Target="_blank" on linkshare

private_ryan · #1 June 14th, 2004, 09:44 AM

why don't they make it easier for us instead of having to type Target="_blank"> for every single link? Why not have a checkbox that makes it to open in a blank window if we want to? I still use many html links and this could save me (and probably many of you) a lots of time.
CJ does...

what do you think?

Chief_Beef · #2 June 14th, 2004, 09:51 AM

You are far better off without this.

Most or all popup blockers will prevent new windows from opening, and your potential customers will move along to my sites instead. Ooops I should just keep my big mouth shut.

ecomcity · #3 June 14th, 2004, 10:30 AM

I've got Yahoo -Google and Altavista toolbars with popup blockers and none prevent target="new" or Target="_blank" screens from opening. I'm sure others do but thta's the price I pay to make sure not all traffic completely abandons my Cybermall.

~Michelle · #4 June 14th, 2004, 11:15 AM

target=_blank is not blocked by any pop up blocker or norton that I know of.

Cheesehead · #5 June 14th, 2004, 01:55 PM

Looked into this a while back. Only very old and outdated blockers stop new window pages.

Trust · #6 June 14th, 2004, 02:23 PM

There is a possibility of a new window being blocked, so with the possibility of lost commissions and bad user experience, that should be a good enough reason not to have your links open in a new window. There was a thread about this before where affiliates tried both and conversions were the same. And there was also a thread here where people posted seeing links opening in new windows being blocked by some of the pop up blockers out there.

Lots of threads about it:
http://abw.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x?a=se...op+up+blockers

Andy · #7 June 14th, 2004, 02:33 PM

I took a section of my site that had all the links open in new windows at one time, and converted it. I didn't see any difference whatsoever in the conversions, so I'd say it makes no difference.

Going forward, I'd recommend not having links open in a new window, because you just don't know what Microsoft is up to with its new products. They're pretty steamed at all the abuse that's messing with their products, so I think it's best to not get too fancy at this point. Also, the pop up blockers might decide to kill everything that tries to open a new window. You just never know.

Plus, the "Leader" of Affiliate Marketing, Leader, says to get 'em off your site ASAP, and to the merchants site so they'll buy! Buy! Buy!

That's good enough advice for me...

Andy

esr615 · #8 June 14th, 2004, 02:45 PM

Just use >BASE TARGET="_BLANK"< in the heading of your pages and remove target="_blank" or target=_top" or target="_new" in all your links and each link will open in a new window. This way if things change to where new windows are being blocked, you will have to change only one line of code instead of each link.

Opening a link in a new window in no way henders your shopper from reaching the merchant's site.

In above code >=< and <=>

Gene
TCS

Infoseeker · #9 June 14th, 2004, 05:09 PM

This is an interesting discussion. I have always had my windows open in a new window with cj. I have been with cj for years. I "don't think" that it affects sales but it an interesting subject to ponder.

However, I recently joined linkshare and although I don't do great I have made regular sales until recently. I added target blank to all my links at linkshare and since then my sales have plummeted and I also notced that on ALEXA, it says that I have 5% popunders. I don't have one popunder on my site. I wonder what they are considering popunders. I recently had someone's linksynergy link show up on my stat report, so I also wonder if a parasite or a cookie stuffer got hold of my linkshare pid. I really don't understand how that all works though??

private_ryan · #10 June 14th, 2004, 05:28 PM

"Just use >BASE TARGET="_BLANK"< in the heading of your pages and remove target="_blank" or target=_top" or target="_new" in all your links and each link will open in a new window. This way if things change to where new windows are being blocked, you will have to change only one line of code instead of each link. "

that's a good point, but I doubt that they will block new windows. Imagine all the sites that do that since day one of wwww...

what if If I leave the links that already have that, will it work with double _blank?

thanks again,

On edit:
Ok, it works with both (_blank on header and _blank on link) and IE and FireFox support it. Should I remove all the target="_blank" via MySQL commands or just phase them out? What do you think? Any compatibilty issues with other less known browesrs?

thanks for your help and suggestions,

waybar · #11 June 15th, 2004, 06:25 AM

Is there any problem with popup blockers or
anything else if we use target=top?

mikeyjake · #12 June 18th, 2004, 07:05 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>There was a thread about this before where affiliates tried both and conversions were the same. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>I didn't see any difference whatsoever in the conversions, so I'd say it makes no difference. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

If only conversions were the whole story.
What about the affect on clicks?

If someone clicks, leaves your site, looks at some products, and then closes the window, you won't get another click from them in that session. And few people will backtrack 10 pages.

If its a new window, and they end up not buying, closing it will reveal your site again.

I don't think new windows should have a material effect on conversions, but how about the whole story?

Anybody run the *real* numbers?

MichaelColey · #13 June 19th, 2004, 01:02 PM

I've always had all external links on my sites open new windows, for the exact reasons Mike states. I don't have numbers to back it up, but my gut tells me that it's best.

flamingoworld · #14 June 19th, 2004, 01:15 PM

I always have my external links open in a new window. Being a coupon site, they want to leave my site open to copy and paste the coupon code if there is one.

mikeyjake · #15 June 19th, 2004, 08:14 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by MichaelColey:
I've always had all external links on my sites open new windows, for the exact reasons Mike states. I don't have numbers to back it up, but my gut tells me that it's best. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I haven't run the numbers in a while, but last time I did, I definitely saw some better numbers with new windows.

IMHO another example showing that conversion rate is just one part of a larger commission generating process...

Tools	Search
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
After this week, Don't You Deserve to Win an Award?	smesser	Rakuten LinkShare	68	June 5th, 2005 06:27 PM
Payments NOT A PRIORITY for Linkshare	MichaelColey	Rakuten LinkShare	61	February 21st, 2005 01:24 PM
LinkShare is Number One AGAIN!!!!!!	smesser	Rakuten LinkShare	19	October 3rd, 2003 10:24 AM

Internet Services

Website Development

Tech Hardware

#1 June 14th, 2004, 09:44 AM
private_ryan Full Member Join Date: January 17th, 2005 Posts: 53	why don't they make it easier for us instead of having to type Target="_blank"> for every single link? Why not have a checkbox that makes it to open in a blank window if we want to? I still use many html links and this could save me (and probably many of you) a lots of time. CJ does... what do you think?

#2 June 14th, 2004, 09:51 AM
Chief_Beef ABW Ambassador Join Date: January 17th, 2005 Posts: 1,362	You are far better off without this. Most or all popup blockers will prevent new windows from opening, and your potential customers will move along to my sites instead. Ooops I should just keep my big mouth shut.

#3 June 14th, 2004, 10:30 AM
ecomcity 2005 Linkshare Golden Link Award Winner Join Date: January 18th, 2005 Location: St Clair Shores MI. Posts: 17,396	I've got Yahoo -Google and Altavista toolbars with popup blockers and none prevent target="new" or Target="_blank" screens from opening. I'm sure others do but thta's the price I pay to make sure not all traffic completely abandons my Cybermall. __________________ Webmaster's... Mike and Charlie "What have you done today to put real value into a referral click...from a shoppers viewpoint!"

#4 June 14th, 2004, 11:15 AM
~Michelle Web Ho - Design B!tch Join Date: January 18th, 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,045	target=_blank is not blocked by any pop up blocker or norton that I know of. __________________ ~Michelle "All I ask is a chance to prove that money can't make me happy." "Work to become, not to acquire." -- Confucius

#5 June 14th, 2004, 01:55 PM
Cheesehead More Cheesier Than Ever Join Date: January 18th, 2005 Location: Land of The NFL Champs! Posts: 2,942	Looked into this a while back. Only very old and outdated blockers stop new window pages. __________________ This World is Not My Home We're gonna go inside, we're gonna go outside, inside and outside. . . And then we're gonna go go go and we're not gonna stop til we get across that goalline! Quotes from the movie Rudy, 1993

#6 June 14th, 2004, 02:23 PM
Trust ABW Ambassador Join Date: January 18th, 2005 Location: Nunya, Business Posts: 23,591	There is a possibility of a new window being blocked, so with the possibility of lost commissions and bad user experience, that should be a good enough reason not to have your links open in a new window. There was a thread about this before where affiliates tried both and conversions were the same. And there was also a thread here where people posted seeing links opening in new windows being blocked by some of the pop up blockers out there. Lots of threads about it: http://abw.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x?a=se...op+up+blockers

#7 June 14th, 2004, 02:33 PM
Andy ABW Ambassador Join Date: January 18th, 2005 Posts: 4,185	I took a section of my site that had all the links open in new windows at one time, and converted it. I didn't see any difference whatsoever in the conversions, so I'd say it makes no difference. Going forward, I'd recommend not having links open in a new window, because you just don't know what Microsoft is up to with its new products. They're pretty steamed at all the abuse that's messing with their products, so I think it's best to not get too fancy at this point. Also, the pop up blockers might decide to kill everything that tries to open a new window. You just never know. Plus, the "Leader" of Affiliate Marketing, Leader, says to get 'em off your site ASAP, and to the merchants site so they'll buy! Buy! Buy! That's good enough advice for me... Andy

#8 June 14th, 2004, 02:45 PM
esr615 Full Member Join Date: January 17th, 2005 Posts: 349	Just use >BASE TARGET="_BLANK"< in the heading of your pages and remove target="_blank" or target=_top" or target="_new" in all your links and each link will open in a new window. This way if things change to where new windows are being blocked, you will have to change only one line of code instead of each link. Opening a link in a new window in no way henders your shopper from reaching the merchant's site. In above code >=< and <=> Gene TCS

#9 June 14th, 2004, 05:09 PM
Infoseeker ABW Ambassador Join Date: January 17th, 2005 Posts: 687	This is an interesting discussion. I have always had my windows open in a new window with cj. I have been with cj for years. I "don't think" that it affects sales but it an interesting subject to ponder. However, I recently joined linkshare and although I don't do great I have made regular sales until recently. I added target blank to all my links at linkshare and since then my sales have plummeted and I also notced that on ALEXA, it says that I have 5% popunders. I don't have one popunder on my site. I wonder what they are considering popunders. I recently had someone's linksynergy link show up on my stat report, so I also wonder if a parasite or a cookie stuffer got hold of my linkshare pid. I really don't understand how that all works though??

#10 June 14th, 2004, 05:28 PM
private_ryan Full Member Join Date: January 17th, 2005 Posts: 53	"Just use >BASE TARGET="_BLANK"< in the heading of your pages and remove target="_blank" or target=_top" or target="_new" in all your links and each link will open in a new window. This way if things change to where new windows are being blocked, you will have to change only one line of code instead of each link. " that's a good point, but I doubt that they will block new windows. Imagine all the sites that do that since day one of wwww... what if If I leave the links that already have that, will it work with double _blank? thanks again, On edit: Ok, it works with both (_blank on header and _blank on link) and IE and FireFox support it. Should I remove all the target="_blank" via MySQL commands or just phase them out? What do you think? Any compatibilty issues with other less known browesrs? thanks for your help and suggestions,

#11 June 15th, 2004, 06:25 AM
waybar ABW Ambassador Join Date: January 17th, 2005 Posts: 530	Is there any problem with popup blockers or anything else if we use target=top?

#12 June 18th, 2004, 07:05 AM
mikeyjake Full Member Join Date: January 17th, 2005 Posts: 372	<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>There was a thread about this before where affiliates tried both and conversions were the same. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I didn't see any difference whatsoever in the conversions, so I'd say it makes no difference. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> If only conversions were the whole story. What about the affect on clicks? If someone clicks, leaves your site, looks at some products, and then closes the window, you won't get another click from them in that session. And few people will backtrack 10 pages. If its a new window, and they end up not buying, closing it will reveal your site again. I don't think new windows should have a material effect on conversions, but how about the whole story? Anybody run the real numbers?

#14 June 19th, 2004, 01:15 PM
flamingoworld ABW Ambassador Join Date: January 18th, 2005 Posts: 5,199	I always have my external links open in a new window. Being a coupon site, they want to leave my site open to copy and paste the coupon code if there is one.

#15 June 19th, 2004, 08:14 PM
mikeyjake Full Member Join Date: January 17th, 2005 Posts: 372	<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by MichaelColey: I've always had all external links on my sites open new windows, for the exact reasons Mike states. I don't have numbers to back it up, but my gut tells me that it's best. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I haven't run the numbers in a while, but last time I did, I definitely saw some better numbers with new windows. IMHO another example showing that conversion rate is just one part of a larger commission generating process...