In the previous post, there were some who commented and discussed the issue up of opening external links to new windows or not. By researching and based on what I do, I favored opening external links to the same window.

When I’m working on the computer I have numerous windows opened at one time and I don’t need anymore windows opened without my permission. Internet Explorer 7 and Mozilla Firefox has the tab system built in so, the user will open the new window from the right-click option if he or she wishes.

I remember when I first started out blogging, I placed the target=”_blank” code in all of the hyperlinks that lead to an external site. The reason I did that was to keep the window of my site open. After a while I learned that by not giving the user the option of choosing to open the same window or opening a new window, lowers the positive user experience. I learned that the more options you give to your readers, the better you and your site will be looked upon on by them.

Don’t Open New Windows
As you probably figured out by now, I’m not for opening new windows. By doing so it’s disrespectful to the user. If the user wants to open a new window then he or she will, but for the most part open external links to the same window.

Letting the user open the new window by his or her wish will deviate them from the loyal readers and the average surfer. If a person likes your site then he or she will come back to it. But if that person doesn’t like your site then he or she won’t come back to it and there’s no point of keeping that person.

So, the next time you hyperlink an external site, make sure you do it in the same window.

Tell me what you guys think. Do you prefer opening links in the same window or different window?


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