What Are Special Links?
Special links are system-generated links used in marketing emails. They help subscribers manage their communication preferences and view emails outside their inbox.
Common examples include:
Unsubscribe link – Allows recipients to opt out of email communications.
Forward to a friend – Lets recipients share the email with someone else.
View online (View as webpage) – Opens the email in a browser.
Create and Manage Special Links
Administrators can create and manage special links using merge tags. A merge tag becomes a special link when the Special Link option is enabled.
Step 1: Open Merge Tag Settings
Navigate to Admin.
Click Integrations.
Select Merge Tags.
Step 2: Create a Merge Tag
Click Create Merge Tag.
Enter the token values for your integration platform.
Fill in the required input fields.
These tokens pull dynamic data from your integration system.
Step 3: Make the Merge Tag a Special Link
Locate the Merge Tag Settings section.
Check the Special Link box.
This adds the merge tag to the Links dropdown in the Popup Editor.
Step 4: Save the Merge Tag
The merge tag is now available as a special link when adding links in the email builder.
Tip: Create a Custom Preference Center Special Link!
You can replace the standard unsubscribe link with a Custom Preference Center link. This allows subscribers to update their communication preferences instead of unsubscribing completely.
Edit or Remove a Special Link
You can update or remove special links by editing the merge tag.
Navigate to Admin → Integrations → Merge Tags.
Select the merge tag you want to update.
Edit the token values or settings.
Check the Special Link box to enable it.
Uncheck the Special Link box to remove it from the special links list.
Click Save.
Add a Special Link to an Email
Add a special link directly inside the Knak builder using a text block.
Step 1: Insert a Special Link
Open your email in the Knak builder.
Click a Text content block.
Open the text editor popup.
Click Links.
Select the Special Link you want to insert.
Step 2: Edit the Link Text (Optional)
You can change the text that appears in the email.
Example: Change “View as Webpage” to “View in Browser.”
Highlight the link text.
Click the Link icon in the editor.
Update the display text.
Click Save in the editor.
Confirm the new link text appears correctly in the email.
Video Demo
Need more help? Contact support via live chat within Knak using the chat bubble in the bottom right corner or email support@knak.com