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?
I vote for new tab. I hate multiple browsing windows and I regularly right click links and select “open in new tab.”
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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I like to open links in a new window. Why send your web surfer completely away from your site? *=)
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.
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 :)
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.
There should be a way of creating links to open in a new tab!
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?
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.
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.
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.
No. Use regular links and let the reader decide where to open it. Don’t be greedy with your visitors.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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?
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.
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.
“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.
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?
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
>>Does Google open a new window for every link it offers up in its search results? Nope.
But Digg does. Hasn’t hurt them.
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.
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.
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…
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.
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
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.
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..
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.
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