UPDATED! Opening INTERNAL Links- New Window or Same Window?
UPDATE: Many good responses so far but please keep in mind, this is a Beginner Tips Blog. Those that have only been online 6-12 months may not know all the *tricks* in how to open links. I’m imagining most simply left-clicking.
A quickie post since it’s my 3rd today. I asked this once last year and got an ok response. However, since I am starting a whole bunch of exact this type of work, I’m figuring to get some fresh thoughts.
Considering most will agree external or outgoing links (site to site) should open in a new window to keep visitors on your blog, we will concentrate today on internal links. For those unsure, this is where you link one article to another article within the same blog, like I’m doing here. This is a must-do link strategy in it’s own right, but that’s another article.
I was at one time so hellbent on making things as simple as possible for readers AND paranoid at he sticky factor, that ALL links opened in a new window. While I’m still hellbent on making my readers life as easy as possible, I’m really wondering about this internal link thing.
Now then, I have two questions for ya…
1. When going from post to post on someones blog, do you prefer all links to open in separate windows, thus keeping you on the original page; or, the same window each time, and you can just backspace to the original page.
2. How do you have them open on your blog and why?
Let the debate begin!
Dennis
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Kev
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sherry
April 1st, 2009 at 8:06 pm
hopefully I have them all open in same browser internally cause it annoys me to no extend to have several browsers open from the same domain once I finish reading it.
Mirjam´s last blog post..Personal Challenge Study Case - Day 2/3
Sally from fast house sale Reply:
April 3rd, 2009 at 9:46 am
@Mirjam, I agree with Mirjam. I hate having too many windows opened, its makes it very messy. I’ve always used the back button instead of opening a new window, thats just my preference anyway.
Sally from fast house sale´s last blog post..Ole! Seniors Choosing Nursing Homes in Mexico
April 1st, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Ya probably I prefer opening it in the different tab or window. Because there are two reasons for me
1 . I have a dial-up connection, it’ll take time if I open it in the same tab/window
2. I will not be able to read the blog on which I clicked the link.
So I always open everything in a separate tab/window
Anyway good post Dennis
Harish´s last blog post..Why You Should Promote Your Contest? And How ?
April 2nd, 2009 at 1:01 am
I like them to open in the same window. I’m a backspacer, that’s most of the time. I guess it’s just the way I learned, and perhaps habit, not sure. I don’t even know if it’s most practical. But it’s my personal preference. My sister valerie always opens in a new window — she says if she doesn’t her computer slows down. Wondering if that’s true. i do know I can open blogs “in a new window” quicker than I can in the same window. but i get a little confused. As I stated, opening in the same window is the way I’ve always done it, and I guess I am a creature of habit — doing things the same way makes things easier for me at times… but that doesn’t mean i’m not willing to change if taught another way is better…
krissy knox
krissy knox´s last blog post..John’s Battle with Zoster
April 2nd, 2009 at 1:59 am
That’s a good question. Since things open in new tabs vs. new windows, I don’t mind if all new links open in a new window. I think it depends on the flow… if I want the user to keep with the page they are on, but also get some supplemental information off another page, then I would set the link to open in a new tab. But if they are at the end of the article, and going to related posts, opening them in the same window/tab is fine.
~ Kristi
Kikolani´s last blog post..A Comprehensive Guide to Using RSS
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:00 am
I don’t know if users really want to “think” about it. Whether to open in a new window or stay in current. But It just seems more good practice to me to open any link that’s not part of your website/blog in a new window/tab. A user may want to follow a link to another site, but still return to the main site to continue browsing.
Salwa´s last blog post..How to be a design superstar- Part One
April 2nd, 2009 at 9:00 am
OK … this has been a very tough issue for me … as I was very confused about this very same thing.
I asked it on a forum and I basically got blasted and was told to NEVER have ANY links open in a new window because it’s just bad practice and should be left up to the reader how they want it opened … excuse me? Huh?
I never knew that if you hold “Ctrl” and then “click” the link … it opens in a new window. I was on a very “techie” forum so apparently they know this “stuff.”
So … with that said … I personally think about which site of mine I’m writing on … and use that as a gauge.
When writing on an internet related site I’ve kept it consistent and opened everything in the same browser.
For my other sites I have my off-site links open in a new browser - and my on-site links open in the same browser.
The “Ctrl” thing has helped me a lot while reading other blogs and sites … that way if it’s something I want to read I can continue reading where I’m at and follow up with the other link when I’m ready. *SmiLes* Suzanne
Suzanne Franco´s last blog post..Avoid Duplicate Content by Using the Canonical Link Element
Sire Reply:
April 4th, 2009 at 8:12 am
@Suzanne Franco, I never knew that Suzanne and that was very rude of them to blast you. I hope they come to read my blog, because whether they like it or not a new page is going to open up, damn rude techies.
Sire´s last blog post..The Differences Between Male And Female
Suzanne Franco Reply:
April 4th, 2009 at 9:03 am
@Sire, LOL … thanks! I’m pretty “nice” wherever I go (mostly) but some can be pretty up-ity online … we all have to start somewhere. I am a bit “hyper” when I’m online and end up with dozens of browsers and tabs open … it’s super funny. But I usually get back to each and every one of them at some point so I do like it. *huGs* S
Suzanne Franco´s last blog post..Avoid Duplicate Content by Using the Canonical Link Element
Sire Reply:
April 4th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
@Suzanne Franco, Actually I am a bit like that, but I like switching from one to another to see how everything interacts. I eventually close things down once the computer slows to a crawl
Sire´s last blog post..The Differences Between Male And Female
Dennis Edell Reply:
April 4th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
@Suzanne Franco, I’ve gotten the same know-it-all response; I just basically ignore it.
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:23 am
I have my internal links all open in the same window.
As a user, if I want to have the link open in a new tab/window, then I right-click the link and make my choice. That way, I have control over how I want the information to appear.
Jen´s last blog post..Last Night I Dreamt…
Matty Byloos Reply:
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:36 pm
@Jen, Totally agree with you, Jen — as a user, I also adopted the apple or ctrl-click method to start a new tab. But when I’ve got control of how the user sees info on my own sites, I think it’s best not to clutter their browser with too many tabs, or their desktop with too many new browser windows. This way, it keeps me on track with writing relevant info — so why would they want to go into a new window?
Matty Byloos´s last blog post..Robert Crumb Completes the Genesis Project
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:27 am
I prefer to open up all windows in the same tab, allowing the “worm hole” effect, where a reader starts one place and as long as they are on the site, it doesn’t matter if they end up somewhere else in the site. Maybe that’s the benefit of using a wordpress blog platform for the site — on every single page, you’ve still got your sidebar ads, pretty much laid out exactly the way you want them priority-wise.
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:15 am
I use open on new window on my blog and I also prefer that on others blog. That just makes things easier and you make sure you don’t get distracted .
Ben Pei´s last blog post..How’s and Why’s of Article Marketing
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:22 pm
You are never going to be able to make everyone happy because some get extremely annoyed when you keep opening new windows and others get lost if you don’t.
I already know you don’t right click to open things in a new tab and that is ALL I use almost every time. While I’m reading a post I open whatever else - EVERYTHING ELSE - that interests me in a new tab.
I prefer FireFox but also use Epiphany so I can use more than one log-in on the same site and every time I forget to force it to open something in a new tab and it opens in a new window instead I find it extremely annoying.
Those of us who DO right click are controlling how they open anyway so what you select makes little difference. The real question comes down to how many get annoyed when you open a new window and/or because they are unable to click back because of it.
In the end there is no right or wrong way - it is a preference - but one that will end up with no consensus. Whoever has the largest Twitter following could run a TwtPoll (or RT someone else’s) and see what the majority of Tweeters prefer.
GrowMap´s last blog post..Blog Traffic Up 54.87% in the Last 30 Days: Our Proven Traffic Improvement Strategy
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:43 pm
I’d try to see first what is the purpose of the link.
If it’s a mere reference in the beginning of the post, just to remind readers that you’ve already covered a certain subject, I would make it open in a new window.
That is because there’s the whole post still to be read…
If it’s near the end, and seems to supplement the current post and continue the flow of thought, then I will make it open in the same.
I’ve seen some bloggers choose to say where their link is going to open, in parentheses after the actual link.
I considered doing that, but… naaa.. don’t think so. Readers that it is that important to them will make it open in a new window/tab anyway, and those who are clueless will be under my control. Muhahahaha!
Cheers,
Alex
Alex at Net-Entrepreneur.com´s last blog post..The Big Secret of Affiliate Marketing, Part 2
Dennis Edell Reply:
April 4th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
@Alex at Net-Entrepreneur.com, I kinda like this idea. Up top, new; down bottom, same.
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:37 pm
I like to open them in a new window because that’s the way I like it. That way I can keep reading as the page loads and can quickly jump between articles if necessary. Also it exposes my readers to another set of ads
Sire´s last blog post..March Stats Set WassupBlog Record
April 3rd, 2009 at 10:46 am
Good morning, Dennis.
I agree with several others that this is a matter of preference and I don’t think you’ll ever please everyone.
For myself, as you said, I code my sites to open external links in a new window.
Internal links are almost always opened in the same window, unless it is to something that would make it easier to refer back and forth, and then I open in a new window.
When I’m reading a site and see a link I want to follow, I generally manually open it in a new tab - that way, I don’t have to wonder how the author wanted it to work, I do it for my own convenience.
Since I generally have a few tabs open, it doesn’t really bother me, either way.
Good luck with trying to get a consensus on this issue.
Act on your dream!
JD
John Dilbeck´s last blog post..ChirpCity - find others using Twitter in your town
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:25 am
I prefer to open in a new window because as a habit I tend to close it after reading. I think most people expect this so they’ll just closed it, so new readers may just exit from your blog too unknowingly if you opted otherwise.
Hey Dennis you did not respond to me on my offer of being your Apr Sponsor. I left a comment but you didn’t reply. I guess I might be a little too late but do let me know.
Peter Lee
Peter@passive income ideas´s last blog post..Interview With Yan Susanto-Blogging Tips For Beginners
April 4th, 2009 at 1:29 am
Great tips for newbies, some of these took me a while to figure out at first.
April 4th, 2009 at 7:38 am
If its a link to an older post I think a popup browser is a good idea that way when I have finished reading the article I can close the tab and I know where I am in terms of navigating my way around the site content.
April 4th, 2009 at 7:55 am
After reading your UPDATE:
Truthfully … when I was brand new … I wish more would’ve opened up in a new window. I was a “back” girl but only because I had to to get around. I would be reading something … take interest in a link … click on it … and something else … and I’d never make my way back to the original article … so with that said … I’d vote for new window
*SmiLes* Suzanne
Suzanne Franco´s last blog post..Avoid Duplicate Content by Using the Canonical Link Element
Dennis Edell Reply:
April 4th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
@Suzanne Franco, Thanks for coming back.
April 4th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
As a reader, I almost always open everything in a new tab/window anyway so it doesn’t really matter how the link is formed. However, as a webmaster, I generally have “same window” links.
For a new project I’m working on though, I have several that open in new windows. In deciding which to use, I think about how I would want the site to act as a user and/or how likely a visitor might be to have reason to go back to a particular page. If I find it to be quite likely that they will want to go back there, I use new window. If I decide that they most likely won’t need to come back to a particular page then I have it open in the same window.
Nick´s last blog post..What posts do you find difficult to write?
April 5th, 2009 at 10:16 am
hey Dennis,
Good question. For me, internal links should open in the same window (I don’t like lots of windows opening up), UNLESS it is something like a picture for ordering where the person would want to see the picture and then close it, and continue with their order (not hit the back button).
Of course, I used IE6 up until last year, and now use Firefox with tabs, so with tabs it’s a whole new ball game.
Still, I would vote, internal - same window. ~ Steve
Steve | Trade Show Guru´s last blog post..Gardening, zip-lines, tadpoles, and God
April 11th, 2009 at 5:18 am
Opening your internal link into a new tab is quite unethical from my point of view. Many users who land up from search engines, will never find loyalty because this is like forcing them to do something. I used to do this and one day my mail box ended up getting an email from an IRATE reader.
Harsh Agrawal´s last blog post..How you can make money by using Twitter : Adjix and linkbee
Dennis Edell Reply:
April 12th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
@Harsh Agrawal, Same or new you’re “forcing” then to do it. The reader always has the chance to right click the link if they know it’s there to do so.
April 12th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
I often do is open new link in same window.
Sherry´s last blog post..Car for me
April 15th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
I don’t have to put much thought into this answer. The same window. I am programed to click “back” it is second nature for me. I hate closing windows or tabs.
Michael@TheBloggerSource´s last blog post..How To Get People To Keep Reading Your Blog
April 23rd, 2009 at 1:22 am
nice post it was really interesting it had many decent points i did learna thing or two from it as well
but my standpoint is only on this topic regarding the new and open window of linkage but if it comes to no other option except getting your text hyperlinked in the same window than there’s nothing else you can do about it
i know if i was a reader and i clicked on a hyperlink that directed me to another source immediately in the same window it would annoy me because i would than have to click on the go back button on the browser just to get back to the previous content
what i have always done was use the new window page so just in case i would like to skim the same content i was currently reading i can always go back and read it
almir´s last blog post..Vital Tips That Can Aid Any Blogger
June 3rd, 2009 at 9:15 pm
i prefer opening it in tabs, it really disturbs me when a new window pops’up.
August 26th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
I don’t have to put much thought into this answer. The same window. I am programed to click “back” it is second nature for me. I hate closing windows or tabs.