External Links in New Window / New Tab

The External Links in New Window / New Tab WordPress plugin simplifies the steps to open external links in new window or new tab automatically.

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What We Think:

90%

Very highly recommended!

External Links in New Window / New Tab: A Comprehensive Review

External Links in New Window / Tab is a WordPress plugin that helps users control the way links open within their webpages. This simple tool allows users to designate which external links should open in a new window or a new tab, and can be used to create a better user experience and aid navigation.

External Links in New Window / New Tab: Breakdown

Developed by Jaimen Vaghefi, External Links in New Window / Tab is a straightforward and user-friendly plugin that enables WordPress website owners to determine how outbound links open. This plugin enables WordPress users to selectively open external links in either a new window or a new tab without the need to manually add code to their page. This can be achieved with one click, and links can be opened individually or in bulk.

The plugin has been designed to integrate seamlessly into the WordPress page editor, where website owners can select any external link. A dropdown menu allows the link to be opened with one click, either in a new window or a new tab. For bulk open, users simply have to select the links and choose the chosen option in the top menu. It won’t open anyLibrary/Asset links into a new window or new tab, so internal navigation and page assets are unaffected.

In addition to the standard functionality of opening external links in a new window or tab, External Links in New Window / Tab features two additional settings. The ‘Nofollow’ option allows users to add a rel="nofollow" attribute to the selected link to prevent search engine robots from crawling or indexing the external link. They can also add a ‘Noopener’ attribute, which prevents the external link from accessing the browser window object of the end user and effectively minimizes security risks.

Pros of Using External Links in New Window / New Tab

Faster Navigation: Using the 'External Links in New Window / New Tab' WordPress plugin ensures that navigation between a user's website and external sources is quicker and faster. When a link is clicked, a new window or tab will be opened and the website or resource of their choice will be displayed. This is especially useful for important resources and external links that the user wants to prioritize. This removes the need to continually click the back button when navigating from external sources and the user's website, which can lead to decreased efficiency and frustration.

Increased Website Interactivity: Using the 'External Links in New Window / New Tab' WordPress plugin can improve the overall interactivity of a website or blog. This plugin ensures that external links will open to a new window or tab, allowing users to easily navigate between active pages and relevant resources. This can be used to great effect if there are many related pages or sources which the user needs to access quickly. It also enhances the overall experience of the user as they don't need to aggressively click the back button or leave the main website.

Increased Visibility of External Resources: Using the 'External Links in New Window / New Tab' WordPress plugin can significantly increase the visibility of external resources. Instead of having all links open within the same window or tab, this plugin ensures that all external links get independent visibility due to the opening of a new tab or window. This can allow the user to more effectively direct their attention to the external resource while still having access to the original website. This helps users access and focus on the content they need without any distractions.

Improved Accessibility for the Visually Impaired: Using the 'External Links in New Window / New Tab' WordPress plugin can ensure improved accessibility for visually impaired users. By opening each external link in a new window or tab, it ensures that the focus can remain on one page at a time. This can make navigation easier for users who rely on special tools and voice control software, as they can easily move between pages and resources without having to click multiple “back” buttons or scroll repeatedly. This can vastly improve the usability of a website for visually impaired users.

Increased Security: Using the 'External Links in New Window / New Tab' WordPress plugin can ensure improved security for the user. By opening all external links in a new page or tab, it ensures that untrustworthy sites or resources won’t display any dangerous content within the parent window. This can prevent any malicious scripts or malware from running on the user’s system, which can be critical for those visiting websites and accessing external resources for important business or personal information. This can be especially important for younger users who can be exposed to malicious content or unwanted ads.

Cons of Using External Links in New Window / New Tab

New Page Loads take time:: Using this plugin means each time a visitor clicks an external link, they have to wait for the page to load in a new tab or window which can be tiresome for them and slow down the page loading time for their screen.

Increased Memory Usage:: Using this plugin means having more memory in use for each link click as the page loads in a new window/tab. This can lead to slower website performance or reduced responsiveness for users.

Decreased SEO Performance:: Search engines such as Google may penalize websites that open external links in new tabs or windows, as this does not provide the best user experience for searchers. This can lead to a drop in rankings indirectly.

Inability to See Referrer:: When an external link is opened in a new window/tab, the referrer is not tracked and can result in the external website being unable to provide a personalized experience for the visitor as they may not know which source referred them.

Loss of Credibility:: Websites that open external links in new windows/tabs may appear untrustworthy to visitors, as it can be seen as a way to keep visitors from leaving the site to visit external sources. This can cause visitors to leave the website without even going to the linked page.

90% Very highly recommended!

In conclusion

External Links in New Window / Tab is a useful and incredibly easy to use WordPress plugin that can be used to improve the user experience of a website, while also protecting against security threats. This plugin requires no coding knowledge and integrations smoothly into the WordPress editor, allowing users to open external links in new windows or tabs with just two clicks. The added ‘Nofollow’ and ‘Noopener’ features further enhance the security and utility of this plugin, making it an ideal choice for website optimization.

Plugin Specifications

Version: 1.44
Last Updated: 8 months ago
Installs: 40,000+
WP Version: 4.0+
Tested Until: 6.4.2
PHP Version: 5.2 or higher

Use Case Examples

Product Promotions
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The External Links in New Window / New Tab plugin allows you to easily open external links in a new tab or window. This can be useful when promoting products or services that are located on another website. By having the external link open in a new tab or window, it allows the user to remain on the page they are currently on, while also being able to open the external location. This helps create a better user experience, as the user is not redirected away from the page they are viewing, but can still view the external promotion they were directed to.
Blog Links
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Videos/Media
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Secure Links
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Affiliate Links
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