Links Not Opening In New Windows

Open in new window

This is just one of those little things I find annoying. This is what’s bugging me today!

There are many people who don’t like links opening in new windows but I’m not one of them. When I’m reading a blog/website and click on an external link I like having it open in a new window and keeping the original blog/website open so I can easily go back to it.

If I don’t find the link interesting, I just close down the window and I still have the original blog/website to continue reading.

A good reason to have external links open in new windows is to keep your visitor on your blog as long as possible. Because if your visitor finds the link you’ve provided very interesting he/she may never make it back to your blog.

This is how I like to handle links on my blog.

• External links – open in new window
• Internal blog links – open in same window

The default when you choose to add any hyperlink is to open in the same window.

WordPress offers us the option of linking to other sites through Zemanta and the “Recommended Links“, the major one being Wikipedia. Even though the default is to open in the same window, you can change this by editing the hyperlink and clicking on the “Open link in a new window/tab”.

If it’s photos you’re adding from Wikipedia or another site you have to go to the Advanced Settings tab and scroll down to check the box to have the link open in a new window.

By doing this, you now keep your visitor on your blog and the other site opens in a new window. I find this especially important if you list other sites in the “Related Articles“. This gives your visitor a chance to read any comments and hopefully add their own comment to your blog.

How about you? Do you like links opening in new windows?

This is what’s bugging me today!

Quote for today

The greatest power that a person possesses is the power to choose.
J. Martin Kohe

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