Avoiding external links
Are You Losing Money When Visitors Leave Your Site?
Using external site links on a homepage is not a good idea for website owners, especially small business owners, because visitors might click on one of those links and leave your website. It is much like promoting other people's websites, instead of yours…..the one that needs to be promoted. But if for some reason you find it absolutely necessary to place external links to outside entities within your site, be sure to do the following
1.) Request a back link or a reciprocal link to your site. What you want to do is make it easy for your visitors to get back from their site....as least as easy it was for then to leave your site and visit theirs! Reciprocal links also creates interest and popularity for SEO.
2.) Make the external link open in a separate, new page in the browser. That keeps your Web site open in the background. Otherwise when the visitor closes the external link, your site will close as well. Most Web site building programs and Web content editors allow you to set the "Target" for your links. Setting the target for your links:
"_self" - opens the link in the same window (The visitor can click the "Back" button and come back to your site, however if the visitor closes the window for the external link, they also close your Web site.) _self is great for Internal links (links within your own site.)
"_blank" - opens the link in the new window (when the visitor closes the window for the external link, your Web site remains open.
"_parent" - refers to Web sites with Frames
"_top" - refers to Web sites with Frames loads the linked document in the topmost frame to _Blank will cause a new page to open
3.) Be perfectly clear with yourself on the benefit(s) your business will derive from an outside link. If you are trying to promote other businesses, then external links can be great! My FREE online Directory is a great example. Lots of links going to hundreds of other sites. My goal is to help promote those business owners.
Of course you'll play around with these options and select he ones that work best for you. Submit your business in My Free Directory today....and if you are already in my directory....let's connect for a discovery meeting to find more ways you can grow!
Are You Losing Money When Visitors Leave Your Site?
Using external site links on a homepage is not a good idea for website owners, especially small business owners, because visitors might click on one of those links and leave your website. It is much like promoting other people's websites, instead of yours…..the one that needs to be promoted. But if for some reason you find it absolutely necessary to place external links to outside entities within your site, be sure to do the following
1.) Request a back link or a reciprocal link to your site. What you want to do is make it easy for your visitors to get back from their site....as least as easy it was for then to leave your site and visit theirs! Reciprocal links also creates interest and popularity for SEO.
2.) Make the external link open in a separate, new page in the browser. That keeps your Web site open in the background. Otherwise when the visitor closes the external link, your site will close as well. Most Web site building programs and Web content editors allow you to set the "Target" for your links. Setting the target for your links:
"_self" - opens the link in the same window (The visitor can click the "Back" button and come back to your site, however if the visitor closes the window for the external link, they also close your Web site.) _self is great for Internal links (links within your own site.)
"_blank" - opens the link in the new window (when the visitor closes the window for the external link, your Web site remains open.
"_parent" - refers to Web sites with Frames
"_top" - refers to Web sites with Frames loads the linked document in the topmost frame to _Blank will cause a new page to open
3.) Be perfectly clear with yourself on the benefit(s) your business will derive from an outside link. If you are trying to promote other businesses, then external links can be great! My FREE online Directory is a great example. Lots of links going to hundreds of other sites. My goal is to help promote those business owners.
Of course you'll play around with these options and select he ones that work best for you. Submit your business in My Free Directory today....and if you are already in my directory....let's connect for a discovery meeting to find more ways you can grow!
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