I'm a bit confused whether or not I should make the links on my website that point externally target="_blank". Does this practice negatively affect the usability of your site (i.e. breaking the "back button trail")? Is it commonly found annoying by most users? Is it acceptable in some situations but not others?
I want to make an enjoyable user experience for all of my sites and would hate to do something that annoys my users. What is your experience/advice on the matter?
MHO: just link it. If I want to open the link in a new window, I can do it myself.
Leave the target attribute out and let your users decide if they want to open the link in a new window. If you want to warn the user that the link will take them away from your site, you can implement a page that makes it clear (US Government sites do this for instance).
I've read plenty of usability documentation suggesting that end users resent being forced to open a link in a new window. I tend to agree, if I want a new window I will right click and select whether I want the same window, new tab, or new window.
However, the marketing types believe that opening an external link in a new window will keep the end user on your site because they will eventually close the new window and wind up back on your site.
EDIT: Best information I've read on this subject is in Steve Krug's book "Don't Make Me Think" (website).
It depends, typically for links to additional content on your site, I would not use the _blank. Anytime I link to off-site content I use the _blank to keep a page open for my site. That way when the user is done on the external site they see my site again.
With modern browsers this usually opens a new tab. I expect this behavior, but usually I control click to get a new tab/window when I want to keep my place.
That being said, for a web application, I'd always leave the target attribute off so the user can decide to open a new window or not.
I agree that as a user, I prefer to have the choice as to whether or not I open a link in a new window. Unfortunately, many users don't realize that they have that choice, and will lose your website when they click a link to an external site. I tend to err on the side of caution and make external links open in new windows, but it depends on your audience, really.
Here is a nice write up for not opening links in a new window/tab from Smashing Magazine. Essentially, it is better to give users control over link behavior than to decide for them.
Usability guru (?) Jakob Nielsen suggests not opening new browser windows (It's 10 years old though).
Quote:
Opening up new browser windows is like a vacuum cleaner sales person who starts a visit by emptying an ash tray on the customer's carpet. Don't pollute my screen with any more windows, thanks (particularly since current operating systems have miserable window management). If I want a new window, I will open it myself!
Designers open new browser windows on the theory that it keeps users on their site. But even disregarding the user-hostile message implied in taking over the user's machine, the strategy is self-defeating since it disables the Back button which is the normal way users return to previous sites. Users often don't notice that a new window has opened, especially if they are using a small monitor where the windows are maximized to fill up the screen. So a user who tries to return to the origin will be confused by a grayed out Back button.
And, every rule has an exception: He suggests document like PDF or DOC that are opened in the browser should be opened in new windows, to avoid confusion.
Most people will say to leave it out, all for very good reasons.
Most people will not tell you this: watch how different people browse using their computer. Sit down for an hour with an average user: a teacher, a piano player, a retired Vet, a stay-at-home mother, or a mechanic. Watch how people who are disabled browse.
You will discover that you should not:
You will discover that you should:
And much more.
What people hate is opening links in a new window and not knowing that it's coming. For each external link, go ahead and use target="_blank", but add an icon that suggests you're opening a new window. Wikipedia's double square icon is a good example of this, so you can just grab that from them and capitalize on the literacy that users already have there.
What's great about a 'new window' icon is that users then have the option of opening in a new tab instead, which isn't so obtrusive. I'd also say that many of those vehemently arguing against your proposed approach are looking at it strictly from an aesthetic/usability standpoint, and not in terms of business requirements or the functionality of your own application.
If you think that you or your users stand to gain from keeping users on your site and opening external links in a new window, you get to make the final call on that. Just be respectful about it.
You need to consider what users are doing in your window, when deciding how links should behave. If I could potentially lose a lot of work by navigating to another page, then I might want links to open in new windows, or give me an option to cancel.
For example, if I'm composing a message in Gmail, most of the links show a confirmation dialog, so I don't accidentally lose my work. And the links on top, which go to other applications like Calendar, open in new windows. I think this is a good example to follow.
I think it depends on the situation. For a simple website with just a few links like about us, contact, services etc., I will not open new window. It is easy for the user to know which page they are at and which page they have just looked at. For a site that has a listing summary page which links to hundreds or even thousands individual listing page. I would prefer to open new window for each listing. It allows the users to compare service/price.... on each opened page. Plus the user doesn't have to click the "back" button to return to the summary page and wait for the same page to load again.