Forum Posting Guidelines - 17

[helvella]

Guideline 17

The Thyroid UK forum guidelines are always accessible on this pinned post:

Forum Posting Guidelines

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

We ask that all members read them and very much hope you do so. However, in time, we can forget what was there, or misremember, or whatever.

Hence, I am posting this short reminder of the guidelines in full.

And (today) of this specific item:

17. If you post a link, please at least explain briefly what people can expect to find if they follow the link. Links without such an introduction/explanation may be deleted.

When links appear on HealthUnlocked, they are shortened and become blue. The full link you see as you write your post - and which might make clear what the link points to - can end up just being a confusing part of the link with the right-hand end truncated.

For example, if you want to link to an NHS web page such as this:

https: ⧸ ⧸www．nhs．uk／conditions／underactive-thyroid-hypothyroidism／

Add a line or two (which says what the link points at), followed by the actual link. The link will change to blue, and you will not see the first few characters, nor quite a few at the end (they’ll be converted to …).

Overview - Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)

nhs.uk/conditions/underacti...

You could use the title of a video, the heading line from a webpage, or just use your own words.

Remember why you are posting links! I think most of us do so hoping it will help someone. So making sure members can see where the link will take them seems courteous and helpful. And will likely increase the number who follow the link.

At the same time, it makes it easier for members to recognise the target of the link and not follow it when they realise they have already visited it.

Do not use any link shorteners (e.g. where a long link is converted to a short link starting bit.ly or tinyURL). You will have seen that when you click on a link here, you get taken to a page which shows you the full link. This gives you the opportunity to refuse. But link shorteners sidestep this helpful security feature.

I have written a blog to make some suggestions of how you can help members by saying what links point at:

Posting Links on HealthUnlocked

helvella.blogspot.com/2024/...

There are technical issues if you put a link into the subject line of a post. Some of the issues which used to cause havoc are not as bad but links in subject lines NEVER convert to blue - and members will never be able to click on them. Hence this related guideline is also being mentioned:

31. Do not post links or website addresses in the subject field of posts.

Note that HealthUnlocked’s own guidelines also apply:

support.healthunlocked.com/...

[Regenallotment Ambassador]

Thanks Helvella ☝️