Good ByeBloggers-Are You Sure You Wanted Your Reader to Leave You and Possibly Not Return?  

Adding links to your post...It's what we've all been taught. 

      1.You may want to link to a fellow Active Rainer as a call out for a great post,Steven Graham, for example on his great post on hyperlinks. 

       2.Or you might want to link to a place(such as Green Cay)  or business that you are referencing in your post. 

       3.Your link may take you to an information website that is pertinent to your site. 

       4.And, best of all, you might want to link to YOU... either to your website, a blog you have through Wordpress, for example, or to your outside blog here at Active Rain, or even a previous post.  

But remember that when you are adding a link you have a choice to have the link open in a new window, in which case your page will still be open, or to have the link open in the same window.  This is your choice. If where you are sending your reader is to your website or your other blog, then you might wish to "trap" them there.  

If, on the other hand, you're sending them to a website or blog not your own, you may want to have the link open in another window so they will still be able to find you. 

When you choose your anchor text and highlight it, you will then see the little link button highlighted. Link

When you click the link the Insert/Edit Window will open:

Insert/Edit Link

After entering the URL of the site to which you are linking and a title... look at the middle line- TARGET.   This is where you will choose, open the link in a new window or the same.

Insert/edit window

I'm no an expert on SEO, so I can't suggest to you whether it is better to have them leave or have them stay but don't forget.. you do have a choice.

 

 Kathy Streib 

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51 Comments on Bloggers- Are You Sure You Wanted Your Reader to Leave You and Possibly Not Return?

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

JUL
25
2011
1,028,040 Points 237 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Pamela- what is it they say about great minds???? Thanks and thank you for your great posts!

Maureen- I think it used to default to "new window" then I noticed recently that is didn't.  I include links to myself and to others.  For me and strictly for personal reasons, when I open a link, I like it to be in a new window.  I agree with you in that if your information is good people will make a point of finding out how to get back to you.

Raine- I think it somehow changed recently and I'm sure I didn't notice it until a few weeks ago. 

Michael-good morning to you and thank you!

Susan- good morning, and I do think there are some who will use both depending upon their goals. 

Cheryl- so much to remember here and this is just a small one.

Richie-I almost always will link back to me but I also link to informational sites.

Jerry- Hope this was a useful reminder!

Kathy-thank you!  I have a special Google Bookmark just for AR tutorials!

Cindy- right... and if they go elsewhere they may roam all over before they get back to you. 

David- I'll check it out!
11:40am • #32
569,044 Points 1 Featured Post Localism Sponsor Outside Blog

Hi Kathy,  Great explanation and I'm sure many here on AR are out there checking their own sites as we speak ! 
11:40am • #33
408,714 Points 12 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Kathy - Thanks for this great piece of info.  I actually never really knew what Target window meant, so I just skipped it.  Now I'll pay more attention. 
11:46am • #34
547,217 Points 18 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Hi Kathy~ I was writing a post yesterday with hyperlinks.  I noticed for the first time, that I have to make a choice.  I believe it used to default to open a new window.  That's usually my choice because they can always come back to me when they are done!
12:04pm • #35
179,186 Points 16 Featured Posts Outside Blog

I dont think leaving is the questions, but rather, are the outgoing links providing value to the reader? If links are placed in a blog just to create link backs and provide no actual value then why link in the first place? Now, if the link is in reference that makes the blog article stronger then those links will add value to the reader, article, and make the post stronger in its arguement. Think about use before linking. It helps.
1:10pm • #36
779,314 Points 38 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

When I click on a link I prefer it to take me to a new page, so that I don't lose the original place I was if I close it.  For that reason, I like to link to a new page.  I didn't realize the default had changed!  Thanks for pointing that out.  
1:28pm • #37
978,793 Points 114 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

A pet peeve of mine and I'm not sure why I would want anyone to leave my site for another's. 
2:22pm • #38
1,062,714 Points 12 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Kathy, Great reminder!  I haven't been doing that for a long time, linking my web site to my Active Rain blog, Thank you!
2:44pm • #39

Kathy - Thanks for the info!
2:53pm • #40
299,908 Points 7 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp

Personally I like the option to be still at the same page from whence I started when I am taken to other pages in my other searches. It is easy to get lost, so I like the option to open in a new window.
3:42pm • #41
216,123 Points 17 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master
You know what Kathy...this is great information, and something I (admittedly) never think about when adding hyperlinks. Thanks for the reminder my friend! ;-)
7:18pm • #42
1,028,040 Points 237 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Mimi- I think I finally have the link to Steve Graham fixed!!

Bryan- I think at one time, at least on mine, it defaulted to "open in a new window".  I just noticed the change recently.  I prefer to have my links open in a new window.

Rhonda- thank you... I'm not great at giving instructions because I get ahead of myself so hope this was clear for you.

Bill- I think there are some who thought it defaulted to "open in a new window".  As you can see from the comments, there are reasons to have it open in the same window as well as opening in a new window.

Sally- I'm not sure how long I'd been blogging before I figured out what it was, then it seemed to change recently.

Donna- you're right... I do think it did default to a new window in the past.

Toby- be sure to read Steven Graham's recent post about hyperlinks.  I do link to information that will be useful or helpful to the reader but I also want the links to my website or other blog.

Sharon- once again, we think alike.  When I do my personal surfing I like to open in a new window... so it's only right that i do the same for my readers.  And yes, I thought it used to open in a new window by default.

Carla- well we do have to let them leave, but send to your website or other outside blog.

Tony & Darcy- link to your website, too!

#40-You're welcome.

Sandy- same here.  Haven't you ever surfed and clicked on a link on that page, and then before you know it you don't know where the original page is?

David- Well, you're very welcome!!! Glad to see you!

 

 
8:01pm • #43
1,324,296 Points 37 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Kathy

Your post is very informative thanks for sharing the information.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig
8:37pm • #44
Outside Blog
I, like you and many others, have the link open in another window. Make it easy for them to get back to your blog or website.
10:19pm • #45
151,247 Points 6 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

As Gary stated, I usually have the link open in another window as well.  It is so annoying to lose the page in which you started.  
11:12pm • #46
219,426 Points 27 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

This is really great advice Kathy - always so many things to consider! 
11:28pm • #47
JUL
26
2011
1,360,093 Points 93 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

I was thinking about this post and I think for the sake  bounce rate ...and since this is a site where many new to blogging learn to blog... the AR default should be to set to open links in a new window.  Those who want to write their content for links to open in the same window could always do that...

It is not the end of the world... the links can be changed but why not get the newbies blogging without having to make that decision, or understand what that decision means.   

8:00am • #48
JUL
30
2011
638,713 Points 39 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

☂ where's the like button for Maureen's post!?!  I second that - AR can we have it set as a default to open in a new window?
Pamela
12:52pm • #49
JUL
31
2011
932,868 Points 73 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Kathy: Excellent post and tips too.  Most of my posts are local in nature so I try to have links to both my websites somewhere in the post.  It's just a personal preference but I like to "open in a new window" and also match up the title with keywords I am targeting in the post.  

Congrats on the feature, well deserved!
12:17pm • #50
AUG
03
2011
189,849 Points 3 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master
Hi Kathy, thank you for the post on linking, it confirmed for me some things I was doing right or wrong.
6:40pm • #51

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