Freedom Tunnel by Pro-Zak. When we link out to another site, it can be hard not to consider the readers you may have just sent away. In an attempt to lessen the likelihood of losing the reader, many people force links to open in a new window, but is this really the best solution?
The Reasons For
- Your page stays open. This is undoubtedly the main reason for it. The link is loaded in a new window. When the user has finished with it, and closes the window, they’ll find your page still sitting there.
- Some links are intended to be used as references. For instance, if I were writing an article about nuclear power, I might reference my source like this: nuclear energy is a heavily debated topic (Eco Warrior)… The link will open in a new window/tab, allowing the user to check my reference, and then continue reading the article.
The Reasons Against
- It is not your browser. As much as you would like to control your readers, you can’t. It is their browser, their internet connection, and their choice. Trying to force your choice upon them will annoy them, and every little annoyance increases the likelihood of them leaving permanently (Think about how you feel when a website forces new windows to open on you).
- If a user feels your page is worth continuing to read, they will open a new window themselves. With the advent of tabbed browsing, this ideal is true now more than ever before.
- The user is not lost, even if they leave your page temporarily. The back button is probably the most frequently used part of a browser. Once the user has read the link you gave them, they can get back to your site easily if they want to.
In the end, you want your users to come back to you. As any honest blogger knows, you can’t trick users into becoming loyal to you. You show them your best side, and leave the decision up to them. In my opinion, whilst new windows might scrape a few extra page views out of half-interested users, the annoyance it poses will hurt your potential for building the good relationships that you really want.
There is a good discussion on this topic in the reader comments of this article. What is your policy on your blog? New windows or not?
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Tyler Michael Jonsson (13 comments)13 August 07
I tend to try to make the majority of my links open in a new window, partially so users stay on the site, and partially because personally *I* prefer when sites do it, since my mouse does not support the cool little “back” thumb button.
But after reading this, perhaps I should think through that reasoning a bit more carefully!
Valid points, my friend!
Michael Martin (1285 comments)13 August 07
Thanks for the comment.
You make a good point. The mouse itself probably does play a good role. I know that I use the scroll wheel on mine constantly for opening/closing tabs! I’d dread to go back to a normal mouse.
Can I ask what browser you’re using as well? (A tabbed or non-tabbed one?)
Matt Wolfe (1 comments)14 August 07
This is a good piece of advice. I never really thought about it before. I always have my links open in new windows on my blog but I think I will change that. When I’m reading a blog and there is a link that interests me, I typically right-click on the link and open it in a new tab. I guess this is probably pretty common with most bloggers…
Michael Martin (1285 comments)14 August 07
I think it is, Matt. I do the same as you, open links in new tabs, so I don’t usually notice when the blog is forcing me to open new windows or not. It’s only when you don’t open the new tab yourself that you realise you aren’t the boss on this site.
(You have to wonder why the browsers don’t add an “Open in this tab” link to the right-click menu though…)
Ken Xu (2 comments)14 August 07
We should put a link that open a new window like this:
click here to go to somewhere (open in a new window)
It’s wise to advise your reader before they click on it.
Respect your reader, and they shall respect you.
Nice post Michael!
Mani Karthik (1 comments)14 August 07
It’s a great topic anyway Michael !
I prefer new windows. Not to trick visitors to come back. So that, they don’t confuse on the content. I personally open links in new tabs. So i assume my readers too prefer the same – where i may be wrong.
Must congratulate you on finding such topics that prompts users to comment.
Cheers!
Mani
TechZilo (8 comments)14 August 07
I am guilty of using target=”_blank”. But its another way for more stickiness. I dont think it will really trick visitors.
The only problemis that readers maybe using IE6(yes, there are some), and they get bewildered when they get new windows.
Michael Martin (1285 comments)14 August 07
Ken Xu – That’s a great idea. I can actually imagine a way in which you could use CSS to do something like that for you. (You could even use a little icon instead.
).
Very good idea, thanks for sharing!
Mani – You make a good point, and may very well be right, but if you know that you usually open links in new tabs anyway, is there any need to force readers to do the same? (Won’t they do it anyway?) Or do you think that users open so many tabs, that the annoyance would be very small, if at all?
And hehe – Thanks. I’m just really glad that the readers here have been so involved so far! It’s really great to hear what other blog owners do with their blogs.
Techzilo – Yeah, IE6 tends to be a problem for everything online! Still, the number of people using it lessens everyday. That thought usually makes me smile.
OknooRap (1 comments)14 August 07
Both of them is important, so I think up to you all (blogger)
. BTW I am newbie here.
Michael Martin (1285 comments)14 August 07
Welcome OknooRap! Don’t worry, everyone here is sort of a newbie. The blog isn’t even two weeks old.
Hope you’ll find something worth reading here,
Michael
Karen (Karooch from Scraps of Mind) (3 comments)14 August 07
I’ve thought about this before, but I still prefer to open links in a new tab. I know how annoyed I feel when I forget to select a new tab on a website and lose the page I’m viewing. Knowing I’ll have to remember to press the back button when I’m finished reading instead of the close button.
Michael Martin (1285 comments)14 August 07
Thanks for the opinion Karen. Good example. I can see how that could get annoying. (I would usually hit back immediately, and then open the link properly, but you’re right that not everyone will do that.)
Rose (5 comments)14 August 07
I use to force links to open in a new window, but now with tabs there really is no reason too and I have also noticed the disadvantages. Great post on an important topic. You should enter my contest.
Sly from Slyvisions.com (18 comments)16 August 07
I usually open my links to new windows so that my readers don’t have to “copy and paste” the link addresses. It also helps to keep the readers on your site.
Nice post.
Sly from Slyvisions.com
kristarella (141 comments)16 August 07
It ticks me off when links open in new windows. I use tabs alot and I usually only use a different window when I’m starting a research topic that I know I’m going to use lots of tabs for.
There are a few exceptions when you know that a site is going to give you a new window, when they’re using javascript for example. In fact I’m thinking I might need to change my blogroll dropdown boxes because they can’t open in a new tab…
I think Sly saying that he forces new windows so users don’t have to copy and paste is patronising to his users. If they haven’t found the right-click options to open in a new window or tab, forcing a new window is not going to help them learn.
Webmaster Mommy (2 comments)16 August 07
I actually also prefer websites that do open their links into a new window, I usually click the open link in new tab button now days just to be sure I don’t lose what I was reading, but when I forget, I HATE when they open into what I was reading.
With the newfound popularity and SEO benefits of links within the content of pages, I constantly find myself clicking mid article.
Now if the links actually did open into a new window, I might find that irritating as well, but I have FireFox (might be available in IE too, beats me) and when I open a link that is set to open in a new window, it opens in a new tab (per my personal settings) and loads behind the page I’m currently reading.
Michael Martin (1285 comments)16 August 07
Sly – I don’t see how they’d ever need to copy&paste a link, either way. But yes, it probably does help keep them there a little.
Kristarella – That’s a very good point. I’ve gotten into the habit of automatically opening links in a new tab so much, that when I do come across one of those javascript pop-up windows, it doesn’t work first time, because of the tabs. (I think there should be some sort of indicator that the link is a pop-up tbh)
Webmaster Mommy – I do the same. An interesting article with links is just begging for some tabs to be opened!
kristarella (141 comments)17 August 07
Good call, I often try to open javascript links in a new tab and just get blank, so I go back and yes indeed, it’s javascript. I have seen a little icon before, two little rectangles overlapping. That might be a symbol for new window, it would be cool if more people did that.
Michael Martin (1285 comments)17 August 07
Agreed. I used to have a Firefox extension that gave you a different icon depending on the type of link, but it gave out too many icons, which was annoying so I turned it off…
Jerry Gartner (1 comments)20 August 07
I used to open all off site links in separate windows because I wanted to keep people on my site. After a discussion with a friend, several things occurred to me: the most commonly used button in a web browser is the back button. Opening a new window essentially breaks it’s functionality. A new window can confuse some users too (really). If my content is good, that will keep people on my site more than anything else. The final and main reason I stopped opening off site links in new windows: it is not XHTML compliant. If you open links in a new window, your code is no longer standards compliant. As a developer, this is important to me – I’m not sure why, but it is.
Michael Martin (1285 comments)20 August 07
I agree Jerry. Your users are the most important thing, and if new windows are causing hassle for them, it’s just not worth it.
As for the validation, it’s only non-valid if you’re using an xHTML Strict doctype. It’s fine in xHTML transitional.
Steven Snell (24 comments)1 September 07
I prefer links in the same window. Users always have the option of opening them in a new window if they choose.
Michael Martin (1285 comments)1 September 07
Agreed. Giving users the choice of doing what they want to do, not what you want to do, is usually a good idea.
sms (1 comments)13 November 08
gravatar
I don’t like it when a link automatically opens in a new window or tab, especially when it makes your browser automatically close on you. If I really wanted to open a link in a new tab or window I’d just right click and click on either “Open Link in New Window” or “Open Link in New Tab”
darwin916 (1 comments)7 February 09
cool analysis ✔
Femin (1 comments)5 March 09
New window is useful to keep ur visitor
Web Host Right (16 comments)20 August 09
I was also reading about this somewhere else recently, until then i would usually set links to open in a new window but after reading that it should not be forced upon them i now dont and wont force that on the visitor.
Paulie (1 comments)26 August 09
I’m considering both sides of the debate, but my guess is that most users who are not web designers prefer to have links open in a new tab/window. For most people, it would never cross their mind that “someone has taken control of my browser” – only a web professional would think that. It seems reasonable to assume that if your main readership will be web savvy individuals (they know how to open in new tab) – same window, but if your readership is more general – new window. Just my opinion, but if you make your decision based on what other web designers think, you might not be giving your actual users what they want.
Danny (2 comments)28 September 09
Interesting that this “do I / don’t I” debate rages on for years, with opinion apparently fairly evenly divided on all sites I have found.
We ran a simple poll on our site for a day or so, precisely to obtain real life visitor opinion.
Question:
Should links to external sites open in a new tab/window?
Yes. I want to keep this site open in the background (81%, 25 Votes)
No. I know how to get back here if I want to. (19%, 6 Votes)
I actually came here looking for info on how to make the Gravatars plugin (overrides comments-template.php) comment links open in a new window. Alas, my search goes on!
victory (1 comments)8 October 09
This is a good advise but please can you show me how to do that, presently the problem am having with my blog is that all the site i link to my page do no open in new window or new tab. i will be very glad if you can tell me how i will do it
Elijah (2 comments)12 October 09
Good Article. thank you so muck.
cheers
Elijah
seo your blog (2 comments)14 December 09
Really interesting topic out there, I prefer my links to be opened in a new window, reason is I don’t want my bounce rate to go up, also I think readers will find it useful to come back and check your page again rather than leaving your page and forget it forever.
Geoff (2 comments)14 December 09
Having just created my website the question of same or new windows arose in a forum. I must admit I`d never really given it a lot of thought up until now. The suggestion some users made is to use the same window for all but external links to such things as news-type sites, and of course if a form has to be filled in and the terms etc are on a separate page.
Jar kko (2 comments)8 January 10
New window helps to keep the visitor!! I personally like that the link opens the a new window, if I’m reading a interesting blog.
Geoff (2 comments)8 January 10
I gave this a lot of thought when creating links at my new site, and eventually decided that apart from a News Page I`d make them all same window links.
Danny (2 comments)8 January 10
In response to Geoff and Jar kko, I have formed an opinion that the “No” (= open in same window) believers make more noise on the Internet, although they are in the minority. Our simple poll indicated that 80% of our visitors like links to open in a new window. And I can understand why.
I am like Jar kko – if i have navigated to a very interesting post and then click on a link in that post – if it opens in the same window I get ANGRY.
I think “what a stupid design” (my opinion)
I WANT a new window.
I WANT to keep the original post open.
But I guess we are all different