Linking structure question

[DarinPirkey]

I generally go with UX over SEO when it comes to pretty much anything on my site.  But, my question today is about linking (both internal and external).

For internal links, I generally link in the same tab and for external links I generally open in a new tab.  Recently I've gotten a few questions about external links opening in new tabs because some mobile devices can't open more than one tab at a time.

So, here is my questions.  What do you do and why?  Is there any SEO value to having your links open in a new tab?

Thanks.

[Gavo]

Interesting question.

I think that most people, as in your case, link to open to a new tab if they are linking to another page and don't want a user to be taken too far away from the existing webpage. This applies for both external and also internal webpages. I find in a lot of cases though, external links particularly don't go to a new tab just because people simply forget to put in the code!

There is no existing research and evidence out there to suggest that opening a link in a new tab will have any value on SEO. The key question for me to is to ask why would Google (or any other search engine) attribute more/less value to a link that opens in a new tab? If this question can't be answered in a way that is sound and sensical, then it's safe to say that opening a link in a new tab has no effect on SEO.

For me there is no sound or sensical way to answer that question, and so along with no empirical evidence suggesting otherwise, its safe to say that a link opening in a new tab has no SEO effect.

[Chris.Menke]

Algorithmically, there could be a benefit to having a link open a new browser window in that by leaving your page open while a visitor follows a link to another page, it may positively influence engagement signals (time on page, for example) google may use for ranking (as far as I know though, there's no data on that, though).

Here's what's been said by a few others:

Hubspot**: **If you're linking to an outside site, you want to give credit to them and drive traffic their way, but not at the expense of your own time-on-site. Opening a link in a new browser window, as opposed to the window they are currently in (your website!) makes it less likely that a user will permanently abandon your website for the one you linked to.

Anne Smarty:  There is the fundamental law of the Internet ethics that says that you let the visitor decide how he wants to open the links.

Michael Martinez: Open External Links in the Same Browser Tab or Window....There can be few Website behaviors that are more user-unfriendly than this.

Vitaly Friedman: Should Links Open New Windows? No, they shouldn't

[RobertFisher]

Most excellent Chris.

Thank you.

[DarinPirkey]

The only thing I would challenge here is the engagement signals part.  I'm pretty sure Google can determine which window/tab you have active.  I do understand your logic here though.  I'm wondering if linking to another site in same tab and shortly "going back" to the original site would have any negative effect based on "helpful linking."  ie.  I'm wondering if Google can tell that when I link to other sources and then that person immediately (or very shortly) comes back to my page.  My thought here is that I'm not linking to "helpful" resources and could have some sort of negative influence on my site and the third party site.  At the end of the day, I'm sure all of this is .005% of ranking factors (if any) and I'm probably WAY over thinking this.  

[maestrosonrisas]

i always open internal and external link from my site no sale window.