To link or not to link? That is the question. Is it proper to link to something on your own site? How about linking to someone else’s post or product.
The answer is YES. It is good to provide links (shortcuts) to content on your own site or to other sites. Let’s look at a few common errors with using links.
Is That a Link?
How many times have you clicked and double clicked and kept clicking on blue, underlined text and nothing happened?
Tip #31: Make it easy for your web visitors to know that something is a link.
Usually, web links in the text are blue and underlined. You can put a link in a photo, a button, logo, etc. Just make sure it’s easy for your web visitor to know it’s a link.
Don’t use blue underlined text if it is not a link.
Tip #32: External Links
When a web visitor lands on your website, they are temporarily yours—all yours. You have a captive audience.
So, before you add an external link to another website, especially someone else’s, ask yourself this one question: Is this link important enough that I’m willing to give my captive audience to another site?
I sometimes include links in my posts to some of my clients sites. I want to promote them and showcase their sites. But you don’t see me linking to competitors. My audience is too valuable.
Tip #33: Yes to Links
So do you want to include external links? When the answer is YES and you do want to include an external link to a different website than yours, make sure you program it to open in new window. This will make the browser open to a new tab.
The reason? When they close the window they opened, they will not be closing your entire site. You still have their attention.
More Tips
If you enjoyed these tips, grab my book, 52 Tips to Turn Your Website Into A Sales Machine, (notice this is an internal link to another spot on my site.) and learn how to make your website a cash cow.
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