{"id":2980800,"date":"2026-09-02T13:43:53","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T20:43:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&p=2980800"},"modified":"2026-09-02T15:09:39","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T22:09:39","slug":"create-connected-user-experience-with-apps-in-arcgis-hub","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-hub\/constituent-engagement\/create-connected-user-experience-with-apps-in-arcgis-hub","title":{"rendered":"Make Your Apps Feel at Home in ArcGIS Hub: 3 Simple Ways to Create a Better User Experience"},"author":9522,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":""},"categories":[37131,37511],"tags":[30591,23241,781218,32331,29011],"industry":[],"product":[421922,36671,36571,400032,36811,760042,36551,380802,36691,409602,36601],"class_list":["post-2980800","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-constituent-engagement","category-sharing-collaboration","tag-arcgis-tutorial","tag-best-practices","tag-geospatial-ecosystem","tag-how-to","tag-user-experience","product-arcgis","product-ops-dashboard","product-arcgis-enterprise","product-experience-builder","product-arcgis-hub","product-instant-apps","product-arcgis-online","product-arcgis-storymaps","product-survey123","product-urban","product-developers"],"acf":{"authors":[{"ID":9522,"user_firstname":"Jill","user_lastname":"Saligoe-Simmel","nickname":"Jill Saligoe-Simmel","user_nicename":"jsaligoe","display_name":"Jill Saligoe-Simmel","user_email":"jsaligoe@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2019-05-07 20:21:45","user_description":"Jill is Esri\u2019s Senior Principal Product Manager for Geospatial Ecosystems, Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI), and ArcGIS Hub. She is a professional geographer, former statewide Geospatial Information Officer, and experienced business owner. Jill is dedicated to applying a geographic approach to create vibrant, healthy, and sustainable communities worldwide.","user_avatar":""}],"short_description":"Connect people with apps and content in a central hub for seamless discovery, navigation, and an improved end-user experience.","flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

You’ve built a great app in ArcGIS Experience Builder, ArcGIS Dashboards, ArcGIS StoryMaps, ArcGIS Instant Apps or another ArcGIS application. Now you want visitors to discover and use it from your ArcGIS Hub site.<\/p>\n

A common mistake is to simply paste a link to the app and send visitors away from your Hub site. While this works, it can create a disconnected experience and reduce opportunities for people to discover related content.<\/p>\n

A better approach is to make the app part of a seamless, in-place Hub experience.<\/p>\n

Think of your Hub site as the front door to your organization’s geospatial ecosystem and a central destination for content discovery. It’s where people find trusted apps, maps, data, documents, and tools. Rather than treating your apps as separate links, Hub helps bring them together into a connected experience.<\/p>\n

When applications are integrated into your catalog and site experience, visitors can more easily discover related content, stay engaged, and understand how individual resources fit into the broader story you’re telling.<\/p>\n

The goal: one connected experience<\/h2>\n

ArcGIS Hub helps bring people, apps, and content together in a single destination while leaving backend complexity behind the scenes. Whether you’re sharing a parcel viewer, engagement story, community dashboard, recreation finder, or emergency map, the goal is the same: keep visitors connected to the broader experience.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, creating that connected experience is easier than you might think. Whether you link to an app, embed it on a page, or feature it in your site navigation, a few simple best practices can transform an app from a stand-alone destination into a discoverable part of your geospatial ecosystem.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

\ud83d\udca1 TIP:<\/strong>
\nBefore adding an app to your site, share it with one of the groups<\/a> used by your site catalog. This makes the app available across catalog-powered search, galleries, navigation, and other discovery experiences.<\/div>\n
\n
\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Three great ways to feature an app in your Hub site<\/h2>\n

Once your application is shared to your catalog, you have three strong options for featuring it. Choose the approach that best supports the visitor’s task and the role the app plays in your site.<\/p>\n

Option 1: Link to the app<\/h3>\n

Add a featured gallery, button, call to action, or featured link that opens the application.<\/p>\n

This approach works well when the application is intended to be a dedicated destination. Visitors get quick access to the app while still\u00a0benefiting\u00a0from the context, branding, and discoverability your Hub site provides.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Customer example:<\/strong> Cobb County, Georgia<\/a> uses ArcGIS Hub to connect people, processes, and technology in support of a smart county. Browse the site’s Maps & Apps<\/strong> gallery and notice how apps open within the Hub experience, making it easy for visitors to discover related content while remaining within the site.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2981508,"id":2981508,"title":"Cobb County hub maps and apps gallery_1648","filename":"Cobb-County-hub-maps-and-apps-gallery_1648.jpg","filesize":101546,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Cobb-County-hub-maps-and-apps-gallery_1648.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-hub\/constituent-engagement\/create-connected-user-experience-with-apps-in-arcgis-hub\/cobb-county-hub-maps-and-apps-gallery_1648","alt":"Cobb County hub maps and apps gallery","author":"9522","description":"","caption":"Cobb County, Georgia uses ArcGIS Hub galleries to connect visitors with apps, maps, and other resources. As visitors explore gallery content, the site URL remains visible, preserving the site's navigation and content discovery experience.","name":"cobb-county-hub-maps-and-apps-gallery_1648","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2980800,"date":"2026-09-02 20:23:14","modified":"2026-09-02 20:23:53","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1648,"height":954,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Cobb-County-hub-maps-and-apps-gallery_1648-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Cobb-County-hub-maps-and-apps-gallery_1648.jpg","medium-width":451,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Cobb-County-hub-maps-and-apps-gallery_1648.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":445,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Cobb-County-hub-maps-and-apps-gallery_1648.jpg","large-width":1648,"large-height":954,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Cobb-County-hub-maps-and-apps-gallery_1648-1536x889.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":889,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Cobb-County-hub-maps-and-apps-gallery_1648.jpg","2048x2048-width":1648,"2048x2048-height":954,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Cobb-County-hub-maps-and-apps-gallery_1648-803x465.jpg","card_image-width":803,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Cobb-County-hub-maps-and-apps-gallery_1648.jpg","wide_image-width":1648,"wide_image-height":954}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

\ud83d\udca1 TIP:<\/strong>
\nWhen sharing your application, share the Hub URL<\/strong> rather than the app’s stand-alone ArcGIS URL. After adding the app to your catalog, promote the Hub-generated URL https:\/\/<your-site><\/strong>\/apps\/<item-id><\/strong>\u00a0to preserve your site’s branding and navigation while making related content easier to discover.<\/div>\n
\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Option 2: Embed the app on a page<\/h3>\n

Embed the application directly within a Hub page by adding an Application<\/strong> card in the layout editor.<\/p>\n

This approach is especially effective when the app supports a larger story, workflow, or collection of content. Visitors can use the app alongside instructions, narrative, supporting data, or related resources without leaving the page.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Customer example:<\/strong> Audubon Great Lakes uses ArcGIS Hub to help people explore bird migration patterns across the Great Lakes region. Notice how the site combines narrative content, maps, and applications into a single experience, allowing visitors to learn, explore, and take action without navigating between separate destinations. Explore the site at Audubon Great Lakes Bird Migration Explorer<\/a>.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2981512,"id":2981512,"title":"Audubon Great Lakes hub embedded apps_1648","filename":"Audubon-Great-Lakes-hub-embedded-apps_1648.jpg","filesize":69479,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Audubon-Great-Lakes-hub-embedded-apps_1648.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-hub\/constituent-engagement\/create-connected-user-experience-with-apps-in-arcgis-hub\/audubon-great-lakes-hub-embedded-apps_1648","alt":"Audubon Great Lakes hub embedded apps","author":"9522","description":"","caption":". Audubon Great Lakes combines narrative content, maps, and applications in a single Hub experience, helping visitors explore information without leaving the page.","name":"audubon-great-lakes-hub-embedded-apps_1648","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2980800,"date":"2026-09-02 20:31:11","modified":"2026-09-02 20:41:07","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1648,"height":714,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Audubon-Great-Lakes-hub-embedded-apps_1648-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Audubon-Great-Lakes-hub-embedded-apps_1648.jpg","medium-width":464,"medium-height":201,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Audubon-Great-Lakes-hub-embedded-apps_1648.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":333,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Audubon-Great-Lakes-hub-embedded-apps_1648.jpg","large-width":1648,"large-height":714,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Audubon-Great-Lakes-hub-embedded-apps_1648-1536x665.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":665,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Audubon-Great-Lakes-hub-embedded-apps_1648.jpg","2048x2048-width":1648,"2048x2048-height":714,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Audubon-Great-Lakes-hub-embedded-apps_1648-826x358.jpg","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":358,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Audubon-Great-Lakes-hub-embedded-apps_1648.jpg","wide_image-width":1648,"wide_image-height":714}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

\ud83d\udca1 TIP:<\/strong>
\nPair an embedded app with a short introduction and a clear next step. A small amount of context can help visitors understand what the app does and what they should do with it.<\/div>\n
\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Option 3: Add the app to your Hub site menu navigation<\/h3>\n

For a high-value application, add it to your site’s header menu by selecting it from the existing content in your catalog.<\/p>\n

This approach works best for applications that visitors may need to access from anywhere on your site, such as community dashboards, map viewers, service locators, and other frequently used tools. Because the menu navigation appears throughout the site, visitors can reach the app from anywhere.<\/p>\n

When configured through Hub, the app opens within the context of your site, preserving the site URL, branding, and navigation. Hub also provides a friendly, site-based URL that you can use when promoting the app through email, social media, or other websites.<\/p>\n

In the site layout editor, go to Header<\/strong> > Menu<\/strong> > Add link<\/strong> to existing content. Select the application and save. A link is added to the menu, and you can edit the menu link name by selecting the gear icon. Alternatively, directly add a URL to link, remembering to use the Hub-generated URL https:\/\/<your-site<\/strong>>\/apps\/<item-id<\/strong>>.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Customer example:<\/strong> Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum uses ArcGIS Hub to connect visitors with maps, guides, and other resources that support exploration of its gardens, natural areas, and collections. Notice how navigation links provide persistent access to key experiences from anywhere on the site, helping visitors quickly find the information and tools they need. Explore the site at Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum<\/a>.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2981515,"id":2981515,"title":"Matthaei Botanical Gardens-Nichols Arboretum hub nav links_1648","filename":"Matthaei-Botanical-Gardens-Nichols-Arboretum-hub-nav-links_1648.jpg","filesize":115115,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Matthaei-Botanical-Gardens-Nichols-Arboretum-hub-nav-links_1648.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/arcgis-hub\/constituent-engagement\/create-connected-user-experience-with-apps-in-arcgis-hub\/matthaei-botanical-gardens-nichols-arboretum-hub-nav-links_1648","alt":"Matthaei Botanical Gardens-Nichols Arboretum hub nav links","author":"9522","description":"","caption":"Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum GIS Hub uses site navigation to provide convenient access to key visitor experiences and resources throughout the site.","name":"matthaei-botanical-gardens-nichols-arboretum-hub-nav-links_1648","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2980800,"date":"2026-09-02 20:44:14","modified":"2026-09-02 20:45:27","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1648,"height":722,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Matthaei-Botanical-Gardens-Nichols-Arboretum-hub-nav-links_1648-213x200.jpg","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Matthaei-Botanical-Gardens-Nichols-Arboretum-hub-nav-links_1648.jpg","medium-width":464,"medium-height":203,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Matthaei-Botanical-Gardens-Nichols-Arboretum-hub-nav-links_1648.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":336,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Matthaei-Botanical-Gardens-Nichols-Arboretum-hub-nav-links_1648.jpg","large-width":1648,"large-height":722,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Matthaei-Botanical-Gardens-Nichols-Arboretum-hub-nav-links_1648-1536x673.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":673,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Matthaei-Botanical-Gardens-Nichols-Arboretum-hub-nav-links_1648.jpg","2048x2048-width":1648,"2048x2048-height":722,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Matthaei-Botanical-Gardens-Nichols-Arboretum-hub-nav-links_1648-826x362.jpg","card_image-width":826,"card_image-height":362,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Matthaei-Botanical-Gardens-Nichols-Arboretum-hub-nav-links_1648.jpg","wide_image-width":1648,"wide_image-height":722}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

\ud83d\udca1 TIP:<\/strong>
\nReserve\u00a0menu navigation for your most important destinations. One or two well-chosen apps can provide fast access without overwhelming visitors with too many choices.<\/div>\n
\n

Note that menu links are always visible for publicly shared applications. For privately shared applications, the menu link to existing content is visible only to authorized individuals.<\/p>\n

\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"

Three settings every Hub creator should check<\/h2>\n

No matter which placement\u00a0option\u00a0you choose, these three settings help the app behave like part of your ecosystem rather than a disconnected destination.<\/p>\n

1. Add the app to your site catalog<\/h3>\n

This is the most\u00a0important step.<\/p>\n

Displaying or linking to an app on a page does not automatically add it to the site’s catalog. Share the app with one of the groups used by your catalog so Hub\u00a0can\u00a0index and present it as part of the site’s content.\u00a0Learn more<\/a><\/p>\n

Once added, the app can be:<\/p>\n