Written on June 26th, 2007 at 07:06 am by Darren Rowse
Should Links Open in a New Window?
Joanna asks - “I’d find it useful to hear your views Darren on the question of links opening in a new window. I was tutored to set them up to open in a new window so I didn’t lose visitors, but I see other people think it’s ’spammy’.”
The old ’should I make links open in a new window’ question - an oldie but a goodie.
My personal preference as a web surfer is that if I want to see a link in a new window (or tab - I’m a big tabbed browser fan) I’ll open it in one (and I do - regularly). I find it incredibly annoying when a new window opens up without me asking for it to. I have enough windows open on my desktop at any one time without needing more!
This personal preference has shaped my own practice as a web developer and blogger - I let readers choose how they wish to open the link. Yes, in doing so I’m sure some leave my blog, never to return, but I’m sure in not forcing new windows on readers that I also retain a few that would become annoyed by new windows opening all the time.
My priority as a blogger is to develop communities of readers who have positive user experiences. While keeping people on a blog by opening new windows for links might seem to make a blog stickier - I’d rather keep people engaged with content that they just can’t live without coming back to. If they do leave the site and want to come back they’ll use the back button.
From what I can tell - the two main reasons that it is legit to have links open in new windows is when you’re linking to a document (PDF) or a large image.
IF I ever decided I had a good reason to open something in a new window I’d make a note of it so the reader knew what to expect.
What Do You Think?
I’d be interested to open this up for a discussion though as I’m sure there are a variety of opinions on the topic. Perhaps others with different kinds of goals for their blogs see things differently.
Do you open links in new windows? Why or Why not?
164 Responses to “Should Links Open in a New Window?”
Chase Roper
June 26th, 2007 7:59 am
I vote for new tab. I hate multiple browsing windows and I regularly right click links and select “open in new tab.”
A. Marques
June 26th, 2007 8:22 am
I usually open all my links in new tabs. They are much easier to manage than new windows when I already have enough things open.
A site that makes readers open links in new windows just not to loose them it’s a clear sign that the content is not worth enough to come back to.
Let your readers choose…
Online Tips
June 26th, 2007 8:23 am
Yes, I personally think so. It doesn’t necessarily have to be in a new window, but it depends on your browser. You can set it up to open new windows in tabs instead. Tabs are much much easier to work with since you can just switch between them.
Sanix
June 26th, 2007 8:26 am
mm .. if the link is a reference to some other site within my article, I prefer it to open in a new window as it will be distracting for a reader if he leaves the site in the middle of the article. If the link is at the end of the article or somewhere else in the blog, it will be a good practice to leave it to visitors whether to open in a new window or continue browsing in the same one.
Rodney Olsen
June 26th, 2007 8:27 am
I used to have links opening in a new tab to keep readers on my page, and that’s actually how I prefer to browse sites myself. However, after reading a lot of people saying that they don’t like to be forced to another tab or window I stopped doing it.
I understand that it’s not really about what I want but what my readers want so I won’t force new tabs or windows to open if it annoys those people I’m most trying to attract to my site.
These days, if I’m visiting other sites, I mostly right click links and choose to open a new tab.
Lori
June 26th, 2007 8:29 am
Wow…I never thought about it being spammy. (Of course, I’m still a newbie!!) I do it to most of my links because I don’t want to lose visitors…hmmm…maybe I should recondsider this.
Barbara Swafford
June 26th, 2007 8:29 am
Darren, you do bring up a good point about opening a new window, if you choose to, however, I disagree.
I’ve been an avid “surfer” for years. I find interesting websites and often follow the links. What I found is, I end up in the middle of cyberspace and can’t remember how I got there. At times I find an interesting or educational article and think, “I’ll have to remember how I got here”, and, of course, forget. I’ve learned from my mistakes, and now, bookmark those great articles-sure beats hitting the “back” button a kazillion times.
Just three months ago, all of that “surfing” and other circumstances led to me the world of blogging. On my blog, http://www.bloggingwithoutablog.com, I addressed the issue of opening new links or not. You guessed it, my view on that is the opposite of yours.
Enough rambling…
This does give me the chance to say, you’re a great inspiration to us newbies. I have you in my blogroll and visit your site often. I’m so glad to see that even though you’ve been blogging for five years, you’re still taking the time to post and are keeping your blog current. (I hate surfing and finding outdated information)
P.S. I’m in the middle of referencing an 2005 article of yours “18 Lessons I’ve Learnt About Blogging” in a post I’ll be publishing later today. That’s a “classic” all bloggers should read.
To you Darren, a big world of thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Terra Andersen
June 26th, 2007 8:34 am
I like to open links in a new window. Why send your web surfer completely away from your site? *=)
Adam Snider
June 26th, 2007 8:36 am
I really dislike when links open in a new window, unless I’m on a shopping cart page and am clicking a “help” link. In that case, I don’t want to navigate away from the cart page, so a new window is acceptable.
That’s about the only time that I think that links should open in new windows: in purchase pages and/or landing pages designed to sell something.
I usually middle-click to open links into a new tab, but if I didn’t do that, my personal preference would be for them to open in the same window, rather than a new window, except in the cases I describe above.
Peter Cooper
June 26th, 2007 8:39 am
Just in case people didn’t realize.. you don’t need to right click and “Open in New Tab” on most browsers nowadays.. just middle click :)
Peter Cooper
June 26th, 2007 8:42 am
Of course, I should have read Adam’s comment above, sorry Adam ;-) Just to add something fresh.. my personal opinion is to let links open new pages and let the user work it out. The downside, however, is that 90%+ don’t know how to do that and can find it annoying. It’s another one of those “satisfy the power users or satisfy the masses” arguments.
HH
June 26th, 2007 8:45 am
There should be a way of creating links to open in a new tab!
Patrick
June 26th, 2007 8:50 am
I did never look at opening external links in a new window being spam. Why is that? Any external link on my site, that opens in a new window is marked as an external link by some small logo. That way everybody knows, what is going to happen, when clicking on one of those links.
Whether it opens in a new tab or in a new window is really open to their own decision. That depends on how they have set up their browser.
As a surfer I prefer to middle-click on links in other articles so that they’ll open in a new tab. I always thought that it would be helpful to my readers, when I set up external links to be opened in a new window, because they can just click on them except for middle-clicking them.
Maybe this is a philosphical question?
Greg
June 26th, 2007 8:57 am
As a browser, I usually right click and choose NEW TAB…
However, as a designer, I want to keep people on my page. Yes, I agree with you Darren in that our content should be great enough to bring someone back, but people are so fickle and easily distracted on the internet. A link early in an article might lead someone on to something that is also worthwhile, and my site might fade from their memory — BEFORE THEY EVEN READ THE ARTICLE.
For this I like new windows, or new tabs.
Such a little thing, but an interesting one — it really effects the users experience with out sites.
Goddess Carlie
June 26th, 2007 8:57 am
I agree that links should definitely not open in a new window. It is highly annoying. If I want to open in a new tab I middle click. And I admit I middle click alot. But it’s my choice and I get really annoyed if I didn’t want it to happen and it does. Let the reader decide.
jhay
June 26th, 2007 8:58 am
I set links to open in new windows since Firefox and IE7 facilitates tabbed browsing. I just don’t know exactly how it is with Safari.
Brian Auer
June 26th, 2007 9:00 am
No. Use regular links and let the reader decide where to open it. Don’t be greedy with your visitors.
Gerry
June 26th, 2007 9:01 am
I myself open links in new tabs with Firefox. My decision to make my links open in a new window was made with the advice of my teenage son. He told me that web savvy teens like to open new windows and find it easier that way.
MK
June 26th, 2007 9:01 am
As a surfer, I always usually right-click and open the links in a new window/tab.
As a blogger, I think I usually set it to open them in a new window, because I always heard that was a way to keep readers on your site. However, I think I’m going to stop doing that, because it annoys me when I’m checking the links.
And if it annoys me, then it may annoy others as well.
Chris
June 26th, 2007 9:01 am
You don’t want new readers to leave your site?
Well, if you force my browser to open links in new windows, you just lost this new reader. Let the person reading decide how to follow links.
D
June 26th, 2007 9:03 am
Nothing annoys me more than when a webpage takes control of my browser and causes it to behave in ways I didn’t choose - that includes opening new windows, new tabs, and RESIZING browser windows (yes, that still happens). The bottom line here is that it’s MY browser, not yours. I decide how it behaves, not 1001 different web developers with different ideas about what constitutes acceptable behaviour.
And if the website in question can’t handle that - I leave, and don’t come back. My first reaction when a window resizes is to hit the back button. My first reaction when a page (not an image) opens in a new window, is to immediately close the window - my second is to leave the site.
The only possible exceptions to this are highly interactive sites that may choose to over-ride the right click men to list ’site specific’ options - but even these I hate, and have the relevant Javascript option disabled.
Bottom line guys - it’s MY browser, not yours - quit playing around with it.
Christian Decker
June 26th, 2007 9:04 am
Got to agree with you, if I’m interested in not browsing away from my current page then I’ll open the link in a new tab. Opening links in a new window disrupts my browsing experience, let me decide what to do :D
Jared Schwager
June 26th, 2007 9:04 am
I don’t like it when links open in new windows (or tabs) unless I specifically want one to. All modern browsers allow you to middle-click to open the link in a new tab, which is what I usually do myself. I think it’s much better to leave the decision up to the users of whether they want to open the links in a new window or not.
Stelios
June 26th, 2007 9:05 am
I prefer to force the opening of the EXTERNAL links in a new window, because I believe the external link is a reference for your post. So, opening the new window, your’re redirecting the user to read the reference and closing it, it’s back at the original source.
It works, like a bookmark (the real one :-)).
When you’re reading a book and you’re reaching at a reference in another book, I don’t believe you’re closing the book and start reading the referred one!
For computing the things is little bit more complicated. Different browsers, tabbing capabilities, popup blockers etc. are extending the range of discussion. Anyway the majority of users (yes, the majority) are not aware of right-click -> open in a new window, shift-click, control-click and middle-click situations. Ask the “regular” internet users: “How did you open a link in a new window?”.You’re going to be surprised from the answers!
Webomatica
June 26th, 2007 9:12 am
Does Google open a new window for every link it offers up in its search results? Nope.
If a site was set to open a new window for every link on, I would think there was something off about that site, and wouldn’t likely return. That’s my vote.
Lori
June 26th, 2007 9:18 am
This comment is actually towards comment #10 PETER COOPER…he left a comment on how to open a new tab on a link just by clicking the middle button…I never knew that and I consider myself to be a little computer savvy. Thanks Peter.
Carmen
June 26th, 2007 9:19 am
I set my links up to open in the same window. If people want the link to open in a new window or tab, it is easy for them to do this manually.
As a reader I loathe sites that force new windows to open from links. When I’m browsing I sometimes open links in a new tab and sometimes don’t and I like to be the one who is control of this.
Robert Gorell
June 26th, 2007 9:20 am
I’ve been pondering this one for a while now, but this is the first time I’ve read any good arguments either way, so thanks.
I like to have external links open in a new window when I’m trying to suggest to the reader that where I’m sending them is temporary; that it’s a one-off page for them to consider before returning to our blog’s narrative. I’m not quite sure how that’s received, though, since it’s a guess based on how I like to browse. Thing is, if you have tab browsing enabled, clicking on a link that’s set to “open in a new window” just opens in a new tab instead.
BUT that’s my own personal bias, and potentially annoying to some readers–especially those who can’t be bothered with tabbed browsing, or aren’t aware of it as an option. Now I’m appropriately self-conscious about this assumption of mine, and I plan on leaving the links alone for at least the next week so we can test it. Gotta love getting outside perspective!
Personally, I hate over-using the ‘back’ button, but people are used to it—and why should my biases rule? (Same goes for the “middle-click” crowd, by the way. Not everyone has such a good mouse. I totally agree with you about preference, though, which only makes Darren’s argument stronger. If the reader cares enough to drive his own experience, he’ll do so.)
What’s even more important, though, is the language you choose to link. Not trying to derail, just that it’s essential to link verbiage that tells the reader roughly where she’ll land on the other side of a click. Being hyper-literal can be boring, but we should at least try to hyperlink language where a clear intent can be inferred.
the How-To Geek
June 26th, 2007 9:23 am
A much better strategy is to simply put the relevant link (the one that your article is about) at the bottom of the post.
It also depends very much on your audience. If you have a web-savvy audience like Darren does, then you can put links wherever you want, because you know that the majority of the readers aren’t going to click off-site, they’ll open in a new tab.
Brandon J
June 26th, 2007 9:26 am
I feel that if a new window opens up that it’s spam. Opening new windows may actually lose impressions because of filters right? New Windows that I actually want to come up are blocked my Vista.
I have to click allow from almost every site. It’s like the commercial….do you want to allow….allow….allow… Why would you reduce the probability of your links getting blocked?
Just my opinion.
Brandon J
Money for Military
Shane
June 26th, 2007 9:30 am
When you go to the site http://www.howstuffworks.com, and then you click on an external link, the new page opens in the same window, but with a How-Stuff-Works header that reminds the reader where they came from and allows a quick and easy return.
This could be a decent comprimise to those not wanting to “lose” current readers. Anyone know how this is accomplished?
SEO Expert Blog
June 26th, 2007 9:35 am
Fully agree with you Darren. Let the users decide how the link will be opened. I also use tabbed browsing a lot and even Microsoft learned that this enhances the user experience.
If someone wants to leave he’ll do so anyway, but peaple may feel like leaving if they cannot control what happens next.
Suzie Cheel
June 26th, 2007 9:37 am
Wow , There is food for thought there, I like to open in a new tab so I can go back to what I was reading easily.
I must sayI have never thought of opening in a new window as being spammy. I am like Joanna, taught to keep people on the site- well that was for websites.
D
June 26th, 2007 9:48 am
“I prefer to force the opening of the EXTERNAL links in a new window, because I believe the external link is a reference for your post.”
Stelios, the bottom line here, and it’s something so many web designers seem to forget, is that it’s not really about what YOU prefer, or what YOU want - it’s about what your readers prefer, and what your readers want.
I’m a software developer, and I’ve come across this so much as part of my day job - where technical people make decisions for non-technical users because it’s what THEY would choose to do or want to do if they were the users. But they’re not!
You are NOT your readers. You have to give them what THEY not, not what YOU want.
Des Walsh
June 26th, 2007 9:54 am
This has been a confronting post and set of comments for me.Like Barbara Swafford I actually find it useful for my own browsing to have a separate tab or window open. And until reading this post I thought the accepted wisdom was to tag the link to open in a new window so as not to lose readers needlessly. I did not see that as manipulative, just as a way of helping someone to keep reading the article that happened to have a link in it. Amazing how the same set of circumstances can be seen in such different ways. I’m open to changing my wicked ways, but with the greatest respect to you and those commenters who find the tagging of links to open new windows so annoying, I wonder have there been any actual usability studies been done or papers written on the subject?
John
June 26th, 2007 9:56 am
I personally find window proliferation annoying. If I want a new window or tab, I can make that choice myself. So I’m with Darren on this question. I don’t want to annoy my readers with things that I don’t like.
jen
June 26th, 2007 10:06 am
I don’t like links opening in a new window. I’ll do it myself if I wish. If a link is going to open in a new window I think the web author should be courteous and let me know.
For accessibility reasons it’s also a no-no because when people go to use the back button, there’s nothing to browse back to if a new window has opened up.
The Old Vic
June 26th, 2007 10:13 am
My blogs open up links in new windows, but I think I will change that becaue today I was wandering around as usual and found myself getting annoyed by new windows opening when ididn’t want them to. So I’m reformed! May I go forth and never sin again! Vic
Andrew Ferguson
June 26th, 2007 10:14 am
If I’m linking outside of my site, I set it to open in a new window. If I’m linking within my site, I set it to open in same window. Pretty much standard not-losing-visitors thing.
I find that most advanced users will right-click and select new tab anyways, so to most of them the target is irrelevant, they set their own. Personally, this is what I do all the time.
I think people are more frustrated by a lack of consistency in linking policies than anything else. I know I am.
Andrea >> Become a Consultant
June 26th, 2007 10:16 am
I have links open in a new window. Many of my readers are still new to the web and tend to get confused about what site they’re on. Forcing a new window helps them make the distinction.
Brian Clark
June 26th, 2007 10:19 am
>>Does Google open a new window for every link it offers up in its search results? Nope.
But Digg does. Hasn’t hurt them.
Opal: Vegan Momma
June 26th, 2007 10:31 am
I use a new link not because I’m trying to force them to stay on my website but mainly because I’ve run into quite a few people that had no clue about how to use the back button. My father was one of those people I had to tell him, “Dad you have to click on this to go back to the original website.” He didn’t use the computer. He does now.
When I worked out of the home, I ran into quite a few “casual users like my father.” It was part of my job. I was amazed I thought everyone “knew” about the back button or would have figured it out.
Trader Mike
June 26th, 2007 10:38 am
Links that force new windows is just plain bad design and extremely annoying! Just use plain links and let the reader decide. I ranted about this last year after one of my readers asked me to default all of my links to open in new windows.
Kishore Duddekunta
June 26th, 2007 10:47 am
Well i think the best option from a website point of view would be let the user choose if he wants to open the page in a new window or a new tab.. and i personally like to open the link in a new tab and it allows me to browse across tabs in (FIREFOX) than in multiple windows..
This was one of the feature that made firefox such a hit and was later copied on by the Internet explorer…
Dave
June 26th, 2007 11:02 am
This is the way I see it. I make new windows open for non-internal links, meaning links that do not go to a page on my own site. Web savvy users I believe (at least myself) middle mouse click for a new tab when I click a link anyway….so it doesn’t make one difference to me personally whether or not a link opens in a new window or not. Non-savvy people I don’t think care as much as you savvy people might, and by not opening a new window you don’t necessarily “lose” that visitor. So I’ll continue to stick with the rule that I use now.
BeachBum
June 26th, 2007 11:04 am
Yes, open links in a new window. I often right-click a link and open in a new window when I visit websites. That way I don’t loose my place on the current site when I am done visiting the link.
Michael
Veron
June 26th, 2007 11:13 am
By default I let external links open in new windows/tabs. Even with the “target=_blank” tag visitors can still choose to click on a link and drag it to their current tab should they not want a new tab/window!
Anyway, I have a little icon next to each of those links to indicate that they would open in a new window. I think that’s fair.
TheLocoMono
June 26th, 2007 11:21 am
I like that Google point, 41. Digg though has a differen strategy than Google. I have been making the links on my site open a new window but now after reading this thread, I am going to change the windows to only external links, meaning not within my website. You can always go back but when you go external, you have to make a choice, keep going or stay where you are..
Bret.
June 26th, 2007 11:27 am
I agree in your overall assessment of opening links in a new window. I’d like to keep readers at my site as long as possible; however, most readers know two important things about browsing the web: how to open a link a new window on their own, and pressing the back button. Since I’m assuming nearly all readers know how to do that, I open the link in the current window and let the reader decide if they want to come back. Finally the point about PDF files and special images is also important. While I have yet to link to a PDF file on my site, if I did, I would open it in a new window and the same goes for special images.
Basically, when in doubt, let the reader decide how to open links.
Angela
June 26th, 2007 11:33 am
I’ve never even considered this before as I’ve always (since I started making websites years ago) made links open up in new windows so as not to loose visitors. It hadn’t even occured to me that it might be ’spammy’.
I remember one site I used to visit often and the actually different pages used to open up in new windows, now that was annoying because I had multiple windows open at any time all of the same website.
This is something to really think about, thanks for asking!
Angela Wills
StarVA
http://www.StarVA.com
Huckleberry
June 26th, 2007 11:49 am
Great timing. Just last week this question popped into my mind.
I think having links open in a new is the old school way thinking. I can remember professors harping on why it was the way to go and getting scornful remarks when you forgot to add a _blank tag to one of your links on a final project. You have to remember that years ago a websites value was mostly based on how many visitors and how long they stayed on the site. Every visitor you sent away were possible lost “hits”.
Personally I always open links in new tabs, even if I’m relatively sure I’m done reading the site I’m currently on and clicking away from. Using the “Back” and “Forward” buttons are linear and so web 1.0.
It’s been ingrained in my head for such a long time that I still find myself doing it. And to be honest I never really gave it much thought. However, after reading the comments here I definitely think it’s better to let the reader decide.
phoenix
June 26th, 2007 12:07 pm
My feeling is the opposite of conventional wisdom. I like to click the links as I go and have them open in a separate tab or window that I can read later. I want to stay on the page I navigated to and I don’t want to be sent willy-nilly all over the internet. I’m often doing things with my hands while I surf (like knitting) and while I can activate most links with the enter key, nothing annoys me more than being interrupted mid-post and having to navigate back to the site to finish an article I enjoy. I’m reading your post. Why are you sending me away?
Besides, don’t most newer browsers give you the option to control the way you open your links if you don’t want to follow the page settings?
redwall_hp
June 26th, 2007 12:21 pm
Strange…I was just thinking about writing a post like this. Are you psychic?
I don’t force open new windows on people either (unless it’s absolutely necessary for something). My browsing habits involve one windows, and opening new tabs by middle-clicking links (scroll mouse), so I’m not about to open new windows on other people’s computers.
Jermayn Parker
June 26th, 2007 12:22 pm
The most used browser button is the “BACK” button. If you send the user to a new window, you loose the option of them able to go back to your website via the back button…
I agree with Darren that you should only ‘ever’ send the user to a new window is with a large image or a pdf and if you do that, you need to tell them so via text or little icons next to the link.
Dhane
June 26th, 2007 12:31 pm
It’s ironic that this topic came up because as I was reading this post in my Google Labs, when I clicked to make a comment, a whole new window popped up. I think it is annoying for a new window to open when you click on some links. For the most part, I would think most people use browsers with tabs, to cut down on the amount of windows that you would have open at any given time. I am a fan of tabbed browsers, and like it when my newly clicked links open up in a tab, and not as another window.
Ellie
June 26th, 2007 12:57 pm
Lots of interesting opinions here…….
I know that I personally right click and open new tab…. But — I believe the issue of having the link open in a new window depends on who your readers are…. and what your website subject is about……….
In a niche where people are internet savy — or at least learning to be internet savy — then I vote do not open in a new window….
But — What about the website that’s subject is quilting or model building? While I am sure there are internet savy users in that group - I would guess there are more folks who are not so savy and who don’t care to be internet savy — they just want info on quilting or model building…. For those websites -I vote open the link in a new window…….
Just my .02
Ellie
VuthaSurf
June 26th, 2007 1:20 pm
I personally like to open new window because it is easy for me to check the previous site. I always link other sites to be opened new window in my blog. if i linked my previous articles, i did not let it open new window.
redwall_hp
June 26th, 2007 1:58 pm
I agree with comments 54 and 55. Note: I’ve been building my own web-based RSS reader (AJAX) that doesn’t open new windows. :D
Matt Wardman
June 26th, 2007 2:15 pm
I currently open other websites in a new window, and open other pages of my own site in the same window.
Tabbed browsers may cause me to change my policy - although of course the user with such a browser can CTRL-Click to force a new tab anyway.
The thing that I have done that is not mentioned above (I think) is that I have the policy stated in my about page, along with how I do copyright acknowledgement, trackbacks and all that. See the link above.
phil crissman
June 26th, 2007 2:20 pm
Yes, just to add to the overwhelming consensus — normal links, every time. If I want a new tab/window, I can open the link in that, and usually do (resulting in a Firefox window with about fifty open tabs, but that’s my problem…).
The only possible reason I can see for *ever* having links open in new windows is within a web application, where you might have a “Help” link open a new small window, for example.
Yvonne
June 26th, 2007 2:55 pm
Re: comment #35 on usability studies.
I believe that studies have been done and the answer is: don’t force links to open in new windows. I think it’s actually against the W3C accessibility guidelines to do so without explicitly flagging the link as a new window opener, but it’s been a while since I’ve looked at them.
The main problem with opening a link in a new window is that the browser history is generally not cloned into the new window. Combine this with an un-savvy user and you wind up with someone who doesn’t realize that a new window has opened and instead thinks you’ve somehow disabled their back button, which also happens to be a major navigational tool.
Some people eventually get used to the new window behavior and even come to prefer it, but forcing new windows pretty well violates usability/accessibility rule #1, which is to leave control of the browser’s behavior in the hands of the user.
starleads
June 26th, 2007 3:07 pm
Depends on the kind of link you have.
Sheila at Family Travel
June 26th, 2007 3:15 pm
Wow, I’m with Barbara up in Comment 7, in that I get off on Internet exploration tangents and prefer to have a new window open and come back to the original site later, since otherwise I’d be “back-buttoning” for eternity. So, I open into a new window on my blog because I thought that was easiest for everyone. No nefarious intentions at all.
I had no idea that this annoys people so much, and am somewhat puzzled by what you accomplish when you get miffed about new windows and never return to that naughty site. Why not leave a comment for the blog author; maybe they’re like me and had no idea that it gets people in such a twist.
I know life’s short and we’re all busy, but don’t be passive-aggressive. Give straightforward feedback.
This has inspired me to ask my readers what they’d like — thanks so much for the food for thought, Darren.
chris
June 26th, 2007 4:03 pm
I like having the link to open up into a new tab, therefore if I don’t like that content I can easily close it down and get back to where I was.
Yasaruwan
June 26th, 2007 4:10 pm
Thanks for the great article. I used to make my links opening on a separate windows or a tab because I thought I can keep my readers on the blog. But after reading your article I understand that I have to give them choice whether they want it on another window or not.
Genevieve Netz
June 26th, 2007 4:10 pm
Darren mentioned that a legitimate use of a new window is when the file is large, such as a PDF.
I never use a new window for any sort of link. However, I do give the reader a heads-up if the link leads to any sort of an abnormal file. I enclose the information in parenthesis, immediately following the link:
(PDF file)
(DOC file)
or whatever…
I enjoy your blog, Darren. I read it frequently, but have never commented before!
Barbra Sundquist
June 26th, 2007 4:27 pm
I understand the comments pro and con about leaving the decision up to the reader, but I don’t understand the reference to “spammy”. How is having links open in a new tab/window spammy?
At Home Mom
June 26th, 2007 4:33 pm
Personally, I really hate clicking on a link without thinking (I´m still new to the tabs business) and ending up having to click the Back button to return to the content I was reading. However, it looks like a lot of people find new windows more annoying, so I might have to rethink what I do with my links!
Jens P. Berget
June 26th, 2007 4:37 pm
I always put links to external sites to open in a new window, but internal links (to pages / posts on my blog) to open in the same window.
I guess it´s because I want to keep my visitors, and that I prefer this myself when I surf. The reason is that sometimes there are links close to the top of a post, and when I click on them I will go to another site but within the same window, and this is before I am finished reading the initial post. I guess I think it´s easier to just close the window to get back to where I was in the first place.
Gillian
June 26th, 2007 4:37 pm
Yes, I also prefer links to open in new tabs. One thing often leads to another and re-tracing the trail is tedious!! I’m beginning to develop the habit of ‘right click - open in new tab’, but it would be just that tiny bit easier if the site took care of it.
I’ve also set my Google preferences so that when I click on an item it opens in a new tab. That way, the Google list of found items is always available alongside the pages it points towards.
And I love the way Bloglines opens sites in new tabs.
I’m a NewTabber!!
But I don’t think you’ll get far by asking readers to vote for a preference — some like it one way and others like it the other way. You’ll never please everyone.
nix
June 26th, 2007 4:37 pm
The way that I look at it is that if my content is good enough my visitors will stay at my site. Therefore I make my links open in the same window and allow my visitors to choose.
Anything else is bad manners.
Mark Thwaite
June 26th, 2007 5:16 pm
My preference is “target=_blank”. When I’m reading an article heavy with interesting links I want to open many of them to read later — kind of like footnotes to the main piece. As Sheila and Barbara say, I’d be hitting the back-button forever and losing the thread of the article in hand if no new windows were to open. Netiquette, to me, is about ease: I find it much easy if I’m allowed to keep reading what I’m reading. If I click a link, it is a “note to self” to read/refer to later — if a click takes me off on a completely new tangent, away from the original article, I’ll tidy up my tabs and browser windows as I go along.
Alvin
June 26th, 2007 6:02 pm
I always prefer to open in new windows. By this way, we can make sure that readers will not leave our blog for reason of opening new windows.
Tom Hanna
June 26th, 2007 6:31 pm
You’re right on target when you say that when you do set a link to open in a new window there needs to be a note for the reader. I’d say that’s even more important when, as you suggest, you use a new window for a large PDF file. Nothing will get me to not visit a site again faster than clicking a link only to have a large PDF file lock my browser up and lose whatever other tabs I had open and working. OK, there is one other thing that will get me to leave and not come back - having a “Contact Us” link that is actually a “mailto:” and instead of taking me to a professional page of contact information pops open the otherwise never used default email program on my machine. Sorry, but that is *sooooo 1990s*.
sriram
June 26th, 2007 6:54 pm
New window. I want to keep my visitors. =)
Misa
June 26th, 2007 7:01 pm
Wow! I didn’t realize this was such a big issue for people! It’s given me a bit to think about, but I think I’m going to keep doing things as I’m doing them…
As a reader, I try to open things in new tabs (I’m using Firefox). However, sometimes I forget to do so and this is the number one reason, as a blogger/writer/whathaveyou that I make all my links open in new tabs/windows: I get frustrated when I forget that I’ve not opened it in a new tab and close it, then curse things as I try to remember how to find where I was to begin with. And I know I’m not the only one who does that. So that’s why I use new tab/new window links.
MJ Ray
June 26th, 2007 7:15 pm
Don’t open new browser windows! It’s number 9 on Jakob Nielsen’s top 10 mistakes in web design: “Opening up new browser windows is like a vacuum cleaner sales person who starts a visit by emptying an ash tray on the customer’s carpet.” http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9605.html
Maybe if you have a really good reason and it’s really clearly marked, then you can do it (like all rules, there are some exceptions), but that’s fewer than 1 in 100 of the times I see it done. The rest are modern-day vacuum-cleaner salesmen and they lose my readership/custom as soon as they do it. If they’re willing to use such tricks to keep one browser window on their site, I wouldn’t trust them as far as I can spit a rat.
Beth at Morning Glories
June 26th, 2007 7:39 pm
This has been an interesting and helpful conversation. As a user, I far prefer when links open in a new window or tab, so I don’t get lost in a rabbit trail of links where I can’t get back to the original site, as others have mentioned. I agree with the person who said that following links within one window seems old-fashioned.
Personally, I didn’t know about the right-click option and wonder whether the average layperson does. Perhaps the decision should depend in part upon whether your site is geared the more or less tech-savvy user…. That said, as a blogger I’m seeing that the majority here prefer/recommend staying “inside” with links, so I’ll change my settings today.
Joanna Young
June 26th, 2007 7:55 pm
Hi Darren and everyone who’s commented so far
Thanks for picking up my question, which was prompted by some comments here on a recent post (Barbara, #64, that’s where the ref to ’spammy’ came from - being used here as a general term for cheap and nasty looking site maybe, which I certainly hope mine isn’t!).
It’s been very interesting to read people’s comments and reactions. Before I started blogging (about 3 months ago) I was definitely media unsavvy. I had no idea I could right click for a new tab (still not sure what middle clicking is but will investigate!) and often found myself ‘lost’ in hyperspace. Back spacing doesn’t always take you back to where you wanted to be - if you can remember where that was. I think I had people like myself in mind when setting up links to open in new windows (and other groups of readers as other commenters have mentioned). It’s a way of helping them to navigate - I thought.
Also as a non media savvy newbie I was dependent on the advice of others about things like links. But I now I can see there is more than one school of thought or set of advice.
Will definitely reconsider this given the strength of reaction it evokes in media savvy readers. I guess it boils down to knowing who your readers (and casual visitors) are and what they want.
As for being greedy - certainly not my intention. I try to provide links to quality sites in all my posts so people can have a good rummage around elsewhere. Just not get lost in the process.
And as for good content being the real ’sticky’ point. Absolutely.
Joanna
trumpi
June 26th, 2007 8:28 pm
Shouldn’t this be configurable at a browser level? HTML can be crafted to forcibly open a document in a new window, why not add another option that obeys a user’s preference?
markowe
June 26th, 2007 8:54 pm
This has got me thinking (and people talking, I see!) - I may well have to change my thinking about this as I never thought of the “spamminess” factor before. Like Barbara (see earlier) I tend to keep loads of tabs open at any one time so I remember to go back and look at stuff, but I never thought that this might bother some people.
But I guess there is an element of wanting to keep people from departing entirely from a site, which come to think of it is not really in line with my philosophy, otherwise I would be blocking the back button and stuff by now!
DaveP
June 26th, 2007 9:49 pm
I always open links in a new tab using the trusty old right click, and so think that’s the way to go when developing your blog or website.
I also hate following a link chain in one window, and have trouble getting back to my original sourec which I may want to bookmark for future reference.
Brick Blogging
June 26th, 2007 10:00 pm
I actually hate posts where links open in the same window. The last thing I want when I’m reading the article is to follow a link from it that sends me away. So I got over that by middle clicking in a background tab any new link.
Chuck
June 26th, 2007 10:03 pm
Interesting discussion. I have always used the blank target to launch a new window on all my sites. I may have to rethink this philosophy. Good topic, Darren!
Dario
June 26th, 2007 10:07 pm
I can’t live without the middle mouse button that opens a new tab in Firefox! For the mice with scrolls, just click the wheel. To close a tab, give it a little middle-button click and poof! Gone. To open a previously closed tab in FF 2.0, use Ctrl + Shift + T
Hope these tips were useful! (c:
Matt
June 26th, 2007 10:11 pm
I hadn’t thought about the “spam” aspect of opening a new window..
Actually, my linking is :
- same window for others articles or pages links (as it the same blog)
- open new window for other websites/blogs
I thought it was the “classic” way.
But a lot of people commentating talks about the possibility of middle click but I’m not sure the majority of peole surfing knows about this..
Jean
June 26th, 2007 10:29 pm
Me too! i always open links in a new tab. Sometimes, if it’s too full,i’ll oepn in a new window.
CatherineL
June 26th, 2007 10:39 pm
I prefer links to open in a new window, so I don’t lose the original page or site. But my biggest pet hate is when the link doesn’t open in a new window, and when you try to press the back button, the site is site up so you can’t. I don’t understand why people do this, as they should realise that if they annoy you so much, you are only going to close the browser, and have to start again, causing great inconvenience. Also, you are never likely to visit their site again.
Mark Boudreau
June 26th, 2007 10:40 pm
I have my links set to open in new tabs based perhaps on “old school thinking (man new school becomes old school fast on the web!). Since my site is about music I think readers appreciate having the link to say a band’s MySpace page open in another link so they can listen to the music in question while continuing to read The Rock and Roll Report.
That being said, is there a simple way for me to convert my links from opening in a new page if I decide to change?
Kathleen
June 26th, 2007 10:40 pm
I really don’t like it when links automatically open in a new tab. I see it as a form of arrogance. Maybe I’m ready to leave the site. If I want to stay, I right click. If right click is disabled on a site…well, I leave, never to return.
That said, many visitors to my site don’t agree and have complained about it. Their argument is that my site is very link intensive and they don’t want to lose their place. I’ve responded with a tutorial explaining how to right click (and it’s not my fault they’re not using firefox).
Protestant
June 26th, 2007 10:42 pm
I agree with an earlier comment. I normally have external links open in a new window. Personally, I think that disrupting an article by leaving the site completely is not too user friendly.
Jennifer
June 26th, 2007 10:47 pm
Guilty Newbie! I’m not really a web designer but I’ve always tried to set up my site and blog intuitively in terms of navigation. I guess as a surfer I am a bit click happy and often forget where I came from, which results in disappointment, confusion or exasperation, ultimately ending in abandonment! I like the new windows for that reason.
I am an artist and write for other artists and art lovers, not techies. But I may be making some wrong assumptions, as this is the second time in a week I’ve seen posts about new windows being bad.
I use new windows in my picture galleries on my website, and I’ve also been using them on my blog. It may take me a while to figure out a new navigation system for my website. But I do think I will stop it on the blog and just let people leave their own trail of crumbs to find their way back.
Al
June 26th, 2007 11:03 pm
Usability expert Jakob Nielsen (http://www.useit.com/) has said for over a decade that the single-most used and best understood browser feature is the “back” button, and that you interfere with it at your peril. That includes links opening in new windows.
As a web surfer, I HATE when a site, any site, opens links in a new window without warning me first. In some cases, the method used actually breaks the site because it runs afoul of my popup blocker. I am fully capable of deciding if I want a link to open in a new window (or tab).
For Firefox users: CTRL+click will also open a link in a new tab. Also, there is a configuration setting that forces links that try to open a new window to open a new tab instead. Doesn’t work with all techniques, though.
Karen
June 26th, 2007 11:04 pm
Give me a new window any day– because I have a habit of closing a site only to discover that I’ve lost the blog that I wanted to continue to read. Only one mouse in my house (heh!) has a middle wheel for the new window option.
Crafty Witch
June 26th, 2007 11:14 pm
I’m one of those people who’d rather decide for myself where a new link opens. I I understand having something like a help screen open up in a new window, but if you’re going do that, please either 1) set the type size so that those of us with aging eyes and or monitors can read it, or 2) give us at least the menu bar so we can re-size the screen type. Haloscan for blog comments drives me buggy because there’s no way to open it in a tab; it puts comments up in teeny tiny type that I couldn’t read on my old monitor and can barely read on this one; and AFAICT, there is no way to resize the type. Google/Blogger’s comment window is much easier on my eyes.
Surrogate Pimp
June 26th, 2007 11:14 pm
Dang it. Do you people realize you are making me change all of my links to open in the same browser?
Logic ruins everything. If this continues, I may even open my blog to comments.
Joaquin
June 26th, 2007 11:40 pm
I still prefer new windows, I appreciate when they tell me it will open in a new window, often rt click to open new tabs and loathe the back button. That being said, I LOVE it, recently, when links open up in new tabs all by themselves. Anyone know how that’s done?
Dustin
June 27th, 2007 12:11 am
One of the Golden Rules of interface design is to give the user control. This is one of the reasons why the browser now have this setting built in, so users can choose for themselves. This way the developer does not need to worry about it and leave it up to the end user to decide how to handle it. Also the ‘target’ tags are being phased out of HTML as an out dated feature for similar reasons.
The moral is: don’t worry about it.
Ruth
June 27th, 2007 12:22 am
I prefer the link open in a new window. If I am studying something that someone wrote, and they give a link in the article that expands on this topic, I hate it when I am bumped off the page to follow the link. I always prefer to stay on the site, and close the original site when I am ready and finished.
John B
June 27th, 2007 12:23 am
When I was developing my website/blog, I was like many of the posters above. My first thought was to have the links open in a new window so as to not lose visitors. But the more I thought about it the more I realized that I like controlling which windows I have open/closed and don’t like having numerous windows open at the same time (numerous tabs is a different story though ;-) ).
So for me, the decision was easy - let the users decide how they want to use the links on my site.
derek
June 27th, 2007 12:55 am
Darren, I wrote a post on this very topic not too long ago and there was some very interesting discussion that resulted. I too fall into the camp that I prefer not to force anything on my readers and give them the choice of opening it in a new window or tab if they choose to do so.
However, many people seemed to do the new window thing because they didn’t want people to navigate away from their site. My thought on that is that if my content is compelling enough, they will come back.
(Link to my post on opening links is included above on my name)
Hava
June 27th, 2007 1:44 am
Hi Darren! I’m a long-time reader, but I’ve never commented before. I just had to reply to this though:
“By default I let external links open in new windows/tabs. Even with the “target=_blank” tag visitors can still choose to click on a link and drag it to their current tab should they not want a new tab/window!”
I just tried that to see if it works, and sure enough, it did! I thought I was pretty darn web savvy, but even I hadn’t heard of this before! Pretty cool - thank you, thank you to the commenter who said that, because I’m like many of the people here: I want to control if the links open in a new window or in the same window, and this will help me do that. I blog for a website - Families.com in the Jobs topic - and they have recently changed the set-up of the site to always open *all* links in a new tab. This is really annoying to me, because I’ll be searching through my old posts, trying to find some information, and end up 17 open tabs. Grrrh. Now I won’t have to deal with that. :-D
Oh, and I use a laptop and have one of those touch pads with only two buttons, so I don’t have a middle button to click with, darn it. I’m going to start using the Ctrl + click though, because that’s faster than the right-click-down-to-open-in-new-tab method.
Thanks for all of the wonderful insights, Darren, and thanks to all of the great commenters too - I learn so much from all of you guys!
Hava
http://mittforpresident.wordpress.com/
Lynn Glessner
June 27th, 2007 2:13 am
Interesting ideas. I think I agree with Barbara. I prefer new links to open in tabs, and don’t mind having tons of tabs so I can don’t loose anything I was following. Then I close a tab when I am done with that rabbit trail, for lack of a better word picture.
I switched to Firefox a while ago for their ability to customize my browser, especially tabs before IE followed their lead, and don’t think I would avoid a site because it didn’t default to my preferences. I think web-savvy readers would be able to use their web-browser settings to control their preferences. If you loose a reader because of something like this, it was just an excuse.
Thanks as always for the useful article. I use your email newsletter and RSS to follow your articles and read the vast majority of them.
Mary
June 27th, 2007 2:23 am
I generally prefer to have links to outside sites open in a new window. This may be the only thing I’m ‘old school’ about in web design! Most of my site visitors are not terribly web savvy and don’t necessarily know they can *choose* to open in a new window.
Aaron Putnam
June 27th, 2007 2:56 am
Ultimately, I don’t think it matters what “we” think is the better solution. Conversion should determine whether or not you pop open a new window. Also, depending on the circumstance, linking out in a new window may be more useful. Generally speaking, however, if we’re just talking about the user experience, I would not pop open new windows.
Sterling
June 27th, 2007 3:26 am
I’m more of a ‘it depends’ type of person. If the site is a business site (just for the purpose of selling and item or items) and the link will take them off the site, it will open in a new window or tab. I think the goal of a site like that is simply to sell.
If the site is a social media site and my goal is to create an excellent user experience or to build a community then I will let them slide away without opening a tab, as Darren said, the goal would be about a positive user experience.
Tamar Weinberg
June 27th, 2007 3:42 am
This is a good question. Personally, I will often be reading blog posts and click on a link that piques my curiosity, but I won’t be finished with the original blog post, and the new link will already be loading. I often forget to right click and select “Open in New Tab” which is frustrating. If someone can do it for me, great. But I can also see it as being spammy — especially if you’re clicking on a lot of links and already finished reading the blog post.
Barbara
June 27th, 2007 4:15 am
I’ve been a web developer for 13 years, as well as been involved in various manners of blogs and social networking for at least 15 years.
From a developer or site owner aspect:
Yes, you want to keep people on your page. Do it with engaging content. If people like your site and clicking a link takes them elsewhere, they’ll go back and bookmark it, or go back and open in a new tab. Make it easy to bookmark. If it’s dynamic, provide content via rss. Do whatever it takes to make it easy for people to come back to your site.
From a surfer aspect:
Don’t open links in new windows or tabs for people by default, it’s VERY annoying. If your site is worthy, they’ll be back. Don’t turn off right-click functionality, so people can’t choose to open in a new window or tab on their own. If people want to grab pictures or any other content on your page, disabling right-click doesn’t stop them.
A good developer will forget the target attribute exists, because they don’t use frames and they don’t force things to open in new locations.
avid learner
June 27th, 2007 4:16 am
While I can be described as an intermediate web user my readers are “regular” folks. My readers usability is more important than page rank, so I like pages that open in new links! On a personal note, I generally open in new tabs, read the entire article then go to the new tabs to follow through. It is easier to digest the info as far as comprehension and relevance, I have also found this works better with my readers!.
Steven Fergus
June 27th, 2007 4:18 am
I think it’s personal preference really. I’m sure there are some people (In fact, I know people) who prefer links to open in a new window - to keep things organised -
I’m not sure what ‘I’ think is best. The most used button is the “back button”, so this is a good argument why NOT to open links in a new window.
Steven Fergus
June 27th, 2007 4:20 am
Although I forgot to add: If I’m reading a blog post, and there is a link included in the post, often that will not open in a new window and I’m taken away from the post. I then have to go back and find where I was last reading.
This can be annoying. Both have their good and bad points.
Gillian
June 27th, 2007 7:00 am
I think the world is gravitating towards a new practice - opening links in new tabs. Let’s all converge on this!!
Jakob Nielsen will catch up in time. His advice sounds out of date - relevant to days when browsers did not have tabs. And not particularly relevant to blog-style websites.
Whichever way it converges, life will be simpler if most sites work the same way. The river is running towards ‘click –> new tab’, so don’t reverse your practice. Encourage others to join the flow.
Carrie
June 27th, 2007 7:37 am
Doesn’t it depend on your target market? Obviously, the readers of a blog like this are highly internet savvy and know how to open a link in a new window. But if your target market is not so tech savvy, having a link open in a new window may be a smart move.
Trula
June 27th, 2007 10:30 am
This one sentence you wrote is why I don’t force new windows: I have enough windows open on my desktop at any one time without needing more!
Ok right!
Tracey
June 27th, 2007 11:27 am
I like the “new tab” approach myself, and right-click to select that option when I think about it. I didn’t think about it when I lefted the link to this article from iGoogle, and it opened in a new window.
If tabs are the way things are trending, and if it happens to be a more organized system for the user in the long-run, then go with it.
Bruce Dillahunty
June 27th, 2007 11:48 am
I used to have it open in a new window (or tab, depending on your browser settings), but have recently changed based on some articles here. My initial thought wasn’t so much of trying to keep people as trying to help them not get lost. I have an audience that are mostly not very web savvy, and I’ve watched many new ‘net people go to a new site and not have a clue about how to get back where they came from.
After more thought, these are also the people who won’t know what to do with a bunch of windows, so I think going with the “in the same window” choice is probably better. They’ll find the back button eventually :-)
MJ Ray
June 27th, 2007 6:24 pm
Well, I find tabs a bit of a bad user interface. I browse with two tiled browser windows side by site (try it sometime - it’s surprisingly good) so I can use one window to read a blog or whatever and the other to bring up the references. Moral of the tale: power users will be browsing in “strange” ways. Don’t even try to second-guess them. Just don’t violate the way the web works, else you will break all sorts of unexpected sites.
@Gillian (#112): Nielsen won’t catch up. You will. Good design is timeless.
I actually have Firefox set with “Force links that open new windows/tabs to open in the same window/tab as the link” on Edit: Preferences: Tabs, but some sites now seem to use javascript to defeat that. That’s very very evil.
Caitlin
June 27th, 2007 11:06 pm
I’ve always coded so external links open in a new window and internal links go straight to the page. Yes, it’s because I don’t want to lose readers but I also think it’s distracting to suddenly be on another website. Of course, a reader can hit shift and force it to open in a window but there are many, many people (who are probably not readers of this site) who are not that tech savvy. And there are others, like myself, who never hit shift when clicking on a link because we _assume_ all external links will open in a new window so I never hit shift when clicking on a link. I find it incredibly annoying when I’m wrong and then have to backspace to get back to where I am.
I agree that new tabs are better than new windows - is there a way of coding that in, without breaking it for people who aren’t using tabbed browsers?
Stephen James
June 28th, 2007 6:59 am
I agree that its best to not open link in new tabs and let readers open a new window or tab, but most people don’t browse this way. Working at ad agency that builds sites, this topic comes up every time we create a web site. I would guess that a majority of people do not shift/command/ctrl click. Unless you have a database/cookie structure to store where a user just came from inside a Flash document and restore them to their previous place, then you have to open a new window for Flash.
I say, go ahead and do whatever you want Joanna, since if you are savvy enough to care, then you should have your preferences set to force a new tab to open (at least if one is using FireFox).
CabSav
June 28th, 2007 9:56 am
I’m with Barbara (no. 7) et al. I like to open links in a new tab or browser, for all the same reasons Barbara cited.
As a surfer, I don’t like the new link to open over the top of my old one. I prefer tabs to new browsers, but I still don’t mind, providing whatever it was that caused me to go off on whatever tangent is still open somewhere. So much so that if I can’t open it in a new tab or browser, I won’t actually click on the link. I will even right-click on a Google search and open in a new tab.
Interestingly, a high proportion of people who have commented here say they will right-click and open in a new tab anyway. Doesn’t that say that they really want the link to open in (the modern-day equivalent of) a new browser?
Steven Bradley
June 28th, 2007 10:13 am
Why do people think you keep someone on your site when you open a link in a new window? You don’t. You’ve still sent that person to another site, only it’s in a different window. If a person isn’t savvy enough to use a back button do you think their savvy enough to realize your site is sitting there in a window behind their active window?
How about this for a scenario. A person clicks on your link and is taken to another site in a new window. They read the page and then are done. They continue surfing not by going back to the window with your site, but in the active window. They don’t attempt to close their browser until they’re done surfing. That’s when they see your site again. Maybe it’s an hour or two later and then wonder how your window got there.
Perhaps they think it’s one of those spam popunders and now associate your site with spam. Maybe they’re just confused and close your window too. In any event it’s a couple hours later and they’ve long since forgotten their interaction with your site. They wanted to get back to your site a couple of hours before, but when they hit the back button it wouldn’t take them there. I know this isn’t everyone, but I bet it’s more likely than most assume.
How many comments above mentioned opening a new window to force your visitors to stay on your site? Why do you want to force your visitors to do anything? Why not persuade them instead? People don’t like to be forced into doing anything.
There are legitimate times to open a new window and Darren mentioned two. As long as you indicate a link will open in a new window it’s probably ok as well. I’ve always suspected that people who want to open every external link in a new window do so because they lack confidence in the quality of their content. If your site is good people will find their way back.
How many here have not made it back to ProBlogger? Ok if you haven’t I suppose you’re not reading this. But we all make it back here because the content is good and valuable and we enjoy reading it. Some people might not find their way back. it happens. But if you build a good site with engaging content people will bookmark your site, subscribe to your feed (if you have one), or they’ll simply remember your URL.
Matt
June 29th, 2007 3:58 am
This almost feels like a cyclical debate with no conclusive answer because both parties have valid points in nearly equal measure. My tendency in a case like this is to encourage technology to meet the needs of both.
It could be as simple as adding an option button on the site that would toggle “Open Articles in New Window” on or off.
Then the opportunity becomes placing the button appropriately so that visitors see it when they want it.
I also think there is some room for customization based on browser version. For example someone visiting using Internet Explorer 6.0 won’t have tabs available and the script would account for this in determining its default setting for each new visitor.
-Matt, metaviper.com
Mark
June 29th, 2007 6:18 am
This is a very good question you’ve brought up Darren. I personally enjoy having links open in new browser windows. However, a blog should be designed and written for the readers. Many people have commented that they wish to be able to decide for themselves, which means that I will be changing the links on my blog so that my readers can decide how they would like to access links (I’ve had them set to open in new browser windows). In fact, I am going to change my link settings right now.