Looking to make your digital publications more dynamic and interactive? With Calaméo, you can capture your readers’ attention by adding animated links directly to your documents.
In this article, we introduce our new video tutorial: “How to add animated links to your publications.” This practical guide walks you through the feature step by step, helping you enhance the reading experience.
Why add animated links to a digital publication?
Digital publications are no longer just static documents. Today, they need to be engaging, lively, and intuitive.
Animated links allow you to:
Immediately draw the reader’s eye
Highlight key elements (CTAs, products, important sections)
Guide navigation more naturally
Strengthen overall interactivity
With Calaméo, these animations become a powerful way to transform your content into a more immersive experience.
A video tutorial to guide you
To help you get started, we’ve created a clear and easy-to-follow video tutorial.
Adding animated links to your Calaméo publications is a simple yet effective way to boost interactivity, modernize your design, and capture reader attention.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more tutorials and tips on digital publishing.
Virtual libraries offer a great tool for showcasing content on your website and keeping it organized. In fact, the easy-to-use Library Widget is one of our favorite digital publishing features on Calaméo. You can create your own virtual library, customize it and share in only a few clicks.
Let’s dive in to all the essentials of curating your virtual library!
A virtual library is a convenient, fun way to display a collection of digital publications. Just like a regular bookshelf, your virtual library allows you to bring together a group of materials in one place. It’s an inviting space where you can browse, read or simply show off your beautiful publications!
How to set up your own virtual library
You can make a virtual library in just a few minutes on Calaméo. In order to create a library widget stocked with your own Calaméo publications, go to the Publications tab of your account.
First, choose the Folder whose publications you wish to include in your virtual library. All of the public publications in that Folder will appear in your library shelves. (Your private publications are never displayed in the library widget.)
Next, click on the three squares icon at the top of the page to create your virtual library.
Finally, fine-tune the look of your library widget by clicking on “customize options”. You can select:
A background texture or color
How many shelves to show
The thumbnail size of your publication covers
Publication information to show
How to order your publications
How to open publications when clicked
Thumbnail design features like the cover drop shadow
While you adjust the details, you’ll be able to see the changes in real time directly in the preview window. Once you’re happy with the appearance, just copy the embed code. And that’s it—everything you need to create your own virtual library!
Watch our video tutorial on how to create a virtual library below:
💡 TIP: Prefer to view the tutorial in a different language? Use the Settings icon in the video player to select your subtitles.
How to display a virtual library
Congratulations—your library widget is all set up and ready to go! Meanwhile, the next step is to consider how you would like to share your virtual library. For example, you might want to display your publications on your website or blog. Or perhaps you’d rather have a link to email to friends, contacts or customers.
Libraries on your own website
Sharing your virtual library on your own blog or website is a piece of cake. After you have finished customizing the design of your bookshelves, copy the HTML embed code.
If your site is built with WordPress or Joomla, you can install our plug-in and paste the code right into a blog post or page. For example, this code:
However, other websites may require you to specify a container for your virtual library. Consult your CMS’s specifications or check with your webmaster for more information.
To display all of the publications in your virtual library on Calaméo, you can share a link to a Folder or Favorites list. Although the bookshelf interface is not available on Folder or Favorites pages, your audience will be able to view and explore the entire collection.
Linking to a Favorites list
To share a Favorites list, start by going to the Favorites tab of your account. Then select the list that you want to share from the left-hand menu. Finally, click the Share icon. In the window that opens, copy the URL and start sharing!
Linking to a Folder
To share a Folder, head to the Publications tab of your account. Choose the Folder whose publications you want to share from the left-hand menu, then click the Share icon. Grab the link to your Folder and you’re set to share.
Why make a virtual library
There are lots of great reasons to create your own virtual library. In fact, we reviewed 10 of the best for anyone who needs convincing! But to keep things simple, here are the top three benefits of a library widget.
Perfect presentation
The biggest advantage of a virtual library is the easy, interactive way it lets you showcase different publications. Whether the shelves are filled with every issue of your magazine or a variety of materials, a library widget can boost your publications’ visual impact.
Plus, browsing your publications in a virtual library is a breeze thanks to its intuitive navigation. Visitors can click any cover to open the publication in full screen or a new window, then return to your library when they’ve finished reading.
Painless updates
Another great feature solves a major headache for many publishers: the content in your virtual library updates automatically. Whenever you add a new publication to your library’s Folder on Calaméo, it also appears on your embedded bookshelf. As a result, you never need to worry about manually importing content to maintain your site.
Likewise, removing publications from your virtual library only takes a minute. Set them to private, move to a different Folder or deactivate out-of-date materials.
Extra insights
You’ll benefit from useful viewership analytics when you create your own virtual library on Calaméo, too. Because it’s important to know where your audience comes from and how they interact with your content, your account statistics show library details. You’ll see what percentage of your publications’ views happen in your virtual library, as well as other advanced statistics like link clicks and downloads.
In conclusion, setting up a digital bookshelf couldn’t be simpler. All you need to start is a free Calaméo account! Join today and create your own virtual library.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced user, Calaméo offers countless ways to publish your digital content. But to truly make the most of the platform, it’s important to know a few key best practices. Here are 7 tips to help you optimize your experience and create impactful publications.
1. Perfect your content from the start
Before you even think about publishing, make sure your document is well-structured and pleasant to read. Use clear titles, subheadings, and well-spaced paragraphs. A well-organized layout makes your publication easier to read online and gives it a more professional look.
Calaméo is much more than just a tool for viewing PDFs. You can enrich your publications with videos, links, animations, or even forms. These interactive elements boost reader engagement and make your content more memorable.
3. Customize the look and feel of your publications
First impressions matter! With Calaméo, you can personalize your reader by choosing colors, adding your logo, and more. This customization strengthens your brand identity and creates a more consistent experience for your audience.
Your publications can reach a much wider audience if they’re optimized for SEO. Use clear titles, relevant descriptions, and keywords suited to your target readers. This helps improve your content’s visibility in search results and attract new readers.
Calaméo provides detailed statistics on how your publications are read — from the number of views and reading time to the most popular pages. These insights are invaluable for understanding what interests your readers and improving your future publications.
Pro tip: You can also connect your Calaméo account to Google Analytics or Matomo to view all your stats in one place.
7. Take advantage of the PLATINUM plan
Ready to take things further? Consider upgrading to Calaméo PLATINUM. It offers advanced features such as ad-free publications, white-label options, access to integrations, and much more. It’s an investment that can truly turn your publications into powerful tools for your brand.
Calaméo is a powerful platform, but its real impact depends on how you use it. By following these 7 best practices, you’ll boost reader engagement, enhance your content, and strengthen your brand image.
You can also explore our Help Center article: How to use custom icons and animations for enrichments in the Editor.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more tutorials and tips on digital publishing.
Read more: 
Pro tip: You can also connect your Calaméo account to