Dumb SEO Questions

(Entry was posted by Jelani Burto on this post in the Dumb SEO Questions community on Facebook, 12/30/2013).

If I use target="_blank" for internal links, will this lower the number of page views?

If I use target="_blank" for internal links, will this lower the number of page views?  How do "new tabs" affect page views and bounce rates?

I know that this can be effective to lower bounce rates for external links but I`m unsure how this applies for internal links. ?
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YOUR ANSWERS

Selected answers from the Dumb SEO Questions Facebook & G+ community.

  • Jelani Burton: If I use target="_blank" for internal links, will this lower the number of page views?  ;How do "new tabs" affect page views and bounce rates?

    I know that this can be effective to lower bounce rates for external links but I'm unsure how this applies for internal links. ;
  • Federico Sasso: In most browsers target="_blank" just opens the requested page in another tab, but the HTTP request has the same session cookies as the previous one, so no, by itself target="_blank" has no effect on bounce rate...
    ...but for internal links imho would make a terrible user experience, I would personally would run away asap (without affecting bounce rate as I'd need at least two pageviews to realize it).
    I am under the impression you are more trying to cure a symptom (BR) than a root cause (site abandonment).
  • Richard Hearne: All you're going to achieve is pissing of your users. Agree entirely with previous comment.
  • Ian Dixon: Why would you use target="_blank" for an internal link +Jelani Burton ;? I use it for external links because it means a visitor still has a window/tab open on my site to come back to. With internal links then they are navigating the site therefore a better visitor experience if they stay in the same window/tab
  • Sanchit Khera: I think it might make sense, when the user clicks on the close tab button and sees an additional page that remains open. This additional page can act as a touch-point that possibly lures the user back to the same website. ;
  • Jelani Burton: +Federico Sasso ;that makes sense. Yes, this is in regards to BR.  ;

    +Ian Dixon ;The reason I asked is primarily because a lot of the information on my page is informational.  ;If a user clicks on a link, it is often supplemental information.  ;For this reason, I thought that it might be better for the new page to open in a new tab so that the user can still reference the original page without having to backtrack. Just trying to make things easier.  ;

    I myself, open the majority of my tabs in a new window because you're not always positive that the new page will be useful information.  ;If not, all I have to do is close the tab and I still am at my original source of information.

    +Sanchit Khera ;You have a point there. Also, most of my users are not tech savvy and probably are not aware of the ability to open links in a new tab. ;
  • Sanchit Khera: Yeah, you're right there. I think the ability to open multiple tabs gives a user more control over the website as well. ;
  • W.E. Jonk: From the expert panel in this weeks SEO Questions hangout on air on 01:00:42 into the YouTube video: https://dumbseoquestions.com/q/if_i_use_targetquot_blankquot_for_internal_links_will_this_lower_the_number_of_page_views

View original question in the Dumb SEO Questions community on Facebook, 12/30/2013).

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