Highlighting Important Links

Sometimes certain links need extra attention. Whether it's a registration deadline, special event, or important announcement, Linked.Church's highlighting features help you guide visitors to what matters most right now.

Understanding Link Highlighting

What is Link Highlighting?

Highlighting makes specific links stand out through:

• Visual emphasis (colors, animations)
• Priority positioning
• Special styling
• Attention-grabbing effects
• Temporary spotlighting

When to Use Highlighting

Time-Sensitive Content:

• Registration deadlines
• Limited seats available
• Today only events
• Urgent announcements

Important Actions:

• Emergency information
• Critical updates
• Primary calls-to-action
• New initiatives

Featured Content:

• Sermon series launch
• Special campaigns
• Seasonal programs
• Major events

Types of Highlighting

Visual Highlighting

Glow Effect

• Subtle pulsing glow
• Draws eye naturally
• Not too distracting
• Works on all themes

Color Accent

• Different button color
• Contrasting background
• Bold text color
• Brand color emphasis

Animation Effects

• Gentle bounce
• Fade in/out
• Slide attention
• Shimmer effect

Border Emphasis

• Thick border
• Dashed outline
• Color gradient
• Shadow box

Position Highlighting

Pinned to Top

• Always first link
• Above all sections
• Can't be missed
• Maximum visibility

Featured Section

• Special "Featured" header
• Grouped highlights
• Clear importance
• Organized display

Floating Badge

• "NEW" indicator
• "URGENT" label
• "LIMITED TIME"
• Eye-catching tags

Setting Up Highlighted Links

Basic Highlighting

1. Edit any link
2. Toggle "Highlight this link"
3. Choose highlight style
4. Set duration (optional)
5. Save changes

Highlight Options

Style Selection:

• Glow (default)
• Bold color
• Animated
• Custom CSS

Duration Settings:

• Always highlighted
• For X days
• Until specific date
• During business hours

Intensity Levels:

• Subtle: Light emphasis
• Medium: Clear highlight
• Strong: Can't miss it
• Custom: Your design

Strategic Use Cases

Event Registration

Scenario: VBS registration closing soon

Setup:

Title: "VBS Registration - Only 5 Spots Left!"
Highlight: Strong glow effect
Duration: Until June 1st
Position: Pinned to top
Badge: "CLOSING SOON"

Result: Increased urgency drives action

Emergency Information

Scenario: Service cancelled due to weather

Setup:

Title: "URGENT: Sunday Service Cancelled"
Highlight: Red color accent
Duration: 24 hours
Position: Top of page
Animation: Pulsing

Result: Everyone sees critical info

Giving Campaigns

Scenario: Year-end giving push

Setup:

Title: "Year-End Giving - Double Your Impact"
Highlight: Gold glow
Duration: Dec 15-31
Badge: "MATCHING GIFTS"
Style: Premium feel

Result: Increased giving participation

New Initiatives

Scenario: Launching small groups

Setup:

Title: "NEW: Find Your Small Group"
Highlight: Brand color
Duration: 2 weeks
Badge: "JUST LAUNCHED"
Animation: Subtle bounce

Result: Awareness and sign-ups

Highlighting Best Practices

Less is More

Limit Highlights:

• Maximum 1-2 at once
• Rotate featured content
• Avoid highlight fatigue
• Maintain impact

Why It Matters:

• Too many = none stand out
• Confuses priorities
• Reduces effectiveness
• Overwhelms visitors

Clear Messaging

Effective Titles:

• Action-oriented
• Urgency indicated
• Benefit clear
• Concise wording

Examples: ✅ "Register Now - Ends Friday" ✅ "Today Only: Free Lunch" ❌ "Important Information" ❌ "Click Here"

Appropriate Timing

Schedule Wisely:

• Start highlighting 1 week before
• Peak intensity near deadline
• Remove promptly after
• Plan rotation schedule

Avoid:

• Permanent highlights
• Outdated urgency
• False deadlines
• Crying wolf

Design Considerations

Mobile Optimization

Responsive Highlighting:

• Test on small screens
• Ensure readability
• Touch-friendly size
• Not overwhelming

Mobile-Specific:

• Slightly reduced effects
• Clear tap targets
• Readable badges
• Performance considered

Theme Compatibility

Work With Your Theme:

• Complement colors
• Match style intensity
• Consistent feel
• Professional look

Testing Needed:

• Light backgrounds
• Dark themes
• Various colors
• Different devices

Accessibility

Consider All Users:

• Not just color reliance
• Text indicators too
• Screen reader friendly
• Clear importance

Implementation:

• ARIA labels
• Descriptive text
• Alternative indicators
• Keyboard accessible

Advanced Highlighting Techniques

Conditional Highlighting

Time-Based:

Morning: "Join us for prayer - 6 AM"
Evening: "Youth Group Tonight - 7 PM"
Sunday: "Live Service Starting Soon"

Capacity-Based:

Full: Remove highlight
Almost full: "Only 3 spots left!"
Open: Normal display

User-Based:

• First-time visitors see welcome
• Members see member content
• Location-specific highlights

Progressive Highlighting

Escalating Urgency:

• 2 weeks out: Subtle glow
• 1 week out: Medium highlight
• 3 days out: Strong emphasis
• Last day: Maximum urgency

Visual Timeline:

Day 14: 🔵 (Blue glow)
Day 7:  🟡 (Yellow glow)
Day 3:  🟠 (Orange pulse)
Day 1:  🔴 (Red urgent)

A/B Testing Highlights

Test Variables:

• Highlight style
• Color choices
• Animation type
• Position on page
• Badge text

Measure Impact:

• Click-through rate
• Conversion rate
• Time to action
• User feedback

Managing Multiple Highlights

Priority System

Level 1: Critical

• Safety/emergency
• Service changes
• Urgent needs
• Top position

Level 2: Important

• Deadlines approaching
• Featured events
• Major campaigns
• Second position

Level 3: Featured

• New content
• Ongoing programs
• General emphasis
• Standard position

Rotation Schedule

Weekly Rotation:

Monday: Small group spotlight
Wednesday: Youth programs
Friday: Weekend preview
Sunday: Give online

Seasonal Focus:

• January: New year programs
• Spring: Easter events
• Summer: VBS/camps
• Fall: Back to school
• December: Christmas

Common Mistakes

Over-Highlighting

Problems:

• Everything "urgent"
• Visitor paralysis
• Reduced trust
• Ineffective emphasis

Solutions:

• Strict criteria
• Regular review
• Team agreement
• Data-driven decisions

Poor Timing

Issues:

• Too early start
• Late removal
• Wrong duration
• Bad scheduling

Fixes:

• Clear timeline
• Automated scheduling
• Regular audits
• Team calendar

Unclear Purpose

Problems:

• Vague messaging
• No clear action
• Confusing priority
• Mixed signals

Solutions:

• Specific CTAs
• Clear benefits
• Obvious urgency
• Single focus

Measuring Effectiveness

Key Metrics

Performance Indicators:

• CTR increase
• Conversion rate
• Time to click
• Bounce rate

Compare:

• Highlighted vs. normal
• Different styles
• Various positions
• Timing impact

Analytics Reports

Track Success:

Standard Link CTR: 15%
Highlighted CTR: 45%
Improvement: 200%

Registration before: 25
Registration after: 78
Increase: 212%

Optimization Loop

1. Set baseline metrics
2. Apply highlighting
3. Measure impact
4. Adjust approach
5. Document learnings

Highlighting Calendar

Planning Template

Monthly Planning:

• Week 1: Review upcoming needs
• Week 2: Schedule highlights
• Week 3: Monitor performance
• Week 4: Analyze results

Documentation:

• What was highlighted
• Duration used
• Style applied
• Results achieved

Integration Tips

With Scheduling

Combine highlighting with scheduling:

• Auto-highlight when live
• Increase intensity near end
• Remove when expired
• Seamless experience

With Analytics

Use data to guide highlighting:

• Low-performing important links
• High-value conversions
• Time-sensitive content
• User behavior patterns

Future Features

Smart Highlighting

Coming Enhancements:

• AI-driven suggestions
• Automatic optimization
• Performance prediction
• Dynamic adjustment

Advanced Effects

Planned Options:

• Video backgrounds
• Particle effects
• 3D transforms
• Custom animations

Next Steps

Master link highlighting:

• Track highlighted link performance
• Schedule highlighted content
• Optimize based on data
• Create compelling CTAs

Remember: Highlighting is a powerful tool - use it wisely to guide your congregation to what matters most!