don't load. Always add meaningful alt text.
💡 Tip: Always link your images
An image without a link is a missed opportunity. On mobile, recipients are more likely to tap an image than find a small text link. Link your hero image, product images, and logo to relevant destinations.
Link tracking
By default, all links in your email are tracked — when a Profile clicks a link, an "Email – Click" event is recorded on their Profile. This is how Apsis One measures clicks in your Email Report.
To disable tracking on a specific link, untick the Track link checkbox in the link settings. Profiles who click an untracked link will not generate a Click event.
⚠️ Avoid redirected URLs
Make sure your link URLs are the final destination — not a URL that redirects. Redirects can cause the tracking parameters (used to identify the Profile and their event) to be lost. For example, if your website redirects from http to https, always use the https version directly. Similarly, if your website uses language-specific URL parameters, include them in the original link.
This is important for the collection of Profiles' Response Data and Website Interactions to work as expected. For example, if your website supports multiple languages via URL parameters, the language parameter must be present in your URL with the rest of the path.
If your website has a redirection from http to https, the parameters added to the link in order to identify the Profile and their event can be lost. Other cases and methods, like meta refresh or a redirection for expiration of temporary link, will cause the same effect and we advise you to avoid entirely.
Attributes as URL parameters
You can add a Profile Attribute as a URL parameter on any link. This appends the Attribute name and its value to the URL for each recipient — useful for passing Profile data to your website or landing page.
Open the link settings for the link you want to modify.
Under Attributes as URL Parameters, select an Attribute from the dropdown (both default and custom Attributes are available).
Enter the Parameter name — this is the key that will appear in the URL.
Example: If you select the "First name" Attribute and enter the parameter "first_name", the link becomes:
💡 Tip! Instead of scrolling inside the drop-down, you can also type the first few letters or words of your Attribute to quickly locate it.
Personalisation tags in URLs
Personalisation tags let you use an Attribute or Event value to complete part of the URL itself — not just as a parameter. This is different from Attributes as URL Parameters (which append data as query parameters).
Example: If each Profile has a custom Attribute storing their favourite product image URL, you can use it directly in an Image element's Image URL:
https://yoursite.com/products/##usercreated.attributes.favourite_product_image##
Each Profile receives a different version of the email, with the Personalisation tag replaced by their individual Attribute value.
In the URL box, first put your URL in:
Type ## to see the list of attributes. Pick the one you want:
Personalisation tags are available in:
Text link URLs
Image element URLs
Button link URLs
💡 Encoding
By default, Data tags in URLs are encoded to ensure the URL remains valid (e.g. spaces become %20). If your Data tag already contains a full, properly encoded URL, you may need to disable encoding to prevent double-encoding. Check the encoding option in the link settings.
UTM parameters on individual links
In addition to the global UTM settings (configured in Settings → Analytics), you can add or override UTM parameters on individual links:
Open the link settings for the specific link.
Tick the Enabled checkbox under UTM tracking.
Fill in or modify the UTM parameters for this link.
You can include Data tags (
##) in UTM values for dynamic personalisation.
To disable UTM tracking on a specific link, untick the Enabled checkbox. This overrides the global setting for that link only.
Read more: Google Analytics and UTM tracking
💡 Tip: Track image vs button clicks separately
If an image and a button both link to the same URL, set a different utm_content value on each (e.g. hero_image and cta_button). In Google Analytics, both clicks appear under the same campaign, but the utm_content column tells you which element drove each visit. See Google Analytics and UTM tracking for a full walkthrough.
Best practices
Practice | Why |
Always use | Links without the protocol won't work. Always include the full URL with |
Link images to the same destination as your CTA | On mobile, tapping an image is easier than finding a text link. Give recipients two paths to the same action. |
Add a Web Version link | Include a "View in browser" link near the top of your email. Some email clients don't render HTML well — the web version ensures your content is always accessible. |
Test every link before sending | Send a test email and click every link. Broken links are one of the most common — and most preventable — email mistakes. |
Use descriptive link text | "Download the guide" is better than "Click here". Descriptive text improves accessibility (screen readers) and click-through rates. |
Add screen reader labels to buttons | The screen reader label tells assistive technology what happens when the link is clicked — essential for accessibility. |
Troubleshooting
Issue | Cause and solution |
"My link doesn't work in the test email" | Check that the URL includes |
"Clicks aren't showing in the report" | Check that Track link is ticked in the link settings. Untracked links don't generate Click events. |
"My link redirects and loses tracking" | Use the final destination URL directly — avoid URLs that redirect (e.g. from http to https, or through a URL shortener). Redirects can strip the tracking parameters. |
"My UTM parameters aren't appearing on this link" | Check that the Enabled checkbox is ticked in the link's individual UTM settings. Per-link UTM settings override global settings. |
What's next?
Data tags and Segments — Personalise content and target Rows to Segments.
Google Analytics and UTM tracking — Set up global UTM tracking for your email campaigns.
Unsubscribe — How the unsubscribe link works and how to customise the opt-out page.
Design Elements — Reference for all Elements including Button and Image link configuration.