Page 8: Hotspots

Sometimes the designer may want to provide an invisible hyperlink. Or they may want to allow you to click on an image to jump somewhere else.

It is possible to define an area on the web page that will let you jump to another page.This area is called a 'hotspot'

The map of the UK below shows how a hotspot can be used. Click on the big yellow area which is Yorkshire, about half way down the map on the right hand side. You will see that there is a link, which if clicked, pops up another page with a look at Yorkshire in greater detail. The UK map could be set up with numerous hotspots which would link all of the counties to more detailed maps.

Hot spots are often invisible, but when you hover your mouse over one, the cursor changes to a little hand. The designer can add any number of hot spots to a page.

There is a hot spot on the page you are reading right now - hover your mouse somewhere over the banner at the top of this page. You will notice that the little hand appears. This is a 'hot spot'. In this case it will take you to the home page of www.teach-ict.com.

You will often find that the logo in the banner of a web page contains a hotspot that takes you to their home page.