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Last updated on Oct 26, 2024
Last updated on Oct 26, 2024
Want to give your website visitors a seamless browsing experience?
By learning how to open links in new tabs, you can ensure that users can explore external content without leaving your site.
This article will cover how to open a link in a new tab, the associated security implications, and best practices to follow.
Let's dive in!
In HTML, links are created using the anchor tag <a>. The href attribute specifies the link address, which is the URL of the page the link goes to. By default, clicking this link will open the page in the same tab.
1<a href="https://example.com">Visit Example.com</a>
To open the link in a new tab, add the target="_blank" property to the anchor tag. This tells the browser to open the linked document in a new tab or window, depending on the browser’s settings.
1<a href="https://example.com" target="_blank">Visit Example.com</a>
Using target=”_blank” introduces a security vulnerability known as “tabnabbing” when a linked URL is used. This occurs when the newly opened tab can manipulate the original tab through the window.opener property. This can lead to phishing attacks where users may unknowingly enter their login details on a fake page. The linked page can gain partial access to the linking page through the window.opener object, which can be exploited for such attacks. To prevent this, always include rel=”noopener noreferrer” with target=”_blank”.
1<a href="https://example.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Visit Example.com</a>
The noopener keyword ensures that the new page cannot access the window.opener property, while noreferrer prevents the browser from sending the referrer header to the new page.
Links don’t have to be just text. You can use images within anchor tags to create clickable images that open in a new tab.
1<a href="https://example.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> 2 <img src="example.jpg" alt="Example Image"> 3</a>
When adding social media links to your website, it’s a good practice to open these in a new tab so users don’t leave your site entirely.
1<ul> 2 <li><a href="https://twitter.com/example" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Twitter</a></li> 3 <li><a href="https://facebook.com/example" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a></li> 4</ul>
In some cases, you might need to dynamically add the target="_blank" attribute using JavaScript.
1<script> 2document.querySelectorAll('a').forEach(link => { 3 link.setAttribute('target', '_blank'); 4 link.setAttribute('rel', 'noopener noreferrer'); 5}); 6</script>
This script will add target="_blank" and rel="noopener noreferrer" to all anchor tags on the page.
Opening links in a new tab can be beneficial in scenarios where users need to refer back to the original page. For example, when filling out a form or reading a lengthy article, opening a link in the same tab might disrupt the workflow. However, overuse can lead to a cluttered browsing experience.
Opening links in a new tab can be a significant usability enhancement for your website. However, it's essential to follow SEO best practices to ensure you don't inadvertently harm your site's search engine rankings or user experience. Here are the key considerations and best practices:
Enhanced Navigation: Opening links in a new tab can help users keep their place on the original site, making it easier to return and continue their session.
User Control: Avoid forcing links to open in a new tab excessively. Users appreciate having control over their browsing experience and might prefer to open links in the same tab or choose to open them in a new tab themselves.
The target attribute specifies where to open the linked document. Using target="_blank" will open the link in a new tab or window.
Syntax Example:
1<a href="https://example.com" target="_blank">Visit Example</a>
Preventing Security Issues: Adding rel="noopener noreferrer" is crucial when using target="_blank". This prevents the new page from being able to access the window.opener property, which can protect against certain types of phishing attacks (known as tabnabbing).
Syntax Example:
1<a href="https://example.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Visit Example</a>
Link Juice: Opening links in a new tab does not inherently affect SEO, but excessive use of target="_blank" could lead to a poor user experience, indirectly affecting bounce rates and session durations, which are factors in SEO.
Use of rel Attributes: The noopener and noreferrer attributes can also affect how link juice is passed. noreferrer prevents the passing of the referrer header, which can obscure the origin of the traffic.
Screen Readers and Assistive Technologies: Inform users that a link will open in a new tab. This can be done via text or ARIA attributes to ensure that users relying on screen readers are not confused.
Example:
1<a href="https://example.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Visit Example <span class="sr-only">(opens in a new tab)</span></a>
1const link = document.createElement('a'); 2link.href = 'https://example.com'; 3link.target = '_blank'; 4link.rel = 'noopener noreferrer'; 5document.body.appendChild(link); 6link.click(); 7document.body.removeChild(link);
Using HTML to open links in a new tab enhances user experience. Always balance usability, security, and SEO considerations to ensure your site remains user-friendly and search-engine-friendly. By following the guidelines outlined in this guide, you can effortlessly create a smooth and intuitive browsing experience for your visitors.
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