How to Make a Link Open

In a New Tab or Window

I love that we all promote via posted links to self-made tweets, pins, and other social media forms. This method of sharing makes the job easier and allows each of us to create the promotional content for our own items. However, as easy as the method is, it can become time-consuming if the links to our tweets and pins (etc.) are not set up to open in a new tab/window.

Right now, most of us are providing links that download the landing page—the tweet, pin, shop page, FB page—over the blog page, in the same tab/window. This means that once you have shared an item via the social media link, you have to backtrack to return to the blog page. This can eat up time, and it may throw off your initial position in the blog.

The result is different if the landing page opens in a new tab/window: the initial blog page stays open, and it's easy to return to after you're through sharing—you simply close the new tab/window. 

Directions

To get a linked item to open in a new tab or window is rather simple. Just checkmark the function in the pop-up window you use to create a link.

It's easier to show this with a photo than a title like Pinterest or Twitter. The method for a title is exactly the same, except you highlight the title to select it.

1. Here's Gonze years ago in all his sweetness and youth. I've clicked the photo and the Link command - both are shaded here. Notice that the Link command is on the toolbar, marked by a red arrow.

2. The Link command pops a window. You then put your URL in the Web Address field. (The URL may duplicate automatically in the Text to Display field - at least that happens to me. If it happens to you, delete the duplicate or it will display in your blog post.)

3. To get the link to open in a new window, just click the checkbox labeled "Open this link in a new window." The checkbox is appears in a pair of options directly over the "OK" and "Cancel" buttons. (Follow the red arrow.)

That's it. I only had to check the box once. Now it's active every time I link something.

Alternate Method

If you prefer to do this kind of thing with html, just switch from Compose to HTML when working on your post. Add target=”_blank” after the code for the photo or title. (Click to enlarge screenshot below.)

The Result in Either Case

With these simple steps, you end up with links that spring tabs/windows and make promoting easier. Here's the result with my blog page - two tabs, one where I started from (blog), the next where my link took me (my shop). Once I'm done with my shop, I can close that tab/window with a Command-W or a click on its "x." My blog page is waiting for me, unchanged, my position on it the same.

Hope this helps! :) Treats to all the wondrous CPromo furpals from Sir Gonze!