Is there a way to add a link with add_post_meta?

Question

I am trying to put a link in the post meta with this code

$authorEmail = get_the_author_meta('user_email');
$authorEmailLink = '<a href ="mailto:'.$authorEmail.'">'.$authorEmail.'</a>';
add_post_meta($post->ID,'Author Email',$authorEmailLink,true);

The $authorEmailLink is a valid link because I can echo it to the page. However, when I put it on the page, it just displays the plain text email. Is there something I am not doing or a way to get around this?

Answer 1

I don't think spaces are allowed in $meta_key. Try to change 'Author Email' to 'author_email'.

Also, if you don't want 'author_email' to be visible in Custom Fields metabox, prepend it with underscore: '_author_email'. Unfiltered link as custom field value can also mess this metabox.